The name Beazley could once again grace the green leather of an Australian parliament with Kim Beazley’s daughter Hannah being vigorously bandied about ahead of WA Labor’s 2013 preselection round.
Kim Beazley
Tanya Plibersek takes the pledge
Citizenship is a birthright; reciting or refusing to recite a pledge of allegiance would make zero difference to that.
The WikiLeaks Australian cable dump: choice picks
Wikileaks’s latest cables offer a particularly revealing insight into the way Alexander Downer and some of his officals conducted themselves when he was Foreign Minister.
Richardson: elections aren’t always what they seem
Ollanta Humala is the legitimate president-elect of Peru, and he’s entitled to make what he can of his opportunity. If he succeeds, this could be remembered as the time his country made a decisive choice.
Placards not the only thing on display as the denialists gather
The gathering of climate denialists in Canberra yesterday was notable for its age and monoculturalism, and for why they remain a problem for the Liberal Party.
Shanahan: Labor back in Beazley territory
Yes, Tony Abbott’s maintains high levels of personal dissatisfaction with voters, but he is slowly narrowing the gap of preferred prime minister, says Dennis Shanahan.
Poll Bludger’s Election 2010 preview, Part 1: WA — the state of excitement!
Will history prove again that Western Australia is a problem for the ALP? Get your wonk on in this, the first in a preview series from Poll Bludger’s William Bowe on the upcoming Federal election…
Ding dong, the ALP is dead
The ALP is a shell of its former self, a power hungry Faux-Labor Party that lacks vision, writes Geoff Davies. We thought Kevin Rudd would save the ALP, but from asylum seekers to climate change, he just digs its grave deeper.
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.
When will Beazley realise he isn’t a pollie now?
Why do we keep having Australian ambassadors as ex-politicians? asks Jim Molan. Kim Beazley in Washington shouldn’t be talking so candidly about the war in Afghanistan since it’s such a tense issue between the US and Australia.
Marieke Hardy: That loveable perennial loser, Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley seems like such a lovely chap — intelligent, yet cuddly — except he always stumbles at the last hurdle. His wheelchair photos in the Oval Office are ripe for ridiculing, says Marieke Hardy.
Great myths in Australian politics: GST almost cost Howard ’98 election
The GST didn’t nearly lose John Howard the election in 1998, instead it’s the only reason he stayed in office. Just check out the Newspoll ratings before the GST announcement, says Stephen Spencer.
Fran Kelly: Fight, fight, fight, fight… Abbott’s itching for one
Former boxer and current Liberal leader Tony Abbott may be chomping at the bit for an election battle, but a look at Labor history shows aggressive Oppositions don’t win elections, notes Fran Kelly. Remember Mark Latham?
Oakes: Tough talking Rudd misses the real baddies
Rather than “beating the anti-asylum seeker drum’, Kevin Rudd should criticise the Sri Lankan government for their treatment of Tamils. That might improve conditions and decrease refugees, argues Laurie Oakes.
Big tick for Beazley/Nelson
appointments
This week’s Essential Report comes in with a two-party preferred vote of 59-41 -– a 1-point gain to the ALP — and finds Aussies give a thumbs-up to Brendan Nelson and Kim Beazley’s ambassadorial appointments.
Environment shouldn’t be a ball in political game
The latest Newspoll tells the real double dissolution story: the electorate wants an Emissions Trading Scheme but it doesn’t want an early election over it.
Inside the inner Rudd sanctum
The design of the parliamentary office of PM Kevin Rudd’s inner circle says much about the power factions of the Rudd government. Mark Davis examines who sits where.
Hartcher: Rudd plays nicely with the other team
Australian pollies aren’t known for their bipartisanship, although PM Kevin Rudd is changing that with his latest ambassadorial postings. Or, is Rudd just forward planning for his own career? asks Peter Hartcher.
Fair shares: Nelson gets the EU, Beazley gets US
In another deft display of bipartisanship, Kevin Rudd has immediately followed Brendan Nelson’s farewell to Parliament with a surprise announcement that the former Opposition Leader will be appointed EU and NATO Ambassador.
Crikey Says: Overseas postings: send your critics far, far away
The Prime Minister had big news this morning, announcing Kim Beazley and Brendan Nelson as new ambassadors. Is Mark Latham’s ambassadorial posting due any second now?
Mr Beazley goes to Washington
Kim Beazley will head to Washington as the next US ambassador. And in a smart nod to bipartisanship, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has also just announced Brendan Nelson as Australia’s new ambassador to the EU and NATO.
Telstra decision is just good policy
There’s an element of politics in Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s decision to break Telstra up. But it’s also good policy that finally corrects the huge mistake Bob Hawke and Kim Beazley made.
