Labor government


Crikey Says: Crikey says: rolling around in the leadership speculation orgy

We published a Labor leadership speculation story last Monday.

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.

Politics is a Sisyphean ordeal, and Gillard’s ideal for it

A decided ennui has overtaken Canberra, or at least the Press Gallery. There’s a general sense that politics at the moment is truly wretched, a Sisyphean ordeal.

Labor Party suffering at the hands of union leaders

With Labor party membership falling fast, the rank and file angry and disillusioned and loyalists declaring that Labor no longer stands for anything.

Essential: forget the surplus, voters say, and save us from cuts

Most voters would rather the federal government delay its back to black strategy and extend the deficit to stave off service cuts and tax hikes.

The Australian: ‘We didn’t mean it. Really’

After serving enthusiastically as the leading organ of John Howard’s culture wars, the advent of a Labor Government has seen The Australian desperately searching for a means of retaining some credibility and influence in the new dispensation, writes Clive Hamilton.

Labor to extend parliament sittings but will it matter?

So, parliament is going to sit five days a week, says the new Labor government. The manager of government business, Anthony Albanese, says this unprecedented move is in the interests of greater accountability and scrutiny. But will this really be the case? Norman Abjorensen investigates.

Tips and rumours

Rudds’s promo posters at his after party were cheerfully souvenired — not by party faithful but members of the media pack. Hi guys, my wife and I voted at Nelson Bay in the electorate of Paterson. We got our two voting papers and it wasn’t till later in the day that I realized our papers had not been […]

Forget principle Kevin, stick to Me Tooism

For a moment this morning I thought the party of Kevin “Me Too” Rudd had rediscovered principle. The Australian led its front page with a report that a Labor Government would speak out “consistently” against the death penalty. The rediscovery was not for long, writes Richard Farmer.

Political bite sized meaty chunks

So there’s nothing no one could object to in Queensland? … Rodney Croome and Malcolm Turnbull … This isn’t covered by the opinion polls …

Labor’s hospital plan: Questions for the shadow minister

The ALP’s hospital takeover plan has lead to vigorous debate at both federal and state levels. In Crikey’s continuing search for policy detail, we have submitted the following questions about the plan to Nicola Roxon, member for Gellibrand and Shadow Minister for Health and will run the answers if/when they are received.

Labor hires Howard campaigners

A State Labor Government has put Liberal Party pollsters and strategists Mark Textor and Lynton Crosby, two Howard allies despised by the ALP federally, on the public payroll as consultants.

Electoral pork or lipstick on a pig?

It’s pork barrelling season once more. But is the government biting off more than it can chew? And will the electorate be left with a nasty taste in its mouth?