The decision by the Coalition to renege on its deal with the rural independents to provide the greatest possible stability to a federal government will rebound to its disadvantage.
Coalition
Julie’s safe: the pro-competition party rejects a leadership contest
Andrew Robb probably wouldn’t have toppled Julie Bishop - but it’s funny how parties change their tune on such matters for political convenience.
Labor could block Coalition law-making … but probably won’t
Constitutional law experts have told Crikey that the Gillard government has the power to block funding for legislation passed by the opposition, as the crossbench MPs flirt with supporting the Coalition on some policy issues.
How the Libs flubbed their figures
The massive budgetary black hole discovered in the Coalition’s figures raises certain questions - like how on Earth did they get it so wrong? Peter Martin lists their four big boo boos.
Crikey Says: Want disclosure independents? Then tell us who donated to your campaign
Who donated to Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott, Bob Katter and Andrew Wilkie before the election that made them some of the most powerful individuals in the country?
Crikey Says: What the devil? Oakeshott gets Heffed
Tony Abbott, coalition leader, potential Prime Minister, currently negotiating with the four independent MPs in order to obtain minority government, six days ago…
Does WHK Horwath tell third parties they should seek independent advice on reports?
The auditing firm at the centre of the Coalition’s costings debacle normally warns third parties not to rely on its reports, recommending they obtain independent advice.
Common sense from independents has conservatives deeply unhappy
Against expectations, the rural independents have made a strong start in their quest for political and economic stability. And conservatives don’t like it.
Regional development: here we go again
Governments have to be forced by the electorate to take regional development issues seriously. So far we haven’t even mastered the basics.
Pandering to the outer suburbs didn’t work
While the parties focused on trying to appeal to a minority of swinging voters, the rest of the electorate had other ideas — quite a few of them.
Pearse: Greens should let this government fall and learn
The Labor Party might ultimately agree to brave a carbon levy, but you can bet it will be one that is as polluter friendly as its CPRS, writes Guy Pearse.
Debate: should Quentin Bryce have to step aside?
Peter Faris QC and barrister Greg Barns debate the topic: Quentin Bryce must step aside.
Guy Rundle: Rundle: willing the Coalition to win
What all these votes have in common is that they surely must reveal how ridiculous this winner-takes-all system is.
Poll bludger: minority government and the rise of the greens
Minority government was a frequent occurrence in the first half of the twentieth century, and has undergone a renaissance as the major parties’ share of the vote has declined in the past two decades.
The winter of our discontent
Once upon a time, nearly everybody voted for the major parties. In 1975, after the collapse of the DLP and before the rise of the Democrats, 95.9% gave their primary vote in the House of Representatives to either Labor or the Coalition. That figure was still well above 90% as late as 1987.
Abbott copied the Howard template
Tony Abbott has learnt well from his mentor John Howard and simply removed those elements of his political persona perceived as out of keeping with mainstream thinking.
The final tally: both sides in the red, in a miserly campaign
When Kevin Rudd said “this reckless spending must stop”, he set a new pattern for election promises that both sides have stuck to pretty well in 2010. We have had one of the most parsimonious campaigns of recent times.
Bartos: explaining the obscure changes in the mix of Coalition spending
Most of the Coalition spending and savings announced yesterday are self-explanatory, but there are some relatively obscure changes, writes Stephen Bartos, director of LECG and public sector governance expert.
Stuck in broadband backwater
The IT industry provided mixed responses to the Coalition’s long-awaited broadband policy proposal, but most experts lambasted the plan as a vision-less policy incapable of lifting Australia out of our broadband backwater.
Keane’s Talking Points: the Libs’ risk-free strategy
As Labor did, the Liberals have adopted a risk-averse, front runner strategy to sit on their lead until polling day.
Crikey Says: Campaign Crikey morning edition: Day 23
”Isn’t it great to lead a united political party with a deputy I can trust, a predecessor who’s a friend and a former prime minister who’s a hero…”
Policy Watch — the stakeholders speak
During the 2010 Federal election campaign, Crikey has regularly updated Policy Watch in order to keep track of the spending commitments being made by both sides. We have also looked to gauge the opinion of the key stakeholders involved in each of the announcements.
We thought we could put away the Pollute-o-Meter. We were wrong
After the 2007 election as we packed away the placards and the posters I thought one thing we’d be done with for sure was our Pollute-o-Meter, writes John Connor of The Climate Institute. I was wrong.
Business the victim in this (non)policy war
Ten days into the 2010 election campaign the major parties are opening their war chests to woo voters. But both major candidates have so far appeared desperate to highlight their credentials despite being devoid of meaningful policy on important economic or business issues, writes Ian Verrender.
The Coalition’s desperate ploy on immigration
Clearly concerned that the Coalition are facing heavy defeat on August 21, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison have announced a crass piece of opportunitism today - a plan to cap immigration at 170,000 a year.
