Suddenly, it seems, both sides of politics have accepted that the point of fiscal policy is to use it to help the country adapt to changing circumstance.
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PENNY WONG
Follow Crikey’s latest coverage of Penny Wong. Crikey’s Penny Wong coverage includes independent news, blogs and commentary.
Richard Farmer’s chunky bits
The gender bias in scientific studies, plus other political issues of the day.
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2012 Crikeys: the good, the arsehat and the sexy
The results for our annual Crikey Readers Choice Awards are in for the Person of the Year, the Arsehat of the Year and our country’s sexiest politicians.
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Tips and rumours
So just who is heading up the Libs’ Senate ticket in SA? … proof that Tory spinner loves Kevin07 … why RN needs a revolution …
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Penny’s loss is the SDA’s gain: how Wong got rolled
The Labor Left is furious that Finance Minister Penny Wong has been placed behind Don Farrell on the South Australian ticket. Why was she overlooked in favour of a ‘faceless man’?
READ MOREThe tax that got away: Gillard v Rudd in mining revenue rout
$3 billion — that’s how much the government will lose based on MYEFO estimates today of the difference between the original mining tax and Julia Gillard’s compromise.
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Why Wong’s business class ban for public servants means nothing
Finance Minister Penny Wong has cracked down on business class travel on flights that don’t offer business class. Brilliant.
READ MORETry not to kill the boom, Mr Ferguson
Resources Minister Martin Ferguson has talked down his own portfolio with a knee-jerk response to BHP’s Olympic Dam decision. James Kirby of Business Spectator reports.
READ MORELabor and the myth of the rational voter
Labor’s plan to recover on the back of a successful carbon price introduction is a fantasy.
READ MOREA gay, black boat person? Parliament and its rights questions
There are two “big ticket” items bouncing around federal parliament at the moment — one that seeks to extend rights, and one that seeks to deny them. Chris Graham takes a strong interest in both.
READ MOREIt was the tax, stupid
Senator George Brandis posed a curly one for Finance Minister Penny Wong in question time yesterday.
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Richard Farmer’s chunky bits: Rehearsal time for musical trio
Let me stop pussy-footing around. There will be a Labor leadership change.
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Customers snore on hold as federal cardigans rebel over Wong’s cuts
As Budget speculation reaches fever pitch over a looming Max Moore-Wilton-style disembowelment of the federal public service at the hands of Wayne Swan’s surplus fetish, a survey from the major union representing Canberra cardigans has revealed a tranche of serious workplace issues plaguing the APS.
READ MOREGillard’s to-do list to achieve a miracle comeback
If Julia Gillard is to have any chance of turning around her fortunes, she has a brief window of opportunity to overhaul her government.
READ MOREDear Miranda, here’s a dinner invitation, love Kerryn Phelps
Professor Kerryn Phelps writes an open letter to Miranda Devine.
READ MOREBrian Greig: Christian Lobby plays the victim card
The Australian Christian Lobby has taken its bat and ball and gone home, writes former Democrats Senator Brian Greig.
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Sideshow Alley: Rann’s presser, Nile on Wong’s baby & a non story
With the inimitable Lindsay Tanner about to rule on the merits of Crikey’s Slideshow Alley initiative, we thought it was time to bring out the big guns and shine a light on three instances of pollie and media egregiousness over the week that was.
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Risky business in planning for rising sea levels
New government reports found a “worst-case scenario sea level rise of 1.1 metres” within 90 years would have a devastating impact, with as much as $266 billion worth of potential damage, writes David Spratt, climate change analyst and author of Climate Code Red.
READ MOREOakeshott has wrecked Jenkins’ authority — and it shows
Harry Jenkins was never the most authoritative of speakers but is losing the ability to control question time — fast. And this class of pollies is desperately in need of control.
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Penny Wong’s magic asterix
Finance Minister Penny Wong has said that part of her budgetary miracle moving towards a surplus is increasing the “efficiency dividend.” Hey presto — it’s a magic asterix! writes Richard Farmer.
READ MOREWong: in the name of equality, Labor must adopt gay marriage
Labor Finance Minister Senator Penny Wong took to the floor of the South Australian Labor Party convention over the weekend to advocate for gay marriage (a motion passed to push the issue at next year’s national conference). This is her speech to the convention.
READ MOREVan Onselen: Wong is prepared to slice and dice
If Julia Gillard is to make good on her promise to return the budget to surplus by 2012-2013 - and to maintain any notion of credibility she certainly needs to - the budget may have to take substantial cuts. That’s why she appointed Penny Wong as Finance Minister, writes Peter van Onselen.
READ MORETaking stock of climate change — what now?
Greg Combet’s arrival as Climate Change Minister provides the opportunity to rethink where we go from here, given Labor has so badly botched the issue in its first term.
READ MOREKeane: the good and very bad of the Gillard line-up
There are some worthy promotees in the first proper Gillard Ministry, but the plotters have been rewarded.
READ MOREToo little too late for Snowy in its death throes
The Snowy River: among the attributes that might be expected of one of Australia’s major tributaries, it lacks only water, writes Joel Tozer.
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