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ON THIN ICE
politicoz
The Opposition Leader yesterday morning accused the Prime Minister of criminal behaviour, but when asked to substantiate his charge in parliament, he produced no evidence to back it up, and wouldn't repeat the accusation.Instead he described Gillard's …
BLOWBACK
politicoz
After yesterday's efforts backfired badly, the Opposition will be weighing up the risks of continuing to attack Julia Gillard over the AWU affair in parliament today.Julie Bishop, given the task of prosecuting the case (to insulate Abbott in case it backfired), …
TOXIC
politicoz
Today is the last parliamentary sitting day of the year. The government will take the first legislative step towards a National Disability Insurance scheme, and will be pushing its (watered down) pokies reform bill. Yesterday it introduced the legislative …
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
politicoz
Perhaps as proof of how mad the AWU affair has become, it was Julia Gillard rather than any journalist who asked the most important question at yesterday's marathon press conference: "What is the allegation here?" For a number of awkward seconds, no one …
THE GREAT HYPE
politicoz
The Opposition was preparing to spend the final week of parliament pursuing Julia Gillard over the AWU/Slater & Gordon affair. The mainstream media - the ABC and Fairfax by now in lockstep with The Australian – were building up a head of steam and …
A TACTICAL BREAK
politicoz
Tony Abbott countered the government's proposed processing changes with some of his own.The government's policy of bridging visas had brought it within a hair's breadth of the Coalition; Abbott tracked further to the right again, announcing that the Coalition …
OMNISHAMBLES
politicoz
With current arrangements failing, the government announced yet another change to its processing regime. The introduction of bridging visas for refugees, reminiscent of Howard-era Temporary Protection Visas, drew the inevitable storm of criticism.Under …
NAURU: IN THE STOP ZONE
politicoz
An Amnesty International delegation visited the Nauru detention centre yesterday. They were shocked by what they saw. There are around 400 people living in cramped tents, up to 14 in each tent. Temperatures reach 40 degrees during the day, and when …
NO EASY ALLIANCES
politicoz
Julia Gillard arrived in Phnom Penh last night for the East Asia Summit. Trade negotiations can often be a dry affair, but the undercurrents at this conference will be fascinating.As America under Obama shifts its strategic and economic focus back to our …
THOSE WERE THE DAYS: JULIE GILLON AND JULIA GILLARD
politicoz
No doubt fed up with the stream of inferences about Julia Gillard's past, the ALP yesterday decided to dish a little dirt of its own.Labor MPs invoked "Australians' understandable anger over the fate of asbestos victims," (Sam Maiden, Daily Telegraph) …
HERE ON EARTH
politicoz
In today's AFR, Laura Tingle quotes extensively from a very interesting piece of correspondence by former Bligh government transport minister Rachel Nolan. She writes that “in the absence of a clear vision of the modern role of government, …
TO BE CONTINUED
politicoz
The heavy coverage of the the Gillard/AWU affair continues today.The Australian's reporting, in particular, is tenacious. While yet to uncover any evidence of wrongdoing by Gillard, it is investing a lot in this story, firm in its belief that …
NOT SINCE THE RUM CORPS
politicoz
While much of the national press this week has been consumed by the announcement of the royal commission into child sex abuse, the ICAC inquiry in NSW has been hearing astonishing evidence about alleged corruption in the former ALP state government.The …
