Shanahan: All aboard the con expressJulia Gillard’s pledge to invest two billion dollars in Sydney rail infrastructure reveals just how desperate the ALP is. Her giant con of a policy is actually about asylum seekers and not transport, says Dennis Shanahan.
August, 2010
Election Tracker: Day 26
It turned quiet on the campaign trail yesterday, after a fairly busy week on the hustings. Julia Gillard took the opportunity to visit Tasmania, where she launched Labor’s National Broadband Network.
Rubik’s riddle solved in 20 moves
An American team have combined maths techniques with Google technology to solve the age old - well, three and a half decade old - mystery of the Rubik’s cube. They claim every Rubik’s combination can be solved in 20 moves, and not even God could do it faster.
Wheels turning for experimental bike sharing
A new experimental bicycle sharing system that utilizes iPhone and Android apps is set to have its training wheels removed later this year in New York. Participants will be able to use their phones to find and unlock bicycles scattered throughout the city.
On the campaign trail in the ‘regional development capital’ of Australia
Bendigo used to be the Next Big Thing in regional development. And it was, but not quite in the ways expected.
Who won the news cycle? Tea trolley talk gives the day to Tony
On the the tea trolley (or water cooler) score, Wednesday was a good day for Tony Abbott.
Qantas result: lot of bad jam sandwiched between good bread
Qantas insists on departing from the normal ways of reporting financial results, and it’s fair to say the full-year results they announced this morning are the equivalent of an airline shafted by the light.
Corporate power speaks louder than communities in our journalism
If the Walkley Foundation were in such dire straits that it was forced to accept money from controversial sponsor Exxon Mobil for this week’s conference, couldn’t it have been better spent? Subsided student entrance perhaps, suggest journalism students Elise Dalley and Ben O’Halloran.
Too little too late for Snowy in its death throes
The Snowy River: among the attributes that might be expected of one of Australia’s major tributaries, it lacks only water, writes Joel Tozer.
The press club v Rooty Hill: what constitutes a public forum?
What is the difference between the Rooty Hill RSL and the Canberra Press Club? And what is the difference between a public event that is screened on television, and a television program that involves the public? Margaret Simons examines the other Rooty Hill battle.
Daily Proposition: Read a newspaper from a bygone era
For a cure to cultural amnesia, tried and tested gardening tips or just a laugh at the past, try the National Library of Australia’s magnificent archive of digitised newspapers, writes Jim Forbes.
Richardson: heads in the sand on China’s future
If turmoil in China is just around the corner, the failings of our political and media culture will be even more dramatically revealed.
Bartholomeusz: robbing the banks helps nobody
One only has to look at Europe or the US to be reminded that far worse than a banking system that is too profitable is one that is unprofitable, writes Stephen Bartholomeusz of Business Spectator.
Labor MP: Citizens’ assembly a dud
A Labor MP has criticised Julia Gillard’s proposal for a ‘citizens’ assembly’, saying that he was angered to hear about it and that the proposal should have gone through Caucus and Cabinet.
Why phoning the President of Nauru is a bad idea
Caroline de Costa, a Cairns gynaecologist who worked at a Nauru detention centre, explains why reopening the camps there is a bad idea, particularly for the mental health of detainees.
Possum: gender shifts and voter churn
How have the gender breakdowns been tracking so far in the campaign?
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: News Ltd has form when it comes to interfering
Crikey reader John Penny writes that “the slanted political campaigns of News Corporation subsidiaries are usually aimed at installing a government that will further the commercial interests, and power, of the Murdoch empire.”
Morning Market Report: Markets down, worst session in the US for six weeks
The US trade deficit widened by a record $7.9bn in June prompting concerns that the US 2nd GDP figure will be revised down
The social welfare scorecard: how the parties stack up
Will this election create a fairer and more egalitarian society? Not so far, according to an assessment of the social policy options being touted by the major parties.
Media briefs: ABC gets mad, then even … no disclosure for Ergas … photographers are people too …
In the battle of the 24 hour news channels, ABC News 24 and Sky News are constantly warring for exclusives and being first with the story. Plus, no disclosure for Dr Henry Ergas and other media news of the day.
How to be potty mouthed in politics
Deprived of the outrageous gaffes and old-fashioned biffo that we might have been expecting from this fizzer of an election season, journalists have started romanticising the days of feistier figures, writes Piers Kelly of Fully (Sic).
Diary of a Surgeon: Diary of a Surgeon: what you need to know about the election and health
Whether Gillard or Abbott wins on August 21, I doubt either will take on the real issues in health. Political leaders are obsessed with staying in power, writes Professor Guy Maddern from St Anywhere.
Gillard’s plans for compulsory child health checks slammed
In the age of (supposed) evidence-based policy making, this new proposal to mandate Healthy Kids’ Checks for a segment of the population seems to be a classic case of throwing good money after bad, writes Menzies Foundation Fellow Dr Lesley Russell.
Campaign Crikey leftovers: Crikey Campaign Leftovers: Abbott’s lunch no-show … NBN speed update … Crikey on the punt …
Who are the ordinary people? A favourite Crikey pastime come election time is to cast an eye over party propaganda to see if we can identify the “ordinary people” used in advertising campaigns. Representing The Greens in the knife-edge seat of Melbourne is the “this time I’m voting Green” mob comprising “Fiona” from Parkville, “Sharif” […]
