National affairs
6 December 2018
Poor polling figures bring to the surface old obsessions that don’t necessarily impress voters
National affairs
31 October 2018
Down this fortnight, up the next: how a nation is gripped by a name and its numbers
National affairs
20 August 2018
Has the Liberal Party passed the point of no return?
National affairs
31 July 2018
If anything, Labor’s stocks have declined in recent weeks. Focusing on by-election victories won’t change that
National affairs
29 July 2018
Deft management and misleading polls helped turn Super Saturday into a public relations coup for Labor
National affairs
21 June 2018
Pollsters need to be wary of over-enthusiastic clients
National affairs
17 May 2018
The parliamentary report on dual citizenship was barely out before the government rejected its key recommendation. It’s time for some lateral thinking
National affairs
14 May 2018
Of the four upcoming by-elections in Labor-held seats, Susan Lamb faces the closest contest
National affairs
26 January 2018
What happens when Australians are asked to name the most significant historical events of their lifetimes?
National affairs
23 January 2018
Evidence suggests that Australians aren’t strongly wedded to celebrating a national day on 26 January
National affairs
4 December 2017
Barnaby Joyce triumphs, but the thirtieth bad Newspoll in a row draws inexorably closer
International
19 October 2017
Beware of what excitable headline-writers and the betting markets say about Donald Trump’s chances of serving two terms
National affairs
7 August 2017
For a leader in trouble, Malcolm Turnbull is polling surprisingly well. Meanwhile, conservative forces are circling
National affairs
5 July 2017
The differences between two deposed leaders are more illuminating than their similarities
National affairs
15 June 2017
Jeremy Corbyn’s critics might brand him a populist, but that doesn’t explain how both major parties attracted surprisingly big shares of the vote in last week’s…
National affairs
7 June 2017
Like their Australian counterparts, British frontrunners often lose support during election campaigns
National affairs
3 May 2017
And how much did Labor’s “Mediscare” campaign narrow the margin? The Australian Electoral Study has its answers
National affairs
24 April 2017
A lot happened in the past fortnight. But not much happened in Newspoll
National affairs
31 March 2017
Who will lead the government to near-certain defeat at the next federal election?
National affairs
13 March 2017
WA Labor should immediately tackle the upper house gerrymander – and the federal Coalition needs to use the budget to get back on track
National affairs
3 March 2017
By forcing Malcolm Turnbull to behave like Tony Abbott, the Nationals have gravely damaged the government. But Black Jack McEwen showed how that can change
National affairs
19 January 2017
A remarkable drop in polling figures preceded Mike Baird’s resignation announcement today
International
27 October 2016
Since he won the nomination, Donald Trump has relied on party loyalty rather than working-class defections
From the archive
13 October 2016
A critic-turned-employee of the Australian recalls the highs and lows of dealing with Chris Mitchell, editor-in-chief
National affairs
30 August 2016
The global financial crisis continues to make governing difficult, writes Peter Brent. No wonder this week’s poll figures aren’t so good for the Coalition
Essays & reportage
17 June 2016
It’s wise to take care in interpreting the two-party-preferred poll figures and the 2016 electoral pendulum, writes Murray Goot
National affairs
23 May 2016
Shifts in approval ratings always set commentators buzzing, writes Peter Brent. What they mean is another thing altogether
National affairs
4 May 2016
We don’t know for certain why people vote the way they do, writes Paul Rodan. But three theories give us glimpses
National affairs
20 April 2016
In the battle to write history as it unfolds, too much notice is being taken of shifts in the polls, writes Peter Brent
National affairs
13 April 2016
Kevin Rudd’s fate is a cautionary tale for an announcement-prone Malcolm Turnbull, writes Peter Brent