There’s an element of politics in Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s decision to break Telstra up. But it’s also good policy that finally corrects the huge mistake Bob Hawke and Kim Beazley made.
Bob Hawke 
How long can rock star Rudd stay top of the pops?
Kevin Rudd is riding high on a wave of surging popularity. But a dip into the annals of Australian political history shows personal popularity doesn’t always translate into success in the one poll that actually matters, says Mark Davis.
Mungo MacCallum: 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.
Crikey Says: Rudd can’t claim reform credit yet
There are three men truly entitled to reflect on responsibility for Australia’s economic reforms of the 1980s and 1990s: Hawke, Keating and Howard.
Political snippets: What Sarkozy could learn from Hawke
France’s short-statured President Sarkozy could gain a few inches with a Bob Hawke bouffant haircut, the GFC hits casinos, and more insights from Richard Farmer.
Della Bosca joins long list of upstanding members
Politicians straying from the marital bed? Where’s the story? asks Bob Ellis.
Video of the Day: If Hawke, Keating, Howard and Rudd had been journos
Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard and Kevin Rudd all fancy themselves as better journos than the real thing, says George Megalogenis. But how would each have really fared if they’d chosen the Fourth Estate over the Third?
Whitlam’s Grandchildren: what the Class of 2007 can tell us about the ALP
Comparing ALP MPs who made their Parliamentary debut after the party’s win in 2007 with those who sat for the first time in 1983 can provide some interesting insights into the evolution of Australia’s longest-living political party, writes Trevor Cook.
Will Turnbull be repeating Beazley’s history?
Is opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull destined to be the next Kim Beazley - the great leader that never was? Quite possibly, writes Kerry-Anne Walsh.
Bob Hawke: Labor for life
Former PM Bob Hawke will be honoured with life membership to the ALP at this year’s national conference, writes South Australian Premier Mike Rann.
Mungo MacCallum: 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.
A brief history of props in Federal Parliament
Politicians from both sides have a long democratic tradition of treating Parliament contemptuously.
Political snippets: Sceptically looking for the green shoots
Richard Farmer sees no “glimmers of hope” for the economy and reflects on hard-drinking politicians.
Once upon a time … Rudd needs a narrative
If the Government doesn’t provide a narrative, the media will provide one or more for them, writes Bernard Keane.
Vale John Button
Former Labor Senator John Button has died at the age of 74 after suffering cancer.
Kevin of the hundred days: a KPIs tale
FDR saved America’s financial system. Bob Hawke held an economic summit and released a major economic statement. Kevin Rudd has… mission statements, challenge areas – and loads of inquiries, writes Bernard Keane.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Comments, corrections, clarifications, and c*ckups
Olympic radio rights …. Four Corners and the Liberals … Brendan Nelson: Mr 9% … inflation … foreign investment … Crikey’s editorial …
The Media Monitors Top 20
Not much movement in the Top Five, with Morris Iemma celebrating the Year of the Rat by being ubiquitous if not exactly popular.
2020 summit: Talk for the sake of a talkfest
First community cabinet meetings, now a 2020 summit. Labor’s approach of government by stunt is shaping up nicely, writes David MacCormack.
Swanny needs a trowel
It has become a time honoured tradition for incoming governments to rip into the previous government’s economic record. And now it’s Wayne Swan’s turn — his efforts so far have been half-hearted, writes Peter Brent.
Malcolm Turnbull’s secrets for success
Malcolm Turnbull has been a very successful business person, but did he really mean to share some secrets of wealth creation yesterday? Christian Kerr investigates.
US 08: Hillary, Hawke and the power of tearful eyes
When you worked for Bob Hawke you soon realised that a choking voice and a tear or two was no disqualification to winning votes, writes Richard Farmer.
Mungo MacCallum: Howard’s decline, part 4
The central [issue] was always going to be The Economy, Stupid, and Rudd knew it, writes Mungo MacCallum.
And now, a letter from Gerard Henderson …
The Monthly is one of the few journals of opinion in the democratic world which does not run a letters/correspondence page in its printed edition. Hence this note to Crikey, writes Gerard Henderson.
Sorting fact from fiction in Kevin’s faction dealings
Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd keeps asserting he chose his own ministerial team rather than having the selections of internal groups ratified by a token vote of the Parliamentary Labor Party. There were always discussions between the leader and the leaders of the factions before the factions settled on their choices, says Richard Farmer
