While WA Labor leader Mark McGowan out-campaigned the Premier, Labor suffered a huge swing. Former WA Liberal (and Independent Liberal) senator Noel Crichton-Browne points the finger at federal Labor — and the Nationals.
READ MORE39 Results
MINING TAX
Could Rudd get a rematch with the miners? The radical ALP play
Kevin Rudd is crowing his mining tax would have collected more revenue. But could he try again — and save Labor in the process? David Llewellyn-Smith at MacroBusiness tests the play.
READ MORELabor spins its wheels on the mining tax
Both sides are stuck with an expensive superannuation policy that will cost billions in future years, regardless of what happens with the mining tax.
READ MOREHe’s not Moses, he’s just a miner: Albanese departure shifts debate
With Rio Tinto writing down billions, maybe it’s time for some realism in debates about “productivity”, “sovereign risk”, and whether miners are the Messiah. Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane report.
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Essential: carbon tax much more popular than Abbott
The much-maligned carbon tax has staged a solid rehabilitation in Essential Research polling. In fact, it’s now more popular than Tony Abbott.
READ MOREDon’t cut spending in a recession: the warning from Europe
Don’t cut spending in a recession, try it in an upturn if you can and make sure when you cut there’s a credible tax increase in the mix. That’s the warning from the IMF to Europe — and Australia.
READ MORECheap thrills for Glencore boss, then $65b deal set to collapse
Ivan Glasenberg, CEO of Swiss-based commodity and minerals giant Glencore, got some some cheap publicity by criticising Australia for its rising costs, the mining and carbon tax and a few other issues.
READ MOREMinerals Council surveys its handiwork, declares it ‘volatile’
A new report from the mining industry claims the mining tax will be volatile. That’s exactly how the industry wanted it.
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Why does Australia hate democracy?
The latest Lowy Institute poll contains an alarming statistic for lovers of democracy. Rob Burgess of Business Spectator wonders why we hate our system of government.
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Twiggy’s big reveal — two years later. So what’s he up to?
Mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest has scored an extraordinary PR coup by enlisting two of the nation’s top journalists to turn a two-year-old story.
READ MOREQueensland a worry for Federal ALP
Former Premier Peter Beattie wants Julia Gillard to buy a house in Queensland. But what if Queenslanders actually don’t want her?
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How will the mining tax be fought in the High Court?
Mining giants as well as some state governments are threatening to take the tax to the High Court, claiming that it discriminates against states and will unfairly cost businesses. Bianca Kerr asks constitutional law experts how the High Court fight would go.
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Labor’s mining tax super con
Linking the super change with the minerals resource rent tax as the legislation wound its way through the parliament was too clever by half.
READ MORENothing fruity at the ABC’s 7.30
Crikey readers have their say.
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Kohler: a mining tax only W. Heath Robinson could love
In 2009 Ken Henry offered a recommendation for a resources rent tax. Two years, three months and one prime minister later, a bastardised version of that idea was finally passed by the parliament.
READ MORERelentless fiscal confusion reigns in Canberra
Everyone’s confused about the corporate tax cut associated with the mining tax package.
READ MOREEssential: Labor returns to the woes of 2011
Labor’s, and Julia Gillard’s support has return to the depths it plumbed during the worst months of 2011.
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Essential: we don’t mind Labor’s policies, at least …
There is strong support for several of Labor’s major policies, despite its parlous polling situation, new polling finds.
READ MOREIs Labor’s ‘poor relationship with business’ such a bad thing?
Labor apparently has a bad relationship with business. But what exactly does that mean, and why do voters not have a problem with it?
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A day in the life of a mining billionaire
Remember those “this is our story” mining industry ads against the mining tax? Well the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union is fighting back with its hilarious “this is the real story” campaign. First up, the “real” story of life as a billionaire miner, complete with caviar for breakfast …
READ MOREMRRT: a spectacular failure of leadership by all
The MRRT will become law, but it represents a dark chapter in the history of Australian economic reform.
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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.
READ MOREAbbott’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.
READ MOREEssential: no to uranium exports to India, yes to mining tax
Voters back the mining tax but oppose uranium exports to India, today’s Essential Report shows. And voters are less concerned about a return to Workchoices.
READ MORELast week of parliament for 2011
Crikey media wrap: The mining tax, a tax that helped bring down the Rudd government, is likely to pass the House of Representatives this week, capping off a busy year of legislation for Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
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