The scalp of John Della Bosca or Belinda Neal may be claimed this week as Labor powerbrokers seek to staunch the ongoing media attention on Iguanagate.
NSW
Lobbyists are behind community forum site Bang the Table
The consultants behind community website builder Bang the Table wear two hats - on one hand they work directly for big developers and on the other they offer a platform for online community consultation for councils through Bang the Table.
Democracy, brought to you by the NSW Shooters Party
Many of us were pleased when the Legislative Review Committee reported on the Planning Minister Frank Sartor’s package of Bills ‘reforming’ the Planning system of NSW. Then the Shooters Party stepped in, writes JJohn Mant.
Why exhausted NSW rural doctors have shut up shop
On Wednesday afternoon the two GPs at Dorrigo in northern NSW went on strike, closing their surgery. Dr Horst Herb, who has worked in Dorrigo for six years, explains how it happened.
Orkopoulos inquiry sputters out
By the time parliament limped to a standstill yesterday, Nationals MP Trevor Khan’s bold bid to deepen the exposure of the Orkopoulos scandal was in tatters, writes Alex Mitchell.
NSW crime commission: the law beyond the law
The NSW Crime Commission is Australia’s most secretive and unaccountable agency, writes Bernard Keane.
Aged care, rifts everywhere, and a cash shortage to boot
Elements within the aged care industry are perplexed at the rift that has emerged with Ageing Minister Justine Elliot’s office, writes
Iemma’s hard-right supporter at The Oz
Today’s Newspoll in The Australian shows the scale of Labor’s political implosion in NSW, writes Alex Mitchell. But Imre Salusinszky was still spinning it in Morris Iemma’s favour.
Competition Revs up between NSW parliament’s odd couple
The Rev Fred Nile and the Rev Gordon Moyes, who collectively constitute the Christian Democratic Party in the NSW Legislative Council, are state parliament’s odd couple, writes Alex Mitchell.
Iemma’s power push makes sweethearts of shooters
NSW Premier Iemma has sided with Liberals to get his power privatisation bill through. Next stop? Shooters Party. Alex Mitchell explains.
Powering Sydney with the sun? Not if the pols can help it
Sydney could have been powered by solar thermal technology in three years, if only for the short-sightedness of politicians. By Alex Mitchell.
NSW Labor held hostage by the Coalition
The Coalition is enjoying the division between the Labor Government and the NSW branch of the Labor Party over privatisation — and they’re trying to spin it out, writes Alex Mitchell.
Second Sydney airport must be in, er, Sydney
Airlines have told the Federal Government that unless it builds a second airport in Sydney, as distinct from somewhere out in whoop whoop, the city can go choke, writes Ben Sandilands.
Will there be an Orkopoulos inquiry? Let’s see
When the NSW parliament resumes, Upper House president Peter Primrose will rule on whether a committee of inquiry should be established, writes Alex Mitchell.
Della Bosca too valuable to sack
In any normally functioning administration, the political career of NSW Minister for Education, Industrial Relations and the Central Coast John Della Bosca would now be cactus, writes Alex Mitchell.
Controversial NSW planning bill passes lower house … at 2am
The NSW Parliament sat until after 2am to ramrod Sartor’s Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Bill through the lower house, writes Alex Mitchell.
Sydneysiders wait as journos board the Fairfax Express
Despite a shortage of buses in Sydney, the beseiged NSW Government has laid on a special 448 bus service to chauffeur the staff of Fairfax Media, writes Ava Hubble.
“The Admiral” takes the wheel at the NSW Court of Appeal
Justice James Allsop is a controversial choice for president of the NSW Court of Appeal, writes Alex Mitchell.
Time for Camden’s silent majority
The totally expected decision to reject the application for an Islamic school seems to have drawn ignorant statements on one side and ridiculous statements on the other, writes Keysar Trad.
Camden: a tale of cowardice and mortgage belt bigots
Today’s commercial radio talkback was crackling with the “good news” that Camden had been “saved. anything but, writes Alex Mitchell.
Clover Moore’s spectacular backflip with pike
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who doubles as the Independent MP for Sydney, has executed an awesome backflip … with pike, writes Alex Mitchell.
NSW Labor fundraisers: More hide than a rhino
“Dear NSW business, How’d you like to pony up $550 a head to prop up our anti-privatisation push? Love, Morris & crew.” Or, maybe that’s not how NSW Labor is promoting its upcoming VIP fundraiser, writes Alex Mitchell.
With Orkopoulos nicked, inquiry demands grow
At issue is what ministers, backbenchers and parliamentary staff knew about Orkopoulos’s criminal behaviour, writes Alex Mitchell.
NSW: It’s not a government, it’s a clique
The great media brouhaha over the appointment of former Carr minister Brian Langton to the chairmanship of Sydney Ferries is misplaced, writes Alex Mitchell.
