By this author
A FRESH ELECTION
politicoz
The High Court declared the WA Senate result void, so the entire state will go back to the polls, most likely in April or May, to elect six federal senators. The result will dictate how many cross-bench votes the Abbott government needs to pass legislation …
CLEAR AS DAY
politicoz
The details of what happened on Manus Island are gradually emerging, regardless of the efforts of Scott Morrison. The situation was obviously out of control. But if anyone is relying on the minister responsible to take responsibility, or explain what …
BAD MAPS
politicoz
It beggars belief that the vessel commanders conducting Operation Sovereign Borders wouldn't know the location of sovereign borders. The report issued into Australia's six "inadvertent" incursions into Indonesian waters only suggests …
HOWLS OF PROTEST
politicoz
In breaking news, one asylum seeker is dead and 77 have been treated for injuries following a rolling series of serious disturbances at the Manus Island detention centre. Unconfirmed reports suggest scenes of carnage involving ongoing rioting by …
TERRITORIAL TENSIONS
politicoz
The Indonesian government had only just finished protesting to Australian ambassador Greg Moriarty over the Abbott government's border protection policies when its foreign minister Marty Natalegawa was again fronting the media to object to Australian …
BUT WILL IT FLY?
politicoz
Unemployment has hit 6%, the highest rate in a decade. With the bad news coming just days after Toyota announced its exit from Australian manufacturing, there is renewed pressure on the government to outline its plan for jobs. Treasurer Joe Hockey has …
YOU DECIDE
politicoz
Alastair Furnival, the chief of staff of Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash, intervened to shut down a website late last week. The website contained detailed information on Australia's new labelling policy for food and beverages, which is to …
STILL CLOSING THE GAP
politicoz
This morning Tony Abbott delivered this year's Closing the Gap report on indigenous disadvantage to a joint sitting of parliament. The report, intended to track progress on indigenous welfare, life expectancy, child mortality, employment and …
TOUGH LUCK
politicoz
The federal government was unaware that Toyota was about to announce the end of car making in Australia. Toyota will cease manufacturing in 2017, heralding the end of the line too for the web of component manufacturers that currently employ up to 40,000 …
ENGINEERING A ROYAL COMMISSION
politicoz
Cabinet is expected to sign off today on a new Royal Commission into union corruption. Following revelations by Fairfax and the ABC about malfeasance in the building and construction industry, the federal government believes the time is right for …
BLACK-OUT
politicoz
Fairfax has published an extensive investigative report on the recent allegations that Navy personnel deliberately burned the hands of asylum seekers during a towback operation. Michael Bachelard's account, based on a detailed interview with …
ALL ABOUT PAUL HOWES
politicoz
Paul Howes laid out his vision for Australian industrial relations at the National Press Club yesterday. The Australian Workers’ Union national secretary said unions must root out any corruption, because it undermined the interests of the "2 …
THE NEW IR WAR
politicoz
You know something's really gone wrong for the Coalition when even Dennis Shanahan labels it a political failure. The SPC Ardmona issue yesterday went from bad to worse for the government. Following Liberal member Sharman Stone's accusation of …
