Politics
Why the High Court shut down Tassie’s anti-protest laws in Bob Brown case
Michael Bradley October 19, 2017 1 Comment
The High Court has given judgment in Bob Brown’s case against Tasmanian anti-protest laws, and found the laws invalid on the basis they infringe the implied constitutional freedom of political communication.
The company that called the mining tax a ‘sovereign risk’ has been charged with fraud
Bernard Keane October 18, 2017 9 Comments
While they were lecturing Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard about tax, Rio Tinto was engaged in massive destruction of shareholder wealth. Now the US corporate regulator is gunning for them.
Ruthless Xi Jinping consolidates power ahead of all-important Communist Party Congress
Michael Sainsbury October 18, 2017 3 Comments
The upcoming Chinese Communist Party Congress could have serious ramifications for Australia.
How to extricate yourself from an energy policy jam
Bernard Keane October 18, 2017 51 Comments
There are a few tricks to Malcolm Turnbull's new energy policy. Here's how he did it.
Coalition racks up yet another energy policy, this one more to Abbott’s taste
Bernard Keane October 17, 2017 14 Comments
The government's new energy regulation-based energy policy isn't about trying to avoid a fight with Tony Abbott -- but instead about a desperate government that needs a political weapon.
Kurdistan’s five hurdles to independence
Professor Damien Kingsbury October 17, 2017 4 Comments
Official independence looks impossible in the short term.
Billson did nothing wrong — under our hopeless lobbying laws, that is
Bernard Keane October 17, 2017 10 Comments
Our light-touch rules on MPs and lobbying are a relic from an age before politics was professional and lobbying was big business.
Australian neoliberalism meets its conqueror: electricity
Bernard Keane October 16, 2017 28 Comments
The problems of our failed electricity market are the same problems that crop up time and again when market economics is applied to crucial services.
What is the Iran nuclear deal and why is Trump so huffy about it?
Charlie Lewis October 16, 2017 24 Comments
The "Iran Deal" has been long been described by Donald Trump as the "worst deal ever". So what does his refusal to re-certify the agreement mean?
‘The government often responds to rulings they don’t like by giving ministers greater powers’
Charlie Lewis October 16, 2017 5 Comments
Whenever the government runs into opposition from someone claiming it has broken the rules, the solution is simple: just rewrite the rules.