February 2013
Fixed Term
By Mungo MacCallum
When Julia Gillard gave seven and a half months’ notice for the 2013 election, the breathless media branded her action as unprecedented, which it was, and as extraordinary, which it certainly wasn’t. After all, what she did was effectively declare the present government to be on a fixed term, with polling day to be on a definite and predictable date – no ambushes, no surprises. This is
March 2012
The Long Goodbye: Explaining Gillard’s Collapse
By Robert Manne
Almost every political observer recognises that unless something altogether unexpected happens, by late 2013 Australia will have an Abbott government. The more contentious question is what has gone wrong for Labor. This piece is offered as a contribution to a necessary debate. The following chart, which is based upon the fortnightly Newspoll, is used to demonstrate the presently parlous state
