Memo Scott Morrison: don't chase the 'base'

Aug 25, 2018 07:50 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

John Howard was fond of referring to the Liberal Party as a broad church. This included its conservative base. But what has eluded those seeking to define this amorphous group of electors is exactly what is meant by...

Shifting to Peter Dutton, or anyone else, will not cure what ails the Liberal Party

Aug 24, 2018 03:58 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

At time of writing, Malcolm Turnbull is still prime minister. But he is seriously, and most likely, terminally, wounded. It is unclear how long he will be able to remain as Liberal leader and PM. Turnbulls turn as...

Policies on petroleum and pipelines move us closer to a 'Hothouse Canada'

Aug 23, 2018 23:15 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

It is another hot, hot summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Sweden is having trouble fighting wildfires north of the Arctic Circle. Greece has seen its worst wildfires in years, and even Britain has been scorched. In...

Senior ministers deal death blow to Malcolm Turnbull's prime ministership

Aug 23, 2018 23:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Malcolm Turnbull has been delivered a political death blow, with the resignation of three senior cabinet ministers Mathias Cormann, Michaelia Cash and Mitch Fifield. They said in a joint news conference shortly before...

Solicitor-General's advice on Dutton's eligibility to come before Friday Liberal vote

Aug 23, 2018 23:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Prtime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will invite a leadership spill motion at midday Friday, once a majority of Liberals formally ask for a party meeting. He will not contest the subsequent ballot if the spill is carried,...

Government may need new powers to ensure election security in Australia

Aug 23, 2018 23:12 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Russia was behind an enormous effort to influence politics in the US and the UK, but was Australia targeted too? In this series, Hacking #auspol, we explore how covert foreign influence operates in Australia, and what we...

The too hard basket: a short history of Australia's aborted climate policies

Aug 21, 2018 17:08 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Less than three years ago, after Malcolm Turnbull had wrested the prime ministership from Tony Abbott, I wrote an article entitled Carbon coups: from Hawke to Abbott, climate policy is never far away when leaders come a...