The most depressing statistic of modern times is the one that tells us that well over 50% of adult Americans do not believe in evolution. Or it was — until Nick Minchin came along.
Columns / Mungo MacCallum
Saint Kevin’s halo has finally slipped
If last week’s polling switch is really a result of the boat people kerfuffle, Rudd won’t be able to bluster and twitter his way out of it. So what does he have to do to win the voters back?
Mungo: Tough stance on boat people borders on the ridiculous
“Border protection” — the very phrase is ominous. It evokes a country under siege, its frontiers threatened by the rampaging armies of Attila the Hun. No wonder our politicians feel that they have to be tough about it.
Turnbull caught between a brainsnap and the cavemen
Finding himself surrounded once again by drongos and knuckle-draggers, Malcolm Turnbull decided to crash through or crash. But the messy Libs climate change situation is not totally without hope.
Make no mistake, this is a new world order
The acceptance of the G20 as a rule-maker for the conduct of the world’s financial systems quite literally ushers in a new world economic order: a genuine democratisation that directly includes two-thirds of the world’s population and indirectly gives a voice to the rest.
Rudd making the best of the available talent
Some sage advice for politicians: not all the good people in the House sit on one side, and the enemy is often the people sitting around you.
We deserve better than legacy wars
Here we are, nearly two years out of the Howard years and happily consigning them to well-deserved oblivion. Then Paul Kelly released his book, and they all came lurching out of the political cemetery.
It’s time for Turnbull to lighten up and celebrate the great escape
Malcolm Turnbull and his colleagues appear unable to come to terms with the single most pertinent fact about the government’s stimulus measures: they worked.
Nelson salutes, Howard on rights and the mess of NSW
Mungo MacCallum discusses Brendan Nelson’s departure, John Howard’s shameless return to his soap box, and Nathan Rees’ attempts to avoid the Obeid and Tripodi kiss of death.
Taking the RET out of ETS
Tthe government had finally shown common sense in separating its Renewable Energy Bill from the Emissions Trading Scheme Bill, writes Mungo MacCallum.
Climate is physical, not political
Our politicians have insisted on treating climate change not as a grim physical reality, but as a political problem which can be fixed with a political solution.
Rudd or Turnbull — who’s right on the GFC?
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd likes to take the credit for steering Australia through the GFC, but Malcolm Turnbull says Australia’s results are thanks to John Howard’s legacy.
Rudd’s grim manifesto and Libs in a muddle
It says much for PM Kevin Rudd’s political ascendancy that he can afford to produce such a gloomy prediction as his weekend 6000-word essay. Then again, it pays to prepare voters for what lies ahead.
Is it time to bring the troops home?
After seven years of achieving very little, it may be timely to ask just how and when we an expect to bring the troops home from Afghanistan.
Kevin07 G8 success will not stop climate change
Last week the crusading Kevin07 re-emerged to take what the real heavies (Barack Obama, Gordon Brown and Al Gore) described as a leading role in the campaign.
Calling for a government restructure to address Aboriginal issues
The one size fits all approach of the intervention is plainly inappropriate to societies as diverse as Indigenous Australia, writes Mungo MacCallum.
Utegate political whodunit
There can be no doubt that Rudd emerged triumphant, and Turnbull severely damaged. But the question remains: who set up the caper in the first place? And almost as importantly, why?
Utegate threatens Prime Minister’s integrity
The Prime Minister’s integrity would seem to hinge on whether the alleged email from Rudd’s office to Treasury which Senator Eric Abetz quoted last week actually exists, and if so whether it is genuine.
Banks look to take advantage of a very lucky country
For Rudd is our shepherd, even if we’re not quite sure where he’s leading us, and the banks we trust — to be bastards.
Fitzgibbon, Faulkner and the cost of new appointments
Just because you’re paranoid it doesn’t mean that they’re not after you.
Another week of carry on up the Murray
For the casual observer, last week was political Send in the Clowns week, writes Mungo MacCallum.
Rudd’s spin and evade deficit manoeuvre fails
If the Rudd Government’s evasive behaviour in talking about the deficit in the media was supposed to be a cover up it was a remarkably ineffective one, writes Mungo MacCallum.
Turnbull manages a budget week without silliness
Turnbull did pretty well in budget week … the only one of his colleagues who bagged him was Bronwyn Bishop.
Wong and Rudd present ETS Plan B
Rudd must now be regretting he left the climate change debate to languish on the backburner for so long.
