Essential Research’s weekly poll shows the Coalition’s lead on two-party preferred narrowing from 52-48 to 51-49. However there was little change on the primary vote, with the Coalition and Labor down a point and the Greens up one, reports William Bowe.
January, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY 
Eagles fight rabbits at a Kyrgyzstani hunting carnival
Robin O’Brien tagged along to an eagle hunting carnival, held every year in Bokonbayevo, Kyrgyzstan. It was a big day, particularly since eagle Oymok was making his return from injury, caused by a wolf bite.
Goodbye and good riddance to Olbermann
Token US media Letftie and MSNBC presenter Keith Olbermann had an abrupt departure from his show. But although Niall Stanange agreed with much of Olbermann’s politics, Olbermann’s pompous and narcissistic manner of late will make him hard to miss.
healthcare High in fat, low in fact: has the Food and Grocery Council kicked an own goal?
The Australian Food and Grocery Council recently claimed that ads for high fat, sugar and salt foods aimed at children only make up a very small portion of all food and beverage advertisements on children’s TV in Australia. Not so, says Wendy Watson.
Reporting from the flood front-line
ABC journo Paul Lockyer was the first reporter to arrive in devastated Grantham after the floods. He tells of hearing shell-shocked locals recount their survival stories and surveyed a town that looked like Darwin post-Cyclone Tracey.
Why you won’t hear calls for a CBA of the post-flood reconstruction
Post-disaster reconstruction illuminates the irrational, but humane, approach we sometimes adopt to infrastructure provision.
Boeing’s dream fast becoming the nightmare that has to go
If Boeing didn’t deliberately lie, it had to have been totally ignorant of the true state of the project for which it was raking in mega-bucks.
Journalism schools unite in new muckraking investigative site
Walkley Award-winning former Age legend Bill Birnbauer is on the brink of launching a pioneering Trans-Tasman student journalism portal, with budding hacks to be given a prominent platform exploring international issues in their quest for paid employment.
Essential: praise for Bligh, more criticism for Keneally, in flood crisis
Voters have praised Queensland Premier Anna Bligh for her stoic and at times emotional handling of the state’s flood disaster. But they’re lukewarm on Julia Gillard’s contribution to the crisis in a new opinion poll.
‘Bunga bunga’ aside, never underestimate Silvio Berlusconi…
You never want to underestimate Silvio Berlusconi’s charm or his capacity to appeal to the average Italian voter, writes Josephine McKenna from Rome.
WikiLeaks update: corruption in Cuba and Shell Australia chief features again
The cable release on WikiLeaks is still comparatively slow compared to late last year, but the WikiKids have stepped it up a notch, with an average of around 20- 30 cables being released daily. Here’s our pick of the latest…
The Al Jazeera leaks that will bury the Middle East peace process
Al Jazeera’s Palestine Papers seriously damage the Palestinian Authority — but also wreck Israel’s long-running tactic of blaming the Palestinians.
Who ya gonna call … fat busters … or are you?
Can’t shift those love handles? Diet not working? Sick of your cellulite? What about those new machines that freeze or fry your fat away? asks Loretta Marron.
What does Coulson’s resignation mean for Murdoch’s BSkyB campaign?
Was Andy Coulson pushed to retire or did he resign to take the heat off the Government and/or News Corp and the Murdoch bid to buy the 69% of BSkyB News doesn’t own?
Should the property market tumble, taxpayers will foot the bill
Let’s say it again … the big four banks did not save Australia from the global financial crisis.
Rundle: News Ltd phone hacking a scandal of unlimited proportions
Rupert Murdoch himself has treated the News of the World phone hacking scandal with disdain. But the inexorable release of evidence has caused it to creep ever closer.
Cox: it’s possible to make every post (office) a winner
The Australia Post decision-making process for closing offices is primarily commercial so I am suggesting an option for reform.
Smart summer reading: Ben Cousins and the forward pressure
Forget the drugs, the more fascinating aspect of the Ben Cousins story is his narrative addiction, writes Mark Tomlinson.
Come in Spinner: Floods of giving and promotion
The problem that PR people face in these situations is how to do what is the obvious human thing — help how you can — while ensuring that what you do doesn’t spill over into counter-productive self-promotion.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Building houses in build in flood-prone locations
Crikey readers have their say.
Daily Proposition: ‘Friends’ … time to go in for the cull
Emma Buckley Lennox realised something: she had too many friends. Not real, tangible, physical friends, but Facebook friends. The resulting online friends cull was a highly satisfying experience.
Media briefs: The ‘Silent Feet’ letter … new AFR glossy ed …
Letters pages are always full of interesting opinions — that’s what makes them so entertaining. But when a paper offers full-page treatment to a controversial opinion, there are sure to be a few ruffled feathers. Plus, other media news of the day.
