“The first thing we’ll do is sack those 36000 public servants in Canberra” – David Littleproud, leader of Australia’s National Party. Donald Trump’s Cabinet is fraying at the edges before it gets down to business. Matt Gaetz surrendered the Attorney-General offer and Chad Chronister, fingered to be the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency, self-ejected. Continue reading »
Government
Sorry to tell you that I’m finishing this year most unimpressed by Anthony Albanese and his government. I’m still reeling from his last two weeks of parliament, pushing through 45 bills just to show how much he’d achieved and give himself the option of calling an election early next year should he see a break Continue reading »
I have yet to fully understand how the collapse of the Syrian government could happened at the speed it did happen: Syrian government falls in stunning end to 50-year rule of Assad family -AP, Dec 8 2024 BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government fell early Sunday in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Continue reading »
Anthony Albanese is not our best leader. He should go now. It’s an open question whether Tanya Plibersek would be the best candidate to lead the Labor Party as Australia’s next Prime Minister. Jim Chalmers is the obvious alternative and there could be others. Both would have a strong claim if there were to be Continue reading »
Mohammed Salamat delivered this anguished poem about his detention on Nauru outside Federal Parliament last Tuesday November 19, 2024. The reality of ‘offshore processing’ by the Australian government is still very much a fact, in legislation and the news. Barn of Broken Doors Australia, is this the land you promised, Where hope once bloomed, now Continue reading »
The Australian Uniparty— also known as the cosy ALP/LNP coalition of self-interest—is jockeying for electoral reform. Talks between Labor and the LNP have broken down so those reforms are not coming in any time soon but, as former New South Wales Labor premier Jack Lang was fond of saying, “Always back the horse named ‘self-interest’, Continue reading »
While Bob Menzies pumped the political scare campaign to the max, to help ensure his newly formed Liberal Party’s ongoing popularity between 1949-66, locals were often more relaxed about sharing community life with those they battled on election day. My parents were founding members of Menzies’ new party from 1949, and they recruited their three Continue reading »
A more robust analysis by the commission might have yielded different priorities or recommendations for childcare. The Productivity Commission’s report, A Path to Universal Early Childhood Education and Care, presents detailed information and a range of studies supporting universal early childhood education and care (ECEC). However, there are significant issues with its analytical framework and recommendations, Continue reading »
In a series of baby but not blindfolded steps, our Government is making Australia ready for war. The latest of these appeared in the small print of a memorandum on 27 November. Most Australians weren’t watching when a long-awaited inquiry into how our armed forces are sent to war reported in March 2023. It had Continue reading »