Liberalism


Throwing Australian liberalism a lifeline

Liberalism in Australia stagnated under the Howard government, becoming a defender of the status-quo with a stance indistinguishable from conservatism, says Andrew Carr. Embracing a modern liberal revival could help the Libs reach the ever-elusive Gen-Y demographic.

Kerr: The death of the Democrats and the small-l liberal

The last Australian Democrat MP has jumped ship, rendering the party officially dead, says Christian Kerr. But what about the party’s ideals? Is this also the end of small-l liberalism in Australian politics?

What a liberal Bill of Rights could look like

Let’s call a spade a spade: the debate over Australia’s Bill of Rights is really a debate on how government power should be limited, says Timothy Brown.

Where are all the leftie journos?

Everyone loves to trash the media as being full of left leaning journalists, but it’s the conservative right wing commentators that get more publicity. Small ‘l’ liberal is not the same as left wing, writes Lindsay Foyle.

Video of the Day: Fox News: the new liberals?

Lately Fox News have been complaining about the president, defending protesters and Damning The Man. Are they, gasp, the new liberals?

Abbott no fan of change, just marriage

Tony Abbott’s conservative manifesto Battlelines fails to address a key issue — that institutions need to change with society. Change isn’t always a bad thing, writes David Hetherington.

Atticus Finch: a fictional portrayal of real life racist failings

To Kill a Mockingbird’s Atticus Finch was no civil rights activist. Instead he represents the real life double standard in Southern liberalism, swapping one prejudice for another, writes Malcolm Gladwell.

Janet, conservatism has killed this government

Janet Albrechtsen is young, bright – and provides the perfect demonstration of exactly how John Howard has got himself into his poll pickle. John Howard is in the state he is in because he has favoured conservatism over liberalism.