Adam Bandt on Greens’ hopes for future power sharing
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Adam Bandt expresses his disappointment with Labor's coal rhetoric. He says they have a decision to make: work with the Greens, or determine whether they have more in common with the Liberals.
Parliament’s first week for 2020 was a hectic one, with the fallout from the ‘sports rorts’ affair requiring a Cabinet reshuffle, and Adam Bandt being elected the new leader of The Greens.
As this week showed, a clean end to a ministerial scandal is seldom possible. Even so, the aftershocks of the sports rorts affair have been major, and they’ll continue to plague the government. Deputy…
Michael McCormack moves on from his near-death experience
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On this podcast, the Nationals leader defends his new frontbench line up against criticism it's short on women, mounts a strong pitch in favour of coal, and rejects claims that he's a weak leader.
Scott Morrison dodged a bullet when the Nationals clung on to Michael McCormack. There was palpable relief when the news came through to the Liberals. “We still have a Coalition,” one MP was heard to say…
If the PM continues to hide behind cabinet confidentiality and precedent, it won’t just be his skin that sustains bruises, but that of his right hand bureaucrat.
The Greens’ only House of Representatives member, Adam Bandt, is the party’s new leader, elected unanimously after Richard Di Natale’s decision to leave parliament. Bandt, 47, has held the inner city seat…
The Nationals’ meltdown has been triggered by the forced resignation of Bridget McKenzie, and while only a new deputy needed to be elected, Joyce has seized the opportunity to make his leadership run.
Natale’s shock resignation comes as former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce announced he would challenge Nationals leader Michael McCormack if there was a move for a leadership spill on Tuesday.
Despite Morrison saying how much he respected the “professionalism”, “expertise” and “skills” of the public service, his remarks won’t be lost on federal bureaucrats.
Sport Australia wrote to McKenzie’s office before the election expressing concern it was being compromised by political interference.
Morrison’s hope for clear air for his messages is being stymied by the crisis around deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie, as more damaging information emerges against her in the sports rorts affair.
Bridget McKenzie’s political future could be determined by Scott Morrison’s inquiry into whether she breached ministerial standards.
Lukas Coch/AAP
The damaging longer-term risk for Prime Minister Scott Morrison is that some people have re-thought their view of him over the sports grants saga and his missteps in handling the bushfires.
Bridget McKenzie was a member of a shooting club that received $36,000 in grant money.
Lukas Coch/AAP
Morrison says he referred the auditor-general report to the head of his department last week to determine if McKenzie breached ministerial standards in her sports grant dispersals.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison prepares to address the press on Monday after he said few people knew who his NSW Liberal colleague was.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Scott Morrison’s salvo against the NSW environment minister, one of his party’s progressives on climate change, was gratuitous and inept.
Scott Morrison doesn’t seem to grasp that while he likes to emphasise his relationship with the ordinary Australian, as prime minister he is not an ordinary Australian.
AAP/Paul Braven
I’d hoped to keep my absence nice and private, especially from those quiet Australians fighting fires. Regrettably, despite best efforts, my press office wasn’t able to keep a lid on the story.
The Yearbook is a collection of 50 standout articles from Australia’s top thinkers.
The Conversation
Grattan and Martin on the year that was, in politics and economics
The Conversation, CC BY59.2 MB(download)
Michelle Grattan sits down with The Conversation's economic editor Peter Martin for a chat about the year that was, and to answer readers' questions.
The forecast for Australia’s economic growth in 2019-20 has been cut by 0.25%, and the projected surplus for this financial year slashed by A$2.1 billion.
The Conversation
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Mathias Cormann and Jim Chalmers on the mid-year budget update
The Conversation, CC BY29.7 MB(download)
The figures indicate a worsening economy, but the government has sought to put a positive spin on the situation, saying the Australian economy is showing resilience.
The update has slashed growth and surplus forecasts, as the economy is buffeted by global and domestic pressures.
Lukas Coch/AAP
