Looking at the details of yesterday’s COAG deal on the Murray Darling Basin, there are more questions raised than answered, writes Professor Max Finlayson, Director, Institute for Land, Water and Society at Charles Sturt University.
State & Territory
NSW Mining Minister and the mysterious Mr Fang
NSW Minister for Energy Ian Macdonald has been courting mystery businessman Alan Fang, chairman and managing director of the Tianda Group, reports Alex Mitchell.
Tug of Water: Can Kevin Rudd save the Murray?
Today’s COAG meeting and the Murray Darling crisis have suddenly combined to provide a real test of the Prime Minister’s cooperative federalist model, writes Bernard Keane.
WYD organisers: we had nothing to do with”anti-annoyance” laws
None of the outrage over the World Youth Day anti-annoyance laws should be directed at the Catholic Church, according to WYD’s spokesman. The church didn’t ask for them, he says.
Blogwatch
This wouldn’t happen in the US! Wearing a T-shirt that the NSW police don’t like might get you arrested, in and around World Youth Day, an event organized by the Catholic Church that will see the Pope coming to Sydney etc. Unbelievable. SMH, ABC, and according to The Australian, “Strip searches okayed for WYD“. Julian […]
Storm clouds ahead as QLD Libs support Nats merger
The Queensland Liberal Party plebiscite may have been in favour of a merger with the Nationals, but there are a number of factors stacked against the marriage, writes Bernard Keane.
Iguanagate resignations tipped for this week
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.
Richard Farmer’s political bite-sized meaty chunks
Meaty snippets from the home of government, Richard Farmer writes.
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.
Vic staffers code of conduct: be nice to your MP
As of today, electorate office staff of Victorian MPs will be bound by a new code of conduct signed off by Victorian Speaker Jenny Lindell and Council President Robert Smith, writes Bernard Keane.
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.
Richard Farmer’s political bite-sized meaty chunks
Meaty snippets from the home of government. Richard Farmer writes.
The moral police hard at work on the Gold Coast
The arrest of a Gold Coast teenager last week for the dubious crime of wearing an offensive t-shirt is a waste of taxpayers money, writes Greg Barns.
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
Richard Farmer’s political bite-sized meaty chunks
Meaty snippets from the home of government. Richard Farmer writes.
Fixing politics: the housing affordability crisis
Housing affordability in Australia is one of those big, complex issues that governments find so difficult.
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.
Fixing politics: addressing our infrastructure shortfall
The issue of infrastructure investment perfectly illustrates the problems of our current political model. However, it is also the issue which is closest to being addressed successfully by a new approach from the Rudd Government, writes Bernard Keane.
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.
Qld judge comes out for Kirby and same s-x super
One of Queensland’s most senior judges, Margaret McMurdo has made an unusually public plea of support for Michael Kirby, writes, b>Greg Barns.
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.
The final last chance to save the Murray is now
Pollies have one final chance to save the lower reaches of the Murray river. Will they take it? Thoms Hunter investigates.
