Tasmanian Labor’s major challenge at the moment is to prevent the Greens becoming the official opposition party at the next election, writes Bruce Montgomery, ex-political correspondent with The Australian.
Politics / Australia / TAS
Minister gives thumbs down to Tarkine on National Heritage list
Environment Minister Tony Burke has announced that he had no intention of using his emergency powers to include the Tarkine on the National Heritage List, write Deb Wilkinson and Andrew Macintosh from ANU.
Minister has two options to ensure Tarkine’s pristine future
To protect the integrity of the assessment process, and ensure all of project’s relevant impacts are evaluated, minister Burke needs to do two simple things, write Andrew Macintosh and Deb Wilkinson, from ANU’s Centre for Climate Law and Policy.
The same old public hospital nonsense
Remember all that federal Labor arty talk about finally fixing the financing of the public hospital system? Well, forget them. The first state to make a mockery of the new system was Tasmania, writes Richard Farmer.
Tassie forests deal like a Gunn to the head
The ultimate peace deal to end the 40-year war in Tasmania’s forests is dead in the water, writes political journalist Bruce Montgomery from Hobart.
Mayne: where to for Gunns, logging and the pulp mill?
Shares in the financially struggling Tasmanian timber giant Gunns remain suspended ahead of Monday’s profit announcement and the ongoing clifftop poker around exiting old-growth logging and financing the $2.3 billion pulp mill.
Gunns’ pulp mill: in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Gunns Ltd’s pulp mill has paralysed and poisoned Tasmania’s public life and private life, even divided towns and families, writes Lindsay Tuffin, of Tasmanian Times.
Stance on Tasmanian forests putting $millions at risk
The deal to save Tasmanian forests has seen the logging and mining industry remain determined that these forests are not converted into national parks and “locked up” — and the Prime Minister Julia Gillard seems to agree, writes Crikey naturalist Lionel Elmore.
Peace in the Tassie forests, but govt regulator is a basket case
The $276 million rescue package to buy peace in Tasmania’s forests came after the state’s Auditor-General indicated Forestry Tasmania was staggering towards insolvency and would need an equity to survive, writes John Lawrence.
Peace deal? Tasmanian forest wars descend into high farce
Land use in Tasmania is being determined by vested interests and pressure groups that do not actually own or manage any of the resource, writes Bruce Montgomery, former Tasmanian correspondent of The Australian
Deported singing gran heading back for another crack at the UK
The Daily Mirror headed the story “Ban on singing gran is off-key” after Maureen Lum was deported from the UK … but she’s heading back for another try, writes journalist Margaretta Pos
Body-searched community chorister deported to Tasmania
A member of a Tasmanian community choir was refused entry to the United Kingdom on Tuesday and deported because she was deemed to be trying to enter under false pretences, writes Margaretta Pos in Hobart.
Tasmania’s ugly macro picture: more footy, less schools
Does Lara Giddings have a vision for Tasmania? According to the state budget it’s about more footy, but fewer schools; more speed cameras, but fewer police. The macro picture isn’t pretty, says Jarvis Cocker.
Why Gunns is teetering in Tassie
What company has received $500 million in cash from the issue of new shares over the past three years but only has a market value of $300 million? asks accountant John Lawrence.
EMRS: Libs 48, Labor 25 and Greens 22 in Tassie
Tasmanian polling outfit EMRS has released a survey of about 850 respondents on state voting intentions. The Libs are at 48 percent, Labor 25 percent and the Greens 22 percent, reports Wiliam Bowe.
Tasmanian upper house elections
On Saturday one-fifth of Tasmanian voters went to the polls for the periodical Legislative Council election. Recap the weekend’s events by reading William Bowe’s live bog conducted on Saturday and Sunday.
Tasmanian upper house elections
An ageing Labor government’s struggles to retain existing seats has brought a few recent contests to life, writes William Bowe.
Tasmania’s political alliance won’t be pulped — but the people smell a con
Before Tasmania’s highly contentious pull mill is built, friendships will be tested, political alliances between Labor and the Greens at state and federal level will be stretched to the limit (though not ruptured). And the people will revolt, writes Bruce Montgomery in Hobart.
Political donations: SA and Tassie rolling in election dough
Political donations data released by the Australian Electoral Commission yesterday shows a multi-million jump in donations for South Australia and Tasmania — the two states that held elections over the audit period.
Female MPs: you’re either a mum, or the owner of an empty fruit bowl
Far more than men, female politicians have their political identities framed around their family and relationship situation.
‘So what if she doesn’t have a male handbag?’: female ex-MPs fight back
Crikey asked three female former politicians for their take on women in politics and whether anything has changed.
Exit Bartlett, enter Giddings
Labor is about to have another leader whose work experience is limited to being a political operative, with Lara Giddings expected to take over as Tasmanian Premier following David Bartlett’s resignation, writes Richard Farmer.
