National affairs
At last, a politician we can trust?
Tim Colebatch
30 March 2015
Once the natural party of government, the Liberal Party has been performing badly across Australia for thirty years or more, writes Tim Colebatch. Mike Baird has shown…
Podcasts
The Baird factor, the Abbott factor, and the challenge for Labor
Peter Clarke
29 March 2015
The Coalition has won a convincing victory in New South Wales. Stephen Mills talks to Peter Clarke about the result and its implications
Podcasts
Coalition still ahead in New South Wales, still behind in Canberra
Peter Clarke
23 March 2015
Down to the wire? In this fifteen-minute podcast, Peter Clarke talks to psephologist Peter Brent about this Saturday’s NSW election and the federal…
Essays & reportage
Learning to think at Oxford
Margaret Simons
23 March 2015
“There was nothing before Oxford, really,” says Malcolm Fraser in this extract from his political memoirs, written with Margaret Simons
National affairs
Back to base
Peter Brent
16 March 2015
Are the self-appointed consciences of the Liberal Party helping the government? Peter Brent doesn’t think so
National affairs
The Trans-Pacific Partnership: it might be about trade, but it’s far from free
John Quiggin
15 March 2015
This secretive agreement is less about free trade than about protecting American interests, writes John Quiggin. But there’s a glimmer of a chance it won’t proceed
National affairs
Small targets, small ambitions
Marija Taflaga
12 March 2015
Australia’s major parties have learned the wrong lessons from the failure of John Hewson’s 1993 Fightback! campaign and the success of John Howard’s bid…
National affairs
Thinking the once-unthinkable in New South Wales
David Clune
4 March 2015
Is a Labor victory possible? David Clune looks at what’s working in Mike Baird’s favour, and what isn’t
Books & arts
True stories
Sylvia Lawson
27 February 2015
Cinema | Sylvia Lawson reviews the Oscar-winning Citizenfour
National affairs
How to stop the leadership turnstile
Peter Brent
26 February 2015
John Howard had an enormous stroke of luck, writes Peter Brent. To realise that is to recognise that imitating him is counterproductive
National affairs
Polls and preferences: the new challenge for election watchers
Tim Colebatch
24 February 2015
Elections in Victoria and Queensland have caught the pollsters wrong-footed, writes Tim Colebatch. Are unexpected preference flows making Australian elections harder to predict?
National affairs
Should Queensland go back to the future?
Brian Costar
23 February 2015
Campbell Newman’s premiership was an object lesson in the dangers of untrammelled power, writes Brian Costar. Queensland needs an upper house to keep governments…
Britain’s election fix
David Hayes
18 February 2015
A statutory five-year term has reset Britain’s political dynamics. But not in a good way, says David Hayes
National affairs
That’s their story, and they’re sticking to it
Jane Goodall
15 February 2015
Much more than an attempted leadership spill went on at Parliament House during the week, writes Jane Goodall. But the script stayed the same
National affairs
Abbott’s epitaphs
Tom Griffiths
15 February 2015
Making sense of the premature passing of another elected prime minister will influence the fate of his successors, writes Tom Griffiths
National affairs
Time to slay some sacred cows
Michael Gill
13 February 2015
Better ways of dealing with the federal budget deficit would also boost growth, argues Michael Gill
Essays & reportage
Mantras, manipulation and mandates
Carol Johnson and John Wanna
13 February 2015
A new book about the 2013 election campaign shows how the seeds of the current malaise were sown. Carol Johnson and John Wanna look at how Abbott’s gambit…
National affairs
Can Abbott change?
Norman Abjorensen
12 February 2015
Other leaders have overcome bigger setbacks, writes Norman Abjorensen. But the signs aren’t good
National affairs
Queensland’s waiting game nears its end
Graeme Orr
11 February 2015
The final composition of the Queensland parliament is likely to be delayed by court action over an ineligible candidate in Ferny Grove. But that doesn’t mean the LNP should…
National affairs
Thinking of dumping a prime minister? History isn’t encouraging
Rodney Tiffen
8 February 2015
Eighteen PMs or premiers have been forcibly removed since 1970, writes Rodney Tiffen. In just two cases, the result was a clear win at the following election
National affairs
Queensland: why the pollsters (and most pundits) were wrong
Peter Brent
5 February 2015
State-specific factors are part of the story, writes Peter Brent. But there's also a longer-term pattern
National affairs
Scott Morrison’s unfinished business
Peter Mares
4 February 2015
As immigration minister, Scott Morrison set in train three major legislative amendments that increase ministerial discretion and reduce transparency and accountability, writes…
National affairs
Democracy at work
Paul Rodan
3 February 2015
Victoria’s upper house has a small but potentially influential contingent of micro-party MPs, writes Paul Rodan. Like its federal counterpart, the state government…
National affairs
What the electorate can see but the big parties can’t
Michael Gill
3 February 2015
Don’t blame the voters for government failures, says Michael Gill. Where the arguments are spelt out and the implementation is effective, electoral benefits will follow
National affairs
Conservatives in crisis
Norman Abjorensen
3 February 2015
Australia’s conservative parties have always struggled to balance their priorities with the need for broader electoral appeal, writes Norman Abjorensen.…
Podcasts
Queensland: how it happened and what it means
Peter Clarke
1 February 2015
As the count continues on the day after the election, Inside Story’s election analyst Brian Costar talks to Peter Clarke about a remarkable result and its national repercussions
National affairs
Campbell Newman and the ghost of Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Brian Costar
30 January 2015
The Liberal National Party forgot it was governing in the twenty-first century, writes Brian Costar. The results have been disastrous
National affairs
Australia today: a million new adults, just 385,000 new jobs
Tim Colebatch
22 January 2015
Australia’s job market has failed badly since the global financial crisis, writes Tim Colebatch
Podcasts
Three elections and a hypothesis
Peter Clarke
22 January 2015
The Coalition lost in Victoria and looks like doing less well than expected in Queensland and New South Wales. Peter Clarke discusses why, and what it says about the…
Books & arts
Strategic omissions
Rodney Tiffen
8 January 2015
Books | John Howard’s view of the Menzies years is partial in important respects, but he offers a valuable perspective on an important period
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