The great media brouhaha over the appointment of former Carr minister Brian Langton to the chairmanship of Sydney Ferries is misplaced, writes Alex Mitchell.
NSW
NSW ALP ignoring an ever-angrier rank and file
Despite the dictates of those who rule the party, the rank and file of the NSW ALP are not going to give up on electricity without a fight, writes Ben Aveling.
How NSW Labor learned to forget policy and love private power
Former ALP pollies are somehow managing to forget that the anti-privatisation decision in NSW has been ALP policy since 1997, writes Alex Mitchell.
Debnam resigns over NSW electricity privatisation
The resignation of the NSW shadow spokesperson on energy sparked a shadow cabinet reshuffle this morning, reports Alex Mitchell.
What’s the future of unions within the ALP?
The stoush over electricity privatisation in NSW is turning out to be a dress rehearsal for a showdown over a more fundamental issue, writes Marcus Strom.
Iemma’s new party of pick and choose
The NSW government has moved into its post-party phase, writes Alex Micthell.
Richard Farmer’s political bite-sized meaty chunks
Meaty snippets from the home of government plus the daily reality check and the pick of other people’s political coverage. Richard Farmer writes.
Caucus torn, conference resolute, Iemma, er, powerless
Rather than force a caucus showdown tomorrow, factional leaders may try to postpone any vote, writes Alex Mitchell.
News Ltd sheepish in NSW political donation confusion
1700 firms and individuals have been caught on the wrong side of NSW political donations law. Confusion is a possibility, writes Bernard Keane.
Mungo: Will Iemma crash through, or crash?
Does the ultimate control of the ALP rest with the rank and file membership or with the elected parliamentary leader? Mungo MacCallum investiagtes.
D-Day for Iemma and Costa
With the vote against privatisation almost a foregone conclusion, the question is - what next for Iemma and Costa? asks Alex Mitchell
Tips and rumours
Crikey’s insights into the Rudd Government’s penchant for symbolism, subterfuge and spin over substance has now been taken up by The Australian and The AFR in recent days. While it is true that many of the Rudd Government’s new staffers hail from the now decayed and decrepit NSW Government, their experience using the levers of power […]
Iemma still in the electric chair
The news for Premier Morris Iemma just keeps getting worse, writes Alex Mitchell.
Richard Farmer’s political bite-sized meaty chunks
Meaty snippets from the home of government plus the daily reality check and the pick of other people’s political coverage. Richard Farmer writes.
Welcome to NSW — the efficient and transparent State
Frank Sartor’s proposed reforms to the NSW Planning system continue to amaze those who have enough time to understand them, writes NSW planning insider “James Jacobs”.
NSW spending too much on World Youth Day? Pope a Catholic?
The taxpayer forks out again in support of transubstantiation, virgin birth and zombie messiahs, writes Bernard Keane.
Iemma’s dilemma: privatise or count the Costa
Can Morris Iemma survive the humiliating defeat that this Saturday’s State ALP Conference will inflict on its plans to privatise the electricity industry? ponders Alex Mitchell.
NSW ALP leadership ignoring the rule book
So John Della Bosca, the NSW state government minister, thinks it’s “inappropriate” to threaten Labor members with expulsion from their party. Someone should have told Joe McDonald, writes Jeff Sparrow.
Iemma and his party remain on collision course
The head-on collision between NSW Premier Morris Iemma and his own party at the annual conference on 3 May will be one for the history books, writes Alex Mitchell.
Della Bosca set to do a Barrie Unsworth?
The rollercoaster careers of NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca and his wife, Belinda Neal, federal MP for Robertson on the Central Coast, continue to enthrall political-gazers, writes Alex Mitchell.
World Youth Day: An unholy fiasco in the making
Attendee numbers for the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day are currently running well below forecast, which means the taxpayers could be left holding a huge bill for yet another event fiasco, writes Alex Mitchell.
Public hospital “guidelines” funded by drug maker
The push for widespread use of an anti-blood clot drug has been described as “scandalous,” writes Ray Moynihan.
Calls to investigate Orkopoulos’ Aboriginal dealings
NSW Liberal MP Chris Hartcher believes that the conviction of Milton Orkopoulos on 28 child sex and drugs charges opens the way for a full-scale investigation into his other victims – the Darkinjung Aboriginal people of the Central Coast, writes Alex Mitchell.
