A $30 rise is not enough for the really poor pensioners with no income and is too much for those well off pensioners that Peter Costello stuck on the public tit in his last couple of budgets, writes Eva Cox.
Federal
Solitary confinement will cost you extra
“Australia is the only country in the world which charges innocent people the cost of locking them up,” Julian Burnside QC has told Crikey. And solitary confinement is seperately billed, reports Sophie Black.
16 months in Baxter detention centre: that’ll cost you $160,000
Former Baxter detainee Kasian Wililo has been invoiced for his time in detention: for $161,684.60, reports Sophie Black.
DMO to be cut loose from Defence Department?
Alarm bells rang across Canberra’s defence establishment this morning over the official report calling for the Defence Material Organisation to be cut loose from the Defence Department, writes Alex Mitchell.
From poisoning dogs and cats to babies
Last year it was American dogs and cats dying of kidney failure after eating pet food containing gluten from China that was tainted with melamine. This year it is Chinese babies, writes Richard Farmer.
Nationals behaving badly
There are a number of Liberals, from Queensland and elsewhere, who have been astonished at the behaviour of the Nationals in recent weeks, writes Bernard Keane.
How digital is Turnbull? A hint: his dogs blog.
Malcolm Turnbull’s online presence is ahead of the pack, but does that mean he’ll do big things for IT? asks the anti-geek.
The Liberals hit the reset button
Governments go through cycles, and the Rudd Government has a long way to go before it reaches its peak. The Opposition, meanwhile, has had to hit the reset button and start again, writes Bernard Keane.
Costello’s appalling record on Indigenous spending
Taxation revenue increases as economies grow. But similarly, Indigenous affairs budgets should increase in both real and percentage terms as government budgets grow. Under Costello, they shrunk, writes Chris Graham.
Labor should stop picking on the rich kid
The ALP hasn’t wasted any time getting stuck into Malcolm Turnbull’s wealth. In fact Wayne Swan had a crack yesterday in Question Time, writes Bernard Keane.
Liberals appeal to the “do nothing on climate change” crowd
Brendan was after the majority of Australians who want to drive and fly until the hell and high water comes. In his first comments after replacing him as leader, Malcolm Turnbull began courting them too, writes Simon Grose.
Talkback on Turnbull: he’s been a bully
So what do the voters make of the Liberal leadership spill? Talkback has spoken, and as always, it’s colourful, insightful and revealing (read:crazy.)
Once more into the realm of dreams
Meantime, the Government gets on with governing, writes Bernard Keane.
Why workshops are bad for Indigenous health
There is a lingering hope beating in many hearts that the government is the logical place to turn to for leadership and reform in indigenous health, writes Tess Lea.
Crikey Says: Crikey says
At a moment when the global economy is facing one of its biggest financial crises in decades, Australia’s Opposition is engaged in an astonishing bout of self-obsession.
Oz housing market remains resilient
Contrary to popular opinion, the Australian housing industry is alive and doing sort of OK, writes Glenn Dyer.
Brendan the bold. Brendan the risky
Brendan Nelson’s bid to end the destabilisation of his leadership is unlikely to succeed, writes Bernard Keane.
Costello’s slow revenge on his own party
I can’t help but think of Baldrick whenever someone suggests that Brendan Nelson can, now that Peter Costello has kinda sorta vacated the field, get some “clear air” in which to perform, writes Bernard Keane.
Costello’s view of reality doesn’t quite match up
If the Liberal Party was hoping for Peter Costello to provide a guide to how to fix what ails it, the weekend’s extracts will have been alarmingly disappointing, writes Bernard Keane.
Liberal leadership: the board game
If you thought choosing a new Liberal leader was as simple as rolling a dice you were right! Play Liberal Leadership, the new board game from Crikey.
Mungo: Costello lingers like a fart in a lift
It’s time for Costello to put an end to what had become the world’s longest prick tease, writes Mungo MacCallum.
Closing the gaps: Don’t lose the aspirations of communities
What we risk losing here is the aspirations of communities, of peoples, of nations, says Dr Steve Cornell.
Why sick country people are on a highway to nowhere
As petrol prices soar, eligible country patients who have to travel for specialist care are being reimbursed at a miserly rate of between 13 and 17 cents per kilometre, reports Melissa Sweet.
Costello: Maintain the illusion of substance, keep your mouth shut
Costello’s not helping himself. After months of intriguing silence, now that he’s actually saying things, it’s apparent there’s not much actually there, writes Bernard Keane.
Garnaut’s scary glimpse into China
Last Friday Garnaut delivered the good news about China’s efforts to suppress its fossil fuel emissions. Problem is, it’s also bad news, writes Simon Grose.
