National affairs
Private health insurance: the unanswered questions
Lesley Russell
13 November 2015
Nervousness about the end point of the federal government’s review of private health insurance is entirely justified, writes Lesley Russell
National affairs
How New Zealand fell further behind
John Quiggin
11 November 2015
New Zealand’s economic performance only looks good if the past few years are taken completely out of context, writes John Quiggin
National affairs
Labor’s perception problem
Peter Brent
6 November 2015
Election victories in Britain and Canada show the Labor Party where more work is needed, writes Peter Brent
National affairs
The price-takers
Ian McAuley & Jennifer Doggett & John Menadue
29 October 2015
Private health insurers are simply intermediaries between consumers and well-organised suppliers, write Ian McAuley, Jennifer Doggett and John Menadue.…
National affairs
Seeing a problem and passing a law
Jessie Blackbourn
22 October 2015
George Brandis’s latest anti-terror laws will be presented to parliament next month, writes Jessie Blackbourn. How well do they balance civil liberties and security?
National affairs
How about we try the first-best solution to the infrastructure crisis?
Tim Colebatch
20 October 2015
Unreported data confirms that state governments are passing up the opportunity to invest in the future, writes Tim Colebatch. There’s never been a better time to…
National affairs
When El Niño met the Indian Ocean Dipole
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick
20 October 2015
Diary of a climate scientist | This year’s El Niño could be a whopper, writes Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, but we still don’t know exactly what…
National affairs
Poverty in parliament
Jane Goodall
16 October 2015
Three-word slogans flowed freely during question time this week, writes Jane Goodall
National affairs
Unexpected advice from the IMF
Tim Colebatch
7 October 2015
An outsider view offers important proposals to help Australia navigate stormy economic weather, writes Tim Colebatch
National affairs
Moderate Malcolm
Norman Abjorensen
6 October 2015
The party sometimes forgets that Liberal leaders have been most electorally successful when they’ve governed from the centre, writes Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
The TPP’s one-way ratchet
John Quiggin
6 October 2015
Australia gained some last-minute concessions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, writes John Quiggin. But this is still the wrong way to manage our…
National affairs
Timing is everything
Peter Brent
30 September 2015
Connecting with voters, exhibiting the common touch, developing a nice line in self-deprecation – none of it works if you become leader at the wrong time, writes Peter Brent
National affairs
Turnbull and tax reform: How, what, when?
Tim Colebatch
29 September 2015
Everyone is talking about the what of tax reform, writes Tim Colebatch. The government needs to start dealing with the how and when as well
National affairs
The new urban divide, and how to deal with it
Jane-Frances Kelly & Paul Donegan
29 September 2015
State and local governments need to break down the emerging division between job-rich and job-poor suburbs in Australia’s major cities, write Jane-Frances Kelly and…
National affairs
Could Turnbull give a Gonski?
Dean Ashenden
24 September 2015
Don’t be surprised if the Coalition embraces an updated Gonski plan for school funding, writes Dean Ashenden
National affairs
Not as easy as it looks
Peter Brent
24 September 2015
The pressure has intensified for the government’s top two office-holders, writes Peter Brent
National affairs
Immigration’s disappearing visa applicants
Peter Mares
24 September 2015
Thousands of would-be migrants are being told their visa applications have been deemed to have never been made, writes Peter Mares
National affairs
How should we feel about climate change?
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick
23 September 2015
Diary of a climate scientist | Where do emotions fit into the work of scientists who study climate, asks Sarah Perkins
National affairs
Getting down to business
Frank Bongiorno
21 September 2015
Malcolm Turnbull’s diverse career brings new qualities to the prime ministership, writes Frank Bongiorno. But he will need to be careful his larger-than-life…
National affairs
Normal transmission
Paul Rodan
21 September 2015
Malcolm Turnbull’s return to the Liberal leadership means the next election will be more like other first-term polls, writes Paul Rodan. But Labor has been seduced…
National affairs
Unhappy little Vegemites
Amanda Scardamaglia
18 September 2015
When the Ramsey family took on Dick Smith, Australia’s trade mark protection system swung into action, writes Amanda Scardamaglia
National affairs
A little bit of Turnbull honesty might need to go a long way
Peter Brent
15 September 2015
The new prime minister brings with him a reputation for levelling with voters, writes Peter Brent. But how frank will he be now he has the top job?
National affairs
Seventy-two coups later, leaders seem less safe than ever
Rodney Tiffen
15 September 2015
Leadership coups have become an increasingly common feature of Australian politics, writes Rodney Tiffen, but the electoral results aren’t always encouraging
National affairs
Uneasy lies the head
Norman Abjorensen
15 September 2015
Tony Abbott, once a beneficiary of the new, brutally pragmatic treatment of prime ministers by their colleagues, became its victim, writes Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
Australia: much better than it looks!
Tim Colebatch
2 September 2015
The numbers game | The good news in this week’s growth figures is hidden by the downturn in mining, writes Tim Colebatch
National affairs
A rocky road for unwary royal commissioners
Janet Ransley
31 August 2015
Judges take a risk when they step outside the courtroom to play the role of royal commissioner
National affairs
Big agreement, small numbers
Henry Sherrell
28 August 2015
The China–Australia Free Trade Agreement will make less difference to the Australian workforce than its critics imagine, argues Henry Sherrell
National affairs
The by-election that won’t tell us much but means a lot
Peter Brent
28 August 2015
By-elections sometimes reflect important political trends, and sometimes they don’t, writes Peter Brent. So why are we watching Canning so closely?
National affairs
The Xenophon phenomenon
Clem Macintyre
25 August 2015
Nick Xenophon is breathing down the Coalition’s neck in his home state, writes Clem Macintyre. In a tight federal election, the implications could be significant
National affairs
Another near death experience for Tony Abbott, or worse?
Peter Kennedy
25 August 2015
Canning might look like a safe Liberal seat on paper, but there are good reasons for the federal government to be worried, writes Peter Kennedy
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