Essays & reportage
1 September 2010
The election campaign showed how we don’t seem able to have a rational debate about population, writes Peter Mares
National affairs
28 August 2010
A generation of independent MPs has quietly risen in state and federal parliaments. Brian Costar and Jennifer Curtin look at their motivations, role and significance
National affairs
27 August 2010
The sudden rise to influence of the independent MPs is a challenge to the two-party system and how it’s reported
National affairs
25 August 2010
In this interview with Terry Lane, first broadcast in 2002, the newly independent MP discusses why he joined the Nationals, and why he left
National affairs
23 August 2010
Broadband might have divided the major parties before the election, but there’s not going to be so much difference now, writes Jock Given
National affairs
23 August 2010
Old political records keep being broken by the participants in this extraordinary election, writes Rodney Tiffen
National affairs
19 August 2010
It’s the party that changed, rather than Victoria, writes Paul Strangio
National affairs
19 August 2010
Brian Costar does the maths – and it’s not a repeat of 1931
National affairs
18 August 2010
Australian governments tend to take a hit at their first bid for re-election, writes Norman Abjorensen. But it’s not clear why
National affairs
18 August 2010
Both major parties have announced policies that will be difficult to implement after the election, writes Ben Eltham
National affairs
13 August 2010
Following last week's High Court win, today's Federal Court decision is another success for GetUp!'s challenge to the voter enrolment rules, writes Graeme Orr
National affairs
13 August 2010
Amid piles of letters and leaflets from fifteen very marginal seats, Sally Young looks at the role of direct mail campaigning in this election
National affairs
13 August 2010
Mark Davis and Miriam Lyons outline the main themes of the new book, More Than Luck: Ideas Australia Needs Now
National affairs
12 August 2010
By playing to different constituencies during the campaign, the Coalition could be creating big problems for itself, writes Jane Goodall
National affairs
10 August 2010
Australia votes in a fortnight but we won’t find out who made large election donations to the parties until early 2012. In this respect, we can learn something from the…
National affairs
10 August 2010
Tony Abbott’s family is playing an unprecedented role in this election, but will it shift votes, asks Stephanie Younane Brookes
National affairs
6 August 2010
GetUp! has scored an unexpected victory in the High Court, giving an extra 100,000 people a chance to vote on 21 August and opening up the debate about the right to vote, writes…
National affairs
6 August 2010
As Australian political records tumble, Rodney Tiffen looks at the pitfalls of poll-watching and the lessons of post-war Australian elections
Essays & reportage
5 August 2010
This Tasmanian seat might hold a surprise for Labor and the Coalition, wrote Natasha Cica during the campaign
National affairs
29 July 2010
It’s a federal election, but most of the issues in South East Queensland are local, writes Jane Goodall in Toowomba
National affairs
28 July 2010
It’s the focus on marginal seats that is excluding most of us from the election conversation, writes Norman Abjorensen, but that doesn’t mean the issues are…
National affairs
23 July 2010
The reasons for the Howard government’s electoral success are widely misunderstood
National affairs
23 July 2010
Schools policy is back on the election agenda, writes Ben Eltham. But will it lead to substantial reform?
National affairs
27 May 2010
The heart sees a government in big trouble; the head knows that first-term governments usually survive. Either way, it’s time for the government to throw away its rulebook,…
27 May 2010
Britain’s voters have forced a two-party system to begin to operate by a three-party logic. And it’s about to get even more interesting, writes David Hayes
10 May 2010
Britain will almost certainly face another election sooner rather than later, writes Frank Bongiorno in London
National affairs
7 May 2010
The prime minister needs to stop conflating policy and politics, writes Peter Brent
4 May 2010
Although it’s been dominated by three middle-aged white men in suits, the election has been thrilling in many ways, writes David Hayes
International
3 May 2010
Seasoned British election watcher James Jupp looks at the role of these emotionally charged issues in the current campaign
National affairs
15 April 2010
Have party strategists got it right about the electoral appeal of targeting asylum seekers?