National affairs
11 July 2011
A Liberal decision to direct preferences away from the Greens could hit the party hard in the lower house, writes Paul Rodan. But the evidence suggests that not all…
National affairs
1 June 2011
Labor and the Coalition need to recognise that the Greens are part of political reality, writes Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
30 March 2011
A former high-profile lawyer who rose rapidly in politics but was dumped as leader by his own party… Yes, Robert Menzies did bounce back, writes Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
27 March 2011
Radio National’s The National Interest, presented by Inside Story contributor Peter Mares, looks at the implications of the 2011 New South Wales election result
Essays & reportage
16 February 2011
Barry O’Farrell reached the NSW Liberal leadership by an unconventional route, writes Brett Evans
National affairs
10 September 2010
Every Australian state and territory has experienced a minority government over the past twenty years. And it’s a surprisingly strong field
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
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
23 July 2010
The reasons for the Howard government’s electoral success are widely misunderstood
National affairs
7 July 2010
Judith Troeth is trying to persuade Liberals that the presence of more women in the parliamentary party will mean a larger pool of talent for ministerial and leadership positions,…
National affairs
10 February 2010
In a democratic system the parties themselves should practise internal democracy, argues Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
10 December 2009
With Tony Abbott in charge the game is on in earnest, writes Norman Abjorenson
Essays & reportage
10 December 2009
Some good, some bad: the Howard government’s economic record compared with the performance of other Western countries
National affairs
2 December 2009
Voters know too much about Tony Abbott, but in the long run that’s not a problem for his party, writes Peter Brent
National affairs
1 December 2009
The turmoil will continue, writes Geoffrey Barker, and meanwhile the small “l” liberals are missing in action
National affairs
27 November 2009
This could be the end of the Liberal Party as we know it, argues Geoffrey Barker
National affairs
17 November 2009
Geoffrey Barker dissects George Brandis’s defence of liberalism in the face of his party’s dalliance with conservatism
National affairs
12 October 2009
We need a strong opposition to hold government to account, and that may well be the real loss in the Peter Dutton preselection saga, writes Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
1 October 2009
The Coalition’s contribution to economic debate is inflexible and unpersuasive, writes Geoffrey Barker
National affairs
24 September 2009
Who will lead the Coalition after its almost inevitable loss at the next election? Long-time press gallery member Rob Chalmers assesses a small field
National affairs
25 August 2009
On the back of an envelope, the figures look very interesting. But what’s in it for Labor, asks Brian Costar
National affairs
11 August 2009
The eventful lives and uneventful memoirs of George Reid and Ned Hogan show that politics and self-reflection don’t always go together. Will John Howard follow their…
National affairs
23 July 2009
Liberal Rule avoids the shortcomings of The Howard Years, but has flaws of its own, writes Peter Brent
National affairs
2 July 2009
Norman Abjorensen previews Liberal Rule, the “best effort yet at coming to grips with these extraordinary years”
National affairs
17 June 2009
As Peter Costello’s fortunes show, politics can be a matter of being in the right place at the right time, writes Peter Brent
National affairs
16 June 2009
Was Peter Costello ever really representative of an alternative face of the Liberal Party, asks Norman Abjorensen
Essays & reportage
11 June 2009
On the hundredth anniversary of the creation of Australia’s modern political party system, Paul Strangio visits two very different landmarks
National affairs
5 May 2009
The federal government’s reversal on climate change is another example of the corporate colonisation of society, writes Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
22 April 2009
There is something faintly absurd about treating a potential global catastrophe as just another everyday event that can be managed, writes Norman Abjorensen
National affairs
26 March 2009
History and geography suggest that Queensland’s Liberal National Party needs to think hard about its future, writes Norman Abjorensen