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Norman Abjorensen

Dr Norman Abjorensen teaches politics at the ANU, is a former national editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, political editor of the Sunday Herald and a senior writer at The Age and Canberra Times.

Abjorensen: Too many variables to be sure of a Ruddslide

21/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 2

Despite a persuasively convincing imitation, the Howard government isn’t dead in the water yet. There are simply too many variables to be absolutely cocky about a large Rudd victory, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: John Winston Howard, political extremist

20/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 9

Australia has had a few dodgy and iffy governments over the years but political extremism has never really gained a significant toehold. That is, until the current term of the Howard government and its absolute authority over the parliament, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Vaile's breathtaking contempt for democracy

19/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 1

The arrogance coupled with ignorance exhibited by Nats’ leader and deputy PM Mark Vaile over the Auditor-General’s report on the Regional Partnerships rort that indicates just why this government is so on the nose, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: The real fun begins 25 November

16/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 4

If, as the polls tell us, November 24 is a foregone conclusion, can we then look forward to the morning after? Norman Abjorensen forecasts the Coalition blame game.

Abjorensen: Barnaby Joyce, Labor minister?

15/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 1

Assuming that Labor wins government on November 24, it will still face the prospect of a hostile Senate, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Meet the ranking conservative politician in Australia ... a Labor minister

14/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

For a few weeks in the years 1939 and 1941 and again over the mid-summer weeks of 1967-68 the most senior conservative politician in Australia was the leader of the Country Party. So, with the Coalition facing possible defeat, who is the ranking conservative politician in Australia?

Abjorensen: Howard trips down memory lane

13/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 1

For a campaign that describes itself as focused on the future, yesterday's Coalition launch was a merry trip down the political lane of pure sepia nostalgia, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: The long, slow death of political accountability

12/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 3

As we drift ever closer to authoritarian government, neither the Liberals nor Labor can hold their heads high over the virtual demise of accountability. The ugly reality is that we have an ever worsening democratic deficit, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: 15 things we won’t see (unfortunately) in this campaign

9/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 4

Industrial Democracy, an Aboriginal treaty, a ban on rich MPs and twelve other things we won't see (unfortunately) in this campaign.

Abjorensen: We fear big business more than unions

7/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 1

The ongoing government advertising campaign about the Labor Party’s union links is highly questionable as a political tactic and might even be backfiring, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Thought police alive and well in Howard’s Australia

2/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 4

Since when do one’s thoughts and beliefs constitute a punishable offence? asks Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Why Costello won't necessarily be the Coalition's next leader

1/11/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

Howard has always maintained that the leadership belongs to the party; and he is right: it's not his to give. Is it not possible that the party might choose someone else other than Costello when the time comes? asks Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Leadership contenders are far from ordinary people

31/10/2007 12:00:00 AM 1

Political leadership in a democracy remains a paradox: quite extraordinary people by the nature of their calling seeking to convince the electorate of their ordinariness, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Polls pointing to Greens Senate victory in ACT

29/10/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

The Coalition might not be able to count on a Senate majority after a likely Labor win at the election, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Has the larrikin disappeared from politics?

24/10/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

If 1996 was the revenge of the nerds, 2007 offers no choice at all: whatever the outcome a nerd wins, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Many more Commie sympathisers under suspicion

19/10/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

The government is quite right to draw attention to Julia Gillard's alleged links with a student organisation that had ties with the Communist Party. But what about young Rupert Murdoch? asks Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Costello starts a dangerous game

18/10/2007 12:00:00 AM 4

So Peter Costello once again tries to demonise the unions... It might be even more instructive to look at Costello's own side and their connections to the business elite, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: Menzies would never have praised Pratt

17/10/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

The late Bob Menzies knew a thing or two about Australia and Australians that his acolyte John Howard does not. We do not, as a rule, like bosses. And for good reason, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Abjorensen: What fate John Howard?

15/10/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

John Winston Howard has a thing or two on his mind at the moment, quite apart from being Prime Minister of Australia. He is fighting not one, but many battles, writes Norman Abjorensen.

Who does Dr Phelps really represent?

20/09/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

The right-wing extremists are not just in the NSW Liberal Party, they have made it to the centre. And the revelations yesterday of Federal minister Gary Nairn’s chief of staff, Peter Phelps, heckling a Labor candidate at a public meeting, have brought that further out into the open.

Abjorensen: Howard the backbencher would make history

18/09/2007 12:00:00 AM 0

The script written by John Howard envisages him holding his seat, the government winning the election and him standing aside some time thereafter in favour of Peter Costello, presumably retiring to the backbench as he has told his electorate that if re-elected he will stay the full term. That script, if realised, would make history.


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Classic Crikey

Budget night: a triumph of rite over truth

9/05/2007 12:00:00 AM
Guy Rundle writes:

So it is that every year, our shaman gather in Canberra. Like priests before a ritual they are sealed off from the profane world in a special retreat (‘the lock-up’) and bonded together in a sacred pact, which sets them off as a distinct group against the rest of their people.