Amanda Vanstone


Peter Reith may be the answer, but what’s the question?

If you ever wanted a demonstration of the chaotic nature of the Liberal Party’s factional landscape, the fight for the federal presidency should do it.

Christine Nixon: another fat sheila, another lame jibe

Whatever Christine Nixon has done in public life — being Police Commissioner, going to dinner on Black Saturday, running the Black Saturday recovery — she’ll always cop the fat sheila abuse. It’s the way we treat all overweight women, writes Claire Harvey.

Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours: Amanda Vanstone says (hoo) roo to taste

Amanda Vanstone continues in her tradition of sending absolutely terrible greeting cards to Italians.

Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours: Amanda Vanstone’s Christmas card

A glimpse at Amanda’s Vanstone very ‘elegant’ Italian Christmas card. Plus, which state Labor president is dumping on their premier?

Vanstone’s mob connections

Why did former Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone grant a Visa to an alleged member of the Italian mafia? Perhaps it has something to do with the tens of thousands of dollars his supporters have donated to the Liberal Party…

Vanstone and Gus the weimaraner invite Rudd to a sleep over

With the imminent arrival of Kevin Rudd to Rome, Crikey understands that current Ambassador to Italy Amanda Vanstone actually invited the Prime Minister to stay.

Kevin Rudd and friends visit the Pope

Starring Kevin Rudd’s cat as the Holy Father

Crikey Says: Overheard: Silvio, Kevin and Amanda

Crikey has secured an advance transcript of this Thursday’s meeting in Rome between Prime Ministers Berlusconi and Rudd and Australia’s Ambassador to Italy, the Hon Amanda Vanstone.

Resignations, bites and worse: Vanstone drops the ball on G8

In retrospect, perhaps the former Senator Amanda Vanstone and her attack dog Gus were not the ideal choices to represent the people and government of Australia.

Vanstone on the hunt for the dog leaker

While in Australia recently, our honourable Ambassador to Italy Amanda Vantstone spent some time grilling immigration officials in a bid to track down the Italian cop who blabbed about her bitey dog Gus.

Australia Council strikes as @kathyinvenice tweets

Staff at the Australia Council are striking, angry over reduced conditions and wages, writes Nicholas Pickard.

Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Fitzgibbon, Israel and La Diva Vanstone

Bernie Ecclestone — just a smaller version of Napoleon, according to one Crikey reader.

Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: The Fitzgibbon affair and Cousinsmania

Crikey readers debate the seriousness of Joel Fitzgibbon’s China excursions.

On questioning the “viability” of remote Aboriginal settlements

Remoteness” alone is not the core problem for Indigenous Australians, writes Mark Moran.

Mafia scandal should make O’Farrell and Turnbull very nervous …

And just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, it now seems the Federal Police have been investigating links between the Liberal Party organisation and a local franchise of the Calabrian mafia, writes Irfan Yusuf.

Vanstone’s underworld ministerial discretion

Surely a terror suspect not accused of any violence but merely of giving his cousin a SIM card is a greater potential threat to our security than a suspected mafioso, writes Irfan Yusuf.

Vanstone may have to walk over mafia visa

If the John Howard Liberals took money from the Exclusive Brethren then why would alleged Mafia dollars be refused? asks Barry Everingham.

Tips and rumours

Rumour in the form of a question. How did Eddie McGuire as President of Collingwood and a board member of Athletics Australia manage to convince both parties and the State Government that Collingwood is the rightful owner/tenant of the Olympic Park Athletics venue? A conflict of interest? I doubt it, it was in the Collingwood […]

Amanda gives Rome a makeover

We now know why Amanda Vanstone has been dilatory in doing what what she’s basically paid for - she’s been too busy replacing the traces of class and flair created by the wife of her predecessor, Tanya Woolcott, writes Barry Everingham.

New Immigration Minister doesn’t want to play “God”

New Immigration Minister Chris Evans seems intent on rapid change within his department, reports Sophie Black.

Groundhog Day in indigenous affairs

It’s Groundhog Day again in Indigenous affairs. The “Aborigine problem” has been re-listed for another chat at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting. I think I speak on behalf of all movie-goers when I say, “Sylvester Stallone should have stopped at Rocky II,” writes Chris Graham.

National Indigenous Council knackered?

New Year’s Eve 2007 marks the end of the term of the current membership of the Howard Government’s hand-picked National Indigenous Council. This fortuitous piece of timing may allow the Rudd government to finesse the NIC out of business, writes Graham Ring.

Bomber for GG and other rumeurs diplomatique

Crikey’s mole deep in the bowels of DFAT is, he/she assures us, not the only serving officer celebrating last Saturday’s result, in particular the removal of Lord Downer of Baghdad and Kabul.

Amanda Vanstone a big splash on the Tiber

Amanda Vanstone’s first official engagement in Italy was to open the L’Isola del Cinema festival of Australian film last Friday evening. Crikey’s intrepid correspondent reports from the scene.

The secret lusts of Peter Costello

The Treasurer’s bedroom confession.