Planning for change? … World exclusive: Peter Costello actually stands for something … Priorities … The campaign online … You might say that …
Rudd
Forget Howard, will Gordon Brown go early?
Will he go early? No, not Howard… British PM Gordon Brown who is even now contemplating a years-early poll, to hit the Tories while they’re back in the basement.
Labor’s hospital plan: Questions for the shadow minister
The ALP’s hospital takeover plan has lead to vigorous debate at both federal and state levels. In Crikey’s continuing search for policy detail, we have submitted the following questions about the plan to Nicola Roxon, member for Gellibrand and Shadow Minister for Health and will run the answers if/when they are received.
Has WorkChoices won in the IR reform debate?
Is it possible to declare that Howard has won most of the work reform policy debate? This is a counter institutive idea but look at how much of WorkChoices Rudd has adopted.
Sleaze to be found in all sorts of high offices
It had to happen. Overnight a Facebook group has appeared called I won’t be voting for a drunken p-rvert 07, writes Christian Kerr.
Time to take a cold shower on Queensland amalgamations
Labor candidates are betraying their nerves in the face of the PM’s latest tactic in the focus group driven War On The States. To borrow a phrase from Rudd’s old boss, Wayne Goss, they should all probably take a cold shower, writes Mark Bahnisch.
The beastly beatitudes of Saints John and Kev
The National Press Club was a Web 2.0 mount as day boyz delivered their tepid Sermons. Flanked by disciples, Kev and John took pause from healing the sick to have a word in the nation’s most devout ears.
Things to consider before a Rudd coronation
Presidents-elect have transition teams, but then they also have the luxury of a couple of months between their elections and swearing-in. But with the polls the way they are, it’s not too early for us to start thinking out aloud of the likely make up of the first Rudd ministry.
Textor poll: someone’s last, deperate throw?
Who leaked the Mark Textor report to the press and why? There are two possible explanations, writes Richard Farmer.
Howard and Rudd debate to enlarge their congregation
Howard and Rudd, in a move Catholic News calls unprecedented, will be staging a debate via webcast next Thursday. But will it make a difference to their electoral chances? wonders Mark Bahnisch.
A Green preference vote to the Liberal Party?
Since becoming an Australian citizen in 1996 I have exercised my right to vote ticking either the Green or Labor boxes and preferencing accordingly. Never did I give the Liberal candidates a second thought, nor imagine that I ever would. Now, though, with Rudd’s extremely regressive forest policy, this looks to be the year that the Liberal team gets preferenced ahead of Labor.
Rudd’s forest policy gives Coalition its first big break
It would be hard to dream up a more ham-fisted strategy than Rudd’s decision to spit in the eye of Australians who want to protect the biodiverse carbon sinks of Tasmania’s old growth forests, writes Green Senator Christine Milne.
Morgan poll: the consensus deepens
A new Morgan poll this morning and once again little in it to stop Liberal backbenchers muttering that Treasurer Peter Costello might have been right all along last year when he told John Howard it was time for him to step down, writes Richard Farmer.
And on Haneef’s detention the ALP said … nothing
An old friend of mine – a prominent Melbourne barrister and human rights advocate Len Hartnett – told me the other day that he lives in a state of perpetual disappointment when he thinks of the ALP and human rights. And that condition has not been ameliorated when he observes the ALP’s pathetic lips zipped tight reaction to the oppressive and inhumane treatment of Dr Haneef, and the behavior of the law enforcement apparatus of the State over the past two weeks.
The Economy: Economic growth to trouble RBA
Yesterday saw the release of the July Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating, which showed a 4.5 point jump to a two-and-a-half year high of 126.8 - an understandable result.
Newspoll & The Oz: creative number crunching
The Oz presents the results of the latest Newspolls, and the results are interesting. Or more accurately, the words accompanying the results are interesting, writes Charles Richardson.
Gains around the fringes for Greens and Democrats
While the Labor Party has sensibly followed the safe course of basically agreeing with Prime Minister John Howard on the need for immediate and decisive action in the Northern Territory to try and stop child abuse, Greens and Democrats have equally wisely chosen to quickly make their opposition to the proposals known.







