Health may not be the winner

Friday, 19 March 2010   Tactics   1 comment 

There is something very politically useful in Labor’s health reform plan for the government, namely the anti-political attack it implies on the state governments. But what is the basis for that attack?

It could be possible that rather than Rudd needing to fear Gillard, there could come a point when the threat is the other way round.

Labor put a positive gloss on the numbers yesterday, but ironically so did the coalition.

Bring back Costello now! Round 2

Wednesday, 25 March 2009   Media analysis   19 comments 

The Liberal party is being driven with one eye on the road in front and one on the rear view mirror – and it is getting increasingly confused which is which.

Staring at nothing

Monday, 16 March 2009   Media analysis   10 comments 

The media’s refusal to see the depths of the Liberals’ political problems is why they keep getting the leadership dynamics wrong.

Why they both now say it was Workchoices wot won it

Wednesday, 26 November 2008   Tactics  Comments Off 

Since the election the Liberals have been wrestling with the classic dilemma of a party that has lost its reason for existence. Hold on to that reason and you make yourself look irrelevant, drop it and make everyone wonder what you are for.

Finance and weak governments don’t mix

Monday, 20 October 2008   State of the parties  Comments Off 

Opinion polls suggest Australia is being run by the most popular government since Hawke’s early days. And there is little doubt that handing out $10.4bn will make it more so (this is even after ignoring the latest bounce to Labor in the AC Nielsen which is just a reversal of the mythical Turnbull bounce it reported last time).

Yet popular does not mean strong.

Denial – an update

Wednesday, 23 July 2008   Political figures  Comments Off 

It seems very careless of Rudd to agree to launch a book that has let out one of Labor’s most closely guarded and politically damaging secrets – that they dread the possibility of Costello as leader of the Liberal party.

Blind to a stitch-up

Saturday, 14 June 2008   State and federal politics  Comments Off 

What on earth is wrong with the political journalists in this country? Here we have a naked political power play going on in front of our eyes and they miss it.

End game

Friday, 13 June 2008   State and federal politics  Comments Off 

Gillard is the stake driven through the undead body of the Labor party to keep it pinned down.

Earlier posts →