Rudd looking for double dissolution triggerKevin Rudd is desperately looking to trigger a double dissolution in the Senate with his changes to the ETS, says Alan Kohler.
Senate
If you thought the first 100 days were bad, wait for 200
The first 100 days of the Obama administration will now look like a period of relative prosperity for the GOP — at least compared with the second 100.
Political snippets: A double dissolution trigger is coming
It has been a while coming but Labor will have its double dissolution trigger soon enough. All in the name of alcopops.
Big polluters cry poor. Again.
Having designed a scheme that rewards the biggest polluters with billions of dollars’ worth of free permits, the Government is still facing demands from industry for more compensation.
Mungo: have a nice trip Kevin, see you next fall
The Prime Minister might feel that even if the economic cycle is still clearly running against him, the political climate at least has changed for the better, writes Mungo MacCallum.
ETS: backdown and avoid senate scrutiny
There were two immediate reactions to Wayne Swan’s referral of emissions trading to the House of Representatives Economics committee, writes Bernard Keane.
Fielding the last man standing in stimulus fest
It’s hard to get excited about the unfolding drama of the Senate’s consideration of the stimulus package, writes Bernard Keane.
ALP and Liberal backflips in the final hour of parliament
The mass abstention was a poor look for Turnbull, especially with his Senate leader being amongst their number, writes Bernard Keane.
Senator Fielding a proud supporter of big business welfare
Steve Fielding has been more willing to flex his legislative muscle to assist the big end of town than Mr and Mrs Average, writes Jennifer Doggett.
Senate passes payrise for pensioners in its own good time
Getting the pensioners’ payrise through the Senate called on a steady-as-she-goes, good-process policy development much beloved by old-school bureaucrats, writes Bernard Keane.
Getting to know the Senate
Maiden speeches from our new Senators…
Bob Brown — keeping the bastards guessing
Welcome to the political food chain, guys. Now you have to work out how much you want to trade off policy purity for the sake of getting part of what you want, writes Bernard Keane.
Alcohol industry needs to cut the cr-p on alcopops
If the independent and minor party Senators who hold the balance of power reject the Rudd Government’s tax on ready-to-drink pre-mixed spirits (RTDs), they will reward the alcohol industry for misleading the Senate Inquiry into RTDs, writes Geoff Munro.
Parliament greenlights dodgy tax office settlements
After a two and a half year inquiry into tax office administration that spanned two Parliaments, the Joint Committee Of Public Accounts and Audit have concluded…wait for it…drum role please…A simpler tax system is needed in Australia, writes Chris Seage.
The Australian Democrats: the last of the honest bastards
The Australian Democrats have left the Senate chamber. Don’s Party is over, writes Nahum Ayliffe.
Errington: Unity and policy the challenge for Howard’s successor
The fact that opposition leaders who take the party leadership from a defeated prime minister never make it to the top job won’t stop some ambitious Liberals putting up their hand this week. And whoever ends up in the leadership will have a difficult time, writes Wayne Errington.
The story so far … in numbers
Did those last minute polls rattle you? Did you detect a whiff of Major/Kinnock ’92 in the air? Relax. Compulsory preferential voting tends to smooth down those last minute anomalies.
Graham: Indigenous Australians will be rooting for Rudd
The head says that this election - for Indigenous Australia at least - is not about who wins government, rather it’s about who wins control of the Senate, writes the editor of the National Indigenous Times, Chris Graham.
ALP eyes the challenges of Senate realpolitik
There is a major Senate preference debate raging in the ALP. What would be best for a Rudd government?
Heffernan owes Mt Theo an apology
Bill Heffernan knows a fair bit about the program at MT Theo, writes Bob Gosford.
Coppers back blackfellas while federal Labor sells out
Given the history of sometimes strained relations between Aboriginal people and coppers in the Northern Territory, there has been a remarkable confluence of interest between the two groups in recent weeks.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Crikey Says – 14 August, 2007
This is the way we make law.
Libs and Nats in Queensland: there’s more to the story
A revelation that the joint ticket could be in part a solution to internal Liberal problems will hardly endear it to already sceptical Nats. writes Mark Bahnisch.
