The Left is celebrating gay marriage laws in the ACT. But take away the punchbowl -- since when does the Left believe states should make laws in defiance of a universal, federal approach? Beware this precedent.
Australian states are following the lead of foreign nations in legislation for same-sex marriage. But it creates a constitutional mess that might harm the cause of equal rights.
The Australian Education Act -- enshrining reforms from David Gonski's review -- goes before Parliament today. But it won't address the really big questions around education.
Ministerial meetings sound like the pointy end of Commonwealth-State relations, but in reality, ministerial meetings are highly formal affairs, writes Bernard Keane.
there is an aspect of Rudd which is disturbingly Howardish, and it has become more obvious in recent days. This a is tendency to meddle in social issues which in the past have been the province of state governments, writes Mungo MacCallum.
The debate over whether the first months of the Rudd Government have seen real achievement might be assessed in the context of progress on a number of major initiatives. Or lack thereof, writes Bernard Keane.
Presenting your cut-out-and-keep guide to what each party stands for on a range of key policy areas.
The announcement by Mr Howard that more federal intervention is on the way presents the federal-state crisis Australia had to have, writes Klaas Woldring.