John Faulkner’s shift to Defence was a turning point in this Government’s approach to accountability. The government has been backsliding ever since Joe Ludwig replaced him, writes Bernard Keane.
John Faulkner
JSF: The truth about that rushed $3.2 billion commitment
Defence Minister John Faulkner was conned into promising $3.2 billion upfront for 14 completely useless, low-rate F-35s because Lockheed Martin is running a project with the capacity to swallow a very large fraction of US and western allied GDP, writes Ben Sandilands.
Defending the indefensible: overspending and government stuff-ups
Australia’s Defence Department spends $26 billion and the shambolic waste and mismanagement in that department is worse than perhaps any other. Ben Eltham investigates the mistakes.
Time for Defence to come clean on the JSF debacle
A new report on the JSF Joint Strike Fighter project was released in US Congress today, and it is a shocker: the cost has shot up 60-90% per jet, and they are running at least two-and-a-half years late. Time for our own government to admit it’s a flop, says Ben Sandilands.
Pakistan’s martyrs and the image problems of suicide bombers
How long can we delude ourselves that doing this will improve the lives of ordinary Pakistanis when we prop up those who oppress them?, asks Benjamin Gilmour.
Expensive, unproven: meet the F-35 ‘Madoff’
If ignorance is bliss, the people who advised Australia’s defence minister, John Faulkner, on the status of the F-35 program, must be quite happy, writes Eric L. Palmer.
Guy Rundle: Women at war, the mother of political betrayals
The Rudd government’s policy of equality will be fulfilled when a young Australian mother is killed on the front line, and her small children can fold up a flag and put it on her coffin.
Political corruption not just in QLD
That fact that political donations, that hot little topic that Anna Bligh brought into the media spotlight this week, is controversial just proves reform is needed.
Faulkner flicks FOI exclusivity; bunfight begins!
The new era of transparency and openness sought by the media (and most prominently by the News Ltd dominated Right To Know Coalition) comes with an unexpected complication: now everyone can play.
Tips and rumours: The new Defence Minister’s first visit to Russell Hill
Scene One, Act One from the new Defence Minister’s first visit to Russell Hill, and The West calls for voluntary redundancies.
Rudd reshuffle: a win for talent… and factional allegiances
You have to hand it to the Prime Minister — he sure likes making things complicated. Bernard Keane wraps the weekend reshuffle action after Joel Fistgibbon’s resignation.
Mungo MacCallum: Fitzgibbon, Faulkner and the cost of new appointments
Just because you’re paranoid it doesn’t mean that they’re not after you.
Laurie Oakes: Faulkner had better wear a flak jacket
No one who knows new Defence Minister John Faulkner wants him as an enemy. But he’ll still need to take care not to provide Defence’s self-appointed key keepers with ammunition against him.
After Fitzgibbon, who can take the fight to Defence?
Replacing Joel Fitzgibbon will be no easy task.
politicians behaving badly Defence Minister Fitzgibbon’s gone
The beleaguered Defence minister is gone (read the back story here). Who will replace him?
Political snippets: Think tanks as lobbyists
John Faulkner should remember the influence and power of think tanks when reviewing the effectiveness of the federal lobbyists register.
Political snippets: The Attorney General’s break with tradition
The Turnbull mistake … Talking down the rates … John Faulkner practices what he preaches
Faulkner’s Freedom of Information shake-up
The Commonwealth Freedom of Information regime faces its biggest shake-up since its inception under draft legislation unveiled by John Faulkner today, writes Bernard Keane.
John Faulkner: Captain transparency
The 2010 election will be held under significantly stronger funding and disclosure requirements if John Faulkner has his way, writes Bernard Keane.
Privacy Oz style in a google world
For John Faulkner, the definitional challenge of privacy is resolved by empowering people to make their own decisions about what personal information becomes available, writes Bernard Keane.
Whistle blower protection too late for Orkopoulos staffer
Special Minister of State John Faulkner today committed to legislation establishing a “preferred model” for whistle-blower protection in 2009, writes Bernard Keane.
Government takes its time reforming FOI
Special Minister of State John Faulkner today announced the abolition of conclusive certificates that can be used to block Freedom of Information requests, reports Bernard Keane.
