Bishop’s claim she’d reconsidered her plans on the basis she believed the government will be re-elected doesn’t wash. She was always expected to bail out – it was a matter of when she’d say so.
- Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
The exit of Bishop underlines the Liberals’ “woman problem”.
It comes after the decision by cabinet minister Kelly O'Dwyer to leave at the election.
It’s reasonable to take Cormann at his word about missing that the change hadn’t been processed. Even accepting this, however, the affair looks bad for Cormann, who failed the “Caesar’s wife” test.
Bill Shorten said party political structures were perhaps more vulnerable than government institutions - and progressive parties particularly so.
The result will be a major fillip to government MPs, who are hoping the revival of the boats issue will swing public opinion in the Coalition’s direct.
Deep Saini and Michelle Grattan talk about the week in politics.
If the government really intends to “reopen” Christmas Island in any major way, it could find itself spending a lot of money there on few if any people.
Kerryn Phelps on the medical transfers bill
Phelps describes Scott Morrison's proposal to reopen the Christmas Island detention facility as a "political statement".
Morrison told a news conference cabinet’s national security committee had met early Tuesday to discuss the contingency planning already in train in anticipation of the bill’s passage.
The government will turn up the dial by announcing “contingency plans” against fresh arrivals. Morrison is already moving on to the claim that Shorten couldn’t be trusted to be strong on turnbacks.
The government has suffered a historic defeat in the House of Representatives, with Labor and crossbenchers passing the legislation facilitating medical transfers from Manus and Nauru by 75-74.
After Shorten was briefed by security officials and with enormous political pressure coming from the government, Labor moved back from its support of the bill as it has come out of the Senate.
The money includes $60 million - over the next three years - in grants for organisations to provide emergency accommodation for those escaping family violence.
Scott Morrison says the government will not shift from outright
opposition to the bill, which is based on a proposal originally coming from independent Kerryn Phelps but subsequently refined.
Deep Saini speaks with Michelle Grattan about the week in politics.
If the government feels it is on the rack over the amendments, Labor also is in an awkward position, and at least one of the independents finds herself in the spotlight.
In a statement late Thursday, NAB said Thorburn would finish at the end of this month while Henry would leave the board once a new CEO had been appointed.
Morrison declares the amendments, based on a proposal from independent Kerryn Phelps, would leave the government powerless to stop the entry of a paedophile, rapist or murderer.
In a letter to Morrison, Shorten said both houses should be recalled on March 5-7 and March 12-14. The sitting calendar has only 10 sitting days before the election.
Michael McCormack on banks and the bush, and the election battle
CC BY38.1 MB (download)
Acknowledging the big challenges ahead for the Nationals at the election, he told The Conversation he is "not going to write Cowper off yet".
The Morrison government has promised to establish a compensation scheme paid for by the financial services industry as it seeks to avoid damage from the banking royal commission.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen will pitch to many workers’ discontented with their lot, declaring in his first economic speech of the year that these people are being denied “a fair go”.
Scott Morrison and David Coleman said: “There are now only four asylum seeker children on Nauru and they have all been approved for departure to the United States of America with their families”.
Deep Saini speaks with Michelle Grattan about the week in Australian politics.
How to spot the work of a political spin doctor this election season
The Conversation, CC BY77.6 MB (download)
There’s a small army of spin doctors behind the scenes of an election campaign, finessing every utterance so it fits with the overall strategy. Today's episode is all about the art of political spin.
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