Richard Farmer sees no “glimmers of hope” for the economy and reflects on hard-drinking politicians.
Bob Hawke
Political snippets: Sceptically looking for the green shoots
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
Two old Leaders keep their record
As votes get closer to being completely counted from last Saturday’s poll, two old leaders have kept their records by the narrowest of margins. Bob Hawke will no doubt be happier about it than Malcolm Fraser, writes Richard Farmer.
Tipping time: Labor heading for a 30-seat majority
I’m predicting Labor will win a 30 seat majority, which would mean Labor holding 90 out of 150 seats. How might those seats fall state by state? Here’s a possible combination, writes Peter Brent.
Christian Kerr: Fiscal conservatism takes centre stage
All the focus at Labor’s launch in Brisbane today was on new leadership – on Rudd himself, writes Christian Kerr.
Mackerras: 1 December is the day…
My prediction for the election date is Saturday 1 December and here is my reasoning, writes Malcolm Mackerras.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Comments, corrections, clarifications, and c*ckups
Burma … polls, election timing et al … drought relief … Christian Kerr v The Greens … new Magna Carta … Canberra airport development …
Hawke: Polls have probably got it about right
Bob Hawke’s most recent expedition on the campaign trail was to South Australia and Western Australia and who better to review what he did and found than the man himself.
Kim Beazley fighting the stage fright
Kim Beazley was a political actor who constantly had to battle his stage fright. Behind the apparently calm and confident man who lectured us with long words in lengthy sentences was a nervous Nellie quite lacking in confidence, writes Richard Farmer.
Costello would have been worth a try
It looks like the Liberal partyroom has chickened out, but flicking to a Costello leadership would have been worth a try, writes Peter Brent.
The many anecdotes of Richard Woolcott
Richard Woolcott is Australia’s most respected diplomat with connections world-wide second to none - but Howard and Downer won’t have a bar of him at APEC, where he is known personally to most of the participants.
Crikey Says: Crikey Says
Another loopily soft left, Howard-hating rant from that nest of rabid Ruddites at Crikey? Nope. Just some edited highlights (life being too short etc) from today’s editorial from The Australian. Poll sometime soon PM?
A Hawke’s eye view on the form
Speaking with what he describes as “a certain amount of authority, from my own personal history in such matters”, my old boss and former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke thinks Kevin Rudd’s night on the tiles in New York “made it easier for a lot of punters to identify with Kevin.”
