Downer: The delight I feel watching Rudd mess it upAlexander Downer is loving the schadenfreude of seeing Kevin Rudd battle Indonesia over asylum seekers. He should have learnt from Tampa that negotiating with Indonesia on refugees is never a good idea.
Alexander Downer
Grattan: Turnbull is a goner
“It’s almost certainly all over for Malcolm Turnbull”, writes Michelle Grattan. Joe Hockey seems the obvious replacement leader, but will he be any different than Turnbull?
Timor history gets a Howard washing: spin and deny
Ex PM John Howard rewrote history with the claims of his and Downer’s secret support of East Timor’s independence, says Bruce Haigh. What about public opinion and the actions of the US?
Did Australia knowingly allow a citizen to be tortured?
How involved and aware were Australian authorities in the torture of terror suspect Mamdouh Habib? If Habib is permitted to fight for compensation, then the details of Australia’s actions may finally see the light of day.
Howard and Kelly rewrite history on East Timor
Damien Kingsbury wonders why former PM John Howard finds it necessary to create a palpable fiction over his commitment to East Timor’s independence.
Is that all you’ve got Paul Kelly?
Howard didn’t like Costello? They lied about kids overboard? Noel Pearson helping the conservatives? They neglected to check whether the attack on Iraq was legal? Paul Kelly’s new book isn’t exactly shocking.
Downer’s historical imaginings of East Timor
The Australian’s editor-at-large Paul Kelly is claiming in his new book that the Howard government made covert plans to work for East Timor’s independence in 1999. But this ignores some key historical facts, writes Peter Brent.
Tips and rumours: Frustrated accountants tell all
News from the ATO, hard times hit the SMAge, why the Rio Tinto case is far from over, and a surreal sighting of Alexander Downer.
Political snippets: Downer agrees with Rudd on China, health reform dependent on senate numbers
Health reform will be interesting since the ALP don’t have the numbers in the senate, NAB and their rate cutting, Downer endorsing Rudd’s handling of the Hu case in China.
Guy Rundle: So the businessman’s worth saving — but not the bogan?
One of the silliest moments of May’s scandal, ‘beer mat mum’ Annice Smoell was when Dolly Downer expostulated about the demands of pesky aussies on DFAT.
An historic day for Myanmar – or another false dawn?
Today, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon flies into Myanmar — at the invitation of the ruling generals. There is a lot riding on the visit, says Kyaw Kyaw, a Myanmar-based blogger.
Turnbull does a Downer on popularity
In the modern history of federal leaders of the Opposition, there have been only two that have burnt their public approval like phosphorus, writes Possum Comitatus.
Bob Ellis: it’s time for a national Liberal voter register
There are three plain ways you can tell a Liberal voter from an ordinary, decent human being, writes Bob Ellis.
Tips and rumours: In which Malcolm Turnbull eats a, gasp, hot dog
A bounty of tips today from Turnbull, his vociferous staffer and Marinergate to Andrew Jaspan.
But who will rescue Alexander Downer from himself?
Alexander Downer is getting all sorts of kudos for his remarks about Australian citizens on holiday who get into trouble being too “lazy or stupid” to look after themselves. Cue this AM transcript from 2001…
Political snippets: The chatterati and the twitterati in India
Middle class urban voters in India are stepping out like never before.
UN on Downer’s Cyprus appointment: get him “out of our hair”
It seems our Alexander was active in the dying days of the Howard regime in securing for himself a tax-free sinecure from the UN, writes Barry Everingham.
Downer laughs at water-boarding and other “pretty fascinating” stuff
Well, it’s great to see Alexander Downer having a good laugh in his retirement, writes Irfan Yusuf.
Struggling to laud Lord Downer? Look to Ceaucescu
Janet Albrechtsen channelled the life of Nicolai Ceaucescu in penning her ode to Alex on the weekend, writes Guy Rundle.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Comments, corrections, clarifications, and c*ckups
Alexander Downer … ABC Learning … Gippsland … the National Film and Sound Archive … offensive words and censorship …
Memorable quotes from Alexander D
Alexander Downer — a highlights package.
Bidding farewell to our worst foreign minister
There were a lot of things about Downer not to like — but many of them he couldn’t do anything about, writes Bernard Keane.
Don’t let your retiring Members of Parliament go to waste…
Useful tips for re-using retiring Federal Members
DFAT bemused at Downer choice
Laughter mingled with disbelief this morning as news Alexander Downer’s appointment filtered through to DFAT, writes Barry Everingham.
