The politics of playing against typeJohn Howard advocating the leftist cause of Timor Leste, Julia Gillard campaigning against gay marriage — sometimes politicians can surprise us by defying our expectations, writes Politically Homeless.
Julia Gillard
Follow Crikey’s latest coverage of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Crikey’s Julia Gillard coverage includes independent news, blogs and commentary.
Gillard knifes Carr in a risky reshuffle
Innovation minister and Labor Left stalwart Kim Carr is the key victim of a ministerial reshuffle that looks as much a purge to shore up Julia Gillard’s support as an effort to redistribute Labor’s talent, writes Bernard Keane.
Essential: both leaders end the year on the nose
Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott end the political year as deeply unpopular leaders, losing the faith of even more voters.
Political snippets: A new acronym to take on climate change
So now we are going to have a new international body — the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action.
Nielsen: Abbott pulls ahead as preferred PM
The final Newspoll of the year presents a pre-Christmas present for the Opposition, with the Coalition at 57-43 two-party preferred. Tony Abbott has also pulled ahead of Julia Gillard as preferred Prime Minister, reports William Bowe.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Once you start knifing people, you never stop
Crikey readers have their say.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Ensuring adequate pay for politicians
Crikey readers have their say.
Crikey Says: A poke in the eye to both of you
The tensions between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd are threatening to escalate into real damage to the government.
Gender parity an electoral albatross around the ALP’s neck
As long as the participation of women lurks below 50%, prospects of reform or reinvention in the Australian Labor Party are limited, writes Tanja Kovac.
A bad conference for Gillard, and maybe worse for her party
The ALP national conference did nothing to dispel perceptions about Julia Gillard’s judgment - or the party’s inability to renew itself.
Political snippets: The so-called virtues of austerity
It seems to be the political orthodoxy in most developed country democracies these days that government spending must be cut to produce budgets that balance.
Newspoll: Gillard consolidates her lead
The latest Newspoll has the Coalition two-party lead at 54-46, down from an aberrant 57-43 a fortnight ago. The Coalition is down four points on the primary vote to 44%, reports William Bowe.
Bonhomie thick at ALP conference as the deal-making begins
Prime Minister Gillard kicked off ALP National conference proceedings at the Sydney Convention Centre this morning by adopting Obama’s/Optus’ “yes” refrain, presumably to distinguish Labor from Tony Abbott’s negativity.
The whole world is watching: Labor confronts segregation
While Julia Gillard is toying with the notion of a conscience vote, in truth there is no such thing, writes former Democrats senator Brian Greig.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Stridency does not a majority make
Crikey readers have their say.
Let the ALP conference begin
Crikey media wrap: The ALP party has rolled into town for the first day of the Labor national conference in Sydney. With gay marriage, uranium and asylum seeker policy all up for grabs, expect it to be a raucous weekend.
Gay marriage: Gillard deploys her troops for the wrong battle
Julia Gillard has put her authority on the line on same-sex marriage at the Labor national conference. But it was completely unnecessary.
Labor state sec: Gillard, Rudd miss the point on membership
WA ALP State Secretary Simon Mead has accused Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd of missing the point in their efforts to reenergise Labor’s membership, blaming inept communication for members quitting.
Union backing pushes Labor Left closer to Gillard gay marriage defeat
Victorian arm of the NUW formally resolves to back progressive ALP delegates in a conference fight with Julia Gillard over gay marriage, drawing the Left to within striking distance of rejecting a self-defeating conscience vote.
Would uranium sales to India breach a key Labor treaty?
Uranium sales to India may be in breach of a key international treaty established by the Hawke government in 1985, according to one of Australia’s most eminent international lawyers.
Slipper takes the money and runs … the show
Crikey media wrap: Labor stalwart Harry Jenkins resigned as speaker of the House of Representatives yesterday, sending shockwaves through the parliament.
To state the bleeding obvious, more mining tax revenue is better than less
The mining tax is pay for perfect but if it taxed more miners — not just those who mine coal and iron — it would be better, says Dr Richard Denniss of The Australia Institute.
Afghanistan: another nebulous parliamentary debate isn’t good enough
A parliamentary debate on Afghanistan in which the same lines about “seeing it through” are repeated is simply not good enough.
Abbott’s statesman’s hat is so unfashionably last year
I attended Tony Abbott’s address to The Sydney Institute last night with real enthusiasm, expecting to hear something good. However, what we got was 2010 revisited.
Gillard’s distorted uranium sales pitch
Labor’s attempt to sell its about-turn on uranium to India presents a distorted triumvirate of benefits for Australians, including arguments about modernising policy and fulfilling moral duty, writes NAJ Taylor.
