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MISFIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
politicoz
The Opposition made a hash of its response to the government's mid-year budget update.Tony Abbott made headlines with another unfortunate slip, to give the charitable interpretation: "If the government was a bit more experienced in this area," he said, …
BALANCING THE BUDGET
politicoz
The government this morning released its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) – a mid-financial-year report on the national finances. There is nothing too surprising in the figures: growth and unemployment are forecast to remain steady, …
BUDGET TALK
politicoz
The language used in response to budget announcements is always instructive.The government's release yesterday of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook was met with the usual cries of 'slugging' business and 'slashing' family payments (the baby bonus …
COMING SOON
politicoz
The vote was expected to be close, but in the end Australia romped it in. It's an important win: a two-year seat on the UN Security Council is not only a diplomatic triumph for the government, but also a vote of confidence in Australia as a 'fine …
GREAT BIG NEWS
politicoz
Here's a good news story: the carbon tax is working.As Lenore Taylor writes, "the carbon tax has helped drive a sharp fall in the carbon emissions of Australia's power generation as coal-fired stations are closed, mothballed or sell less into the …
NONE THE WISER
politicoz
What are we to make of the newspapers this morning? The Age splashes across its front page that there's a 17-year-old file missing from the Slater & Gordon archives, and the legal firm has no comment to add to previous ones about Julia Gillard. …
A MAN APART
politicoz
Craig Thomson is again on the front pages this morning, following Fair Work Australia's decision to lodge 62 civil charges against him, relating to alleged misuse of union funds between 2002 and 2007.The case will begin December 7 and, it being …
NO SURPRISES THERE
politicoz
Despite entering a war-zone, Prime Minister Julia Gillard looked happy to be out of Australia. She paid a surprise visit to Australian troops in Afghanistan before scheduled trade meetings in India and, judging by the photos, the reception she received …
TIME OUT
politicoz
The week reached peak silliness yesterday when it was declared that a function room should have been immediately evacuated when a comedian made a bad joke. It seems everyone has been caught up in the moveable feast of outrage and victimhood.The press …
WHAT THEY KNEW BEFORE
politicoz
Julia Gillard's speech on Tuesday is the subject of much debate, and for good reason. It was an important moment in the life of this parliament.The press gallery interpreted the speech critically, describing it in these terms: to defend the government's …
HIGH DRAMA
politicoz
Yesterday's dramatic day in parliament evoked wildly divergent responses. Following Julia Gillard's barnstorming speech, social media reactions were immediate and overwhelmingly supportive: Abbott's gaffe had appalled, and Gillard had responded to this …
SINKING STANDARDS
politicoz
Yesterday brought another disgraceful incident of online sexist abuse (aimed at the Prime Minister), and another round of accusations and counter-accusations about the worsening, personalised tone of public debate. Is Julia Gillard the real victim, or …
SOMETHING NEW
politicoz
When 2GB suspended advertising from Alan Jones' show, its flagship program, it signalled something major and new in the national public debate.The forces marshalled via Twitter and Facebook have paralysed one of the nation's most powerful broadcasters, …
