The House of Representatives petitions committee, which could be used by the Opposition as a sort of mini-Estimates process if they had their wits about them, writes Bernard Keane.
Bureaucracy
The boring, bureaucratic reality of COAG
Ministerial meetings sound like the pointy end of Commonwealth-State relations, but in reality, ministerial meetings are highly formal affairs, writes Bernard Keane.
Rudd’s new Ministry sticks to the Howard mould
Kevin Rudd’s new Ministry has a familiar feel to it. As promised, it hasn’t shaken up the Canberra bureaucracy too much, so that the pencil pushers can hit the ground running – well, sauntering – with the ALP agenda, writes David MacCormack.
Where now for Liberal staffers? The mining boom?
Ministerial advisers are well compensated with a respectable termination payment if they have served for a few years or more. And most are generally happy for a decent break after the rigorous pace of government. But it soon dawns on most that their skills are tough to transfer when they wear a Labor or conservative badge.
Is it farmers being subsidised – or the water quota system?
The drought assistance announced by the Federal Government this week is more than just bundles of cash aimed at helping out ruralists in need. It’s a reform package by another name, writes Lionel Elmore.
