Alex Mitchell
NSW politics correspondent
Alex Mitchell is a former state political editor and columnist for Sydney’s Sun-Herald, and arrived at Crikey after a long career in the Canberra press gallery and overseas.
It's barely perceptible, but you can just sense the federal election slipping back towards John Howard., writes Alex Mitchell.
Corporate criminal Rodney "Rocket" Adler will be released on parole from St Helier minimum security jail at Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley on 10 October. Expect a media melee writes Alex Mitchell.
The NSW Labor Government's relations with the powerful hotel industry have hit an all-time low as a result of Cabinet's decision to allow pubs to have access to the electronic numbers game Keno.
Premier Anna Bligh, who was unanimously elected Queensland’s first female Premier by the Labor caucus this morning, will waste no time rolling back the council amalgamations championed by her predecessor Peter Beattie. But she will ditch parts of Beattie’s merger plan because of the electoral damage it threatens to cause Kevin Rudd in his home state, writes Alex Mitchell.
The thoroughbred racing industry can sniff a quid, especially a taxpayer-funded hand-out, at 2000 metres on a wet track, writes Alex Mitchell.
The British-owned wagering agency, Portlandbet, which is also incorporated in Australia, is making an intriguing call on the outcome of the Federal Election. It is offering Labor at $1.50, the equivalent of 2-1 on, and the Coalition at $2.75.
It's officially Spring, and in Canberra that means venturing out of doors after winter hibernation, enjoying the longer days and watching your garden come to life. Except, this being an election year, there's a special buzz of uncertainty in the air around the capital.
The Federal and NSW security forces have a list of banned citizens, individuals who will be arrested and detained if they go anywhere near next week's APEC summit in downtown Sydney. Who is on the list? It is a secret, replies NSW Police Minister David Campbell.
President Bush is leaving APEC early -- before the prized silly-suit photo opportunity. So Prime Minister John Howard has started a hamfisted campaign to bring forward the photo session, writes Alex Mitchell.
If Kevin Rudd is elected Prime Minister, he now has to find jobs for two ex-Premiers, Bob Carr and Steve Bracks, and one who has signalled he is stepping down in the near future, Queensland’s Peter Beattie.
