Simon Benson has the inside story of how the health deal was struck, with Kristina Keneally’s powerful secret handshakes, John Brumby walking out of meetings and the last minute $800m sweetener.
John Brumby
Deal and no deal between PM and Premiers
Daily media wrap: All sides are declaring victory in the battle over public hospital reform, except no one seems to have actually won — yet.
Penberthy: Next stop, Kevin Rudd the musical
Kevin Rudd’s personal style is making his health reform plans terminal. Rudd’s setting himself to be the next Paul Keating: the popular PM who couldn’t convince voters of challenging ideas, says David Penberthy.
Mungo MacCallum: Health debate shows up unfinished job of federation
The Great Health and Hospitals War has been a pretty unedifying affair. But it has had one useful outcome: even the staunchest conservatives are now having second thoughts on reserving so much power for the states.
Will premiers vote against the PM and the people?
Daily media wrap: The fight between Kevin Rudd and state leaders over public reform enters its final round today, when the two sides butt heads at the COAG talks. But a new Nielsen poll has revealed voters are backing Rudd. Will it prove a last-minute game changer?
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Female workers at a super disadvantage
One Crikey reader argues that changes to superannuation rules works against women. Plus, at least John Brumby sticks up for his states and the mess of NT public hospitals.
Richardson: John Brumby’s second front
An election year isn’t a good time to be getting on the wrong side of democracy. John Brumby should probably try to settle this dispute as quickly and quietly as he can before he gets himself in trouble.
Brumby’s obviously a politician, not a mathematician
Ben Eltham attempts to wade through the confusing numbers of hospital beds and GST revenue and establish: do John Brumby’s health figures stack up? Actually, states are better off under Rudd’s plan.
Ted Baillieu is the real winner of the health debate
John Brumby’s recalcitrance on health reform has led to some unexpected scrutiny of his own health record — and it’s not pretty. Opposition leader Ted Baillieu must be unable to believe his luck.
Brumby takes fight to the big stage
Daily media wrap: The battle of wills between Rudd and Brumby stepped up yesterday, as the Premier made the trip up north to tell the PM he won’t be bullied into hospital reform. But did his Southern-style stubbornness play well on the national stage?
Brumby’s weapons of mass distraction on display at the Press Club
Victorian Premier John Brumby’s opposition to the federal government’s health reform plan is primarily a distraction from his own deepening political woes.
Victoria no martyr on health
It’s no wonder John Brumby is the parochial laggard on health reform: he’s racking up an impressive record of bad policy.
New Tote proprietor to press Brumby on liquor changes
New Tote Hotel proprietor Jon Perring has called on the Victorian government to immediately fix its liquor licensing laws, to avoid a repeat of the saga that forced the hallowed rock venue to shut its doors.
Crucifying Christine because she’s female
The public flogging of Christine Nixon is typical of our treatment of strong, prominent women, writes Moira Rayner. She did the only thing that all the many men involved won’t: admit that she “could have done better”.
Brumby runs wild against Rudd
Daily media wrap: Victorian Premier John Brumby has gone rogue, slamming Rudd’s public hospital health reform policy and suggesting his own. Is Brumby just trying to show Canberra up or are his objections valid?
Guy Rundle: 
Nixon should resign — but so should Brumby
There should have been resignations right across the board after Black Saturday, says Guy Rundle: Christine Nixon, the whole CFA leadership, and the Victorian Government.
Grattan: Rudd out to whack or woo?
Kevin Rudd is huffing and puffing about the federal health takeover but is a bit unsure whether he should blow the house down and force a recall, writes Michelle Grattan.
Grand Prix headed for the major events scrapheap?
Will this be the year when the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix finally falls on its sword and vacates the Albert Park circuit for a grateful city in Asia?
Brumby’s poor disclosure over donations and jobs for relatives
While there are literally hundreds of examples of politicians either employing their relatives or having party colleagues take them on, very few have reached the scale of Victorian Premier John Brumby’s family.
Crikey Says: Nepotism may come back to bite Brumby on the bum
Sometimes, as South Australian Premier Mike Rann is discovering to his great dismay, it’s the nasty little personal matters that create the biggest negative impact.
Victorian patient facing three years of pain in surgery wait
A 52-year old Victorian man unable tie his shoes is facing an excruciating 3-year wait for spinal surgery at the Austin Hospital, after he was shunted on a secret waiting list for an outpatient appointment.
Hair shirts will strangle Labor
Labor pollies are lining up to done the hair-shirt, from Kevin Rudd to John Brumby. But Peter Beattie’s ‘apologise constantly and hope they vote for you anyway’ method doesn’t always work. Stick to your policy guns, says The Oz.
The Liberal Party ‘parent’ who sparked The Age to action
There’s nothing juicier for the media and opposition in an election year than leaked emails and secret documents. Brumby government minister Justin Madden is finding out this morning.
Brumby’s special hardware deals for pokies giant
No company has benefited more from the Victorian Labor Government than Australia’s biggest pokies operator, Woolworths, which just loves Brumby’s new gaming industry rules.
Brumby’s backflip on live music could claim Maclellan
Pressure is growing on controversial Victorian Liquor Licensing director Sue Maclellan over her enforcement of the state government’s liquor licensing laws following a backflip on live music by the Brumby government.
