The state of the parties – the ALP
Tuesday, 28 August 2007 State of the parties Comments Off
Keating’s solution during his last term was a project to create a more assertive and independent Australian nationalism based on three R’s; reconciliation, regionalism and republicanism. In reality much of it was about boosting the stature of the political class – rehabilitating it over past mistakes (the ‘sorry’ campaigns) and aggrandising it through the republican push.
A cheesy soap opera with no plot
Friday, 20 July 2007 Political figures Comments Off
For Costello, the chances of him becoming leader (if he ever wanted it) are probably over.
Asia: the last refuge of scoundrels
Saturday, 16 June 2007 Tactics Comments Off
No one in this country likes to say it, but international politics determines the parameters of Australian political debate. It is the government’s falling out of step with the shift in the global agenda that has been the ultimate source of its problems this electoral cycle.
Why they will never forgive Keating
Friday, 8 June 2007 Key posts, State of the parties Comments Off
Keating is disowned by the political class because he reminds them that their traditional roles are over and their domestic differences are largely a sham.
No time for sense – the global order is changing
Friday, 1 June 2007 International relations Comments Off
When Keating lost in 1996, he had an agenda on national identity and reconciliation that had no relation to the trends in international politics at the time. Against that, Howard could present himself as having a pragmatic and sensible (i.e. non-existent) response to both. Howard is now trying the same response to global warming, an [...]
Opposing or lobbying?
Wednesday, 2 May 2007 Tactics Comments Off
Howard’s attack on Labor’s IR proposals is not really for public consumption as there is no real perception of excessive union power.
