In-depth analysis of the day’s news, plus stories and gossip from Australian politics.
Shiny bums, quit yer whinging and on yer bikes!
Once upon a time a Poor Young Single Mother joined the Australian Public Service. She lived, with her child, in…
Democracy is not a la carte
In Australia, the new ACTU boss Sally McManus believes that unions can and should break any law they feel is…
Ba’athism or Islamism?
BOSTON, UNITED STATES — Thought experiment: what if NATO deposed Assad, installed a democracy in Syria… and the public voted…
The last time David Irving came to Oz…
For decades now a man called David Irving has been the subject of fierce contempt to honest scholars, decent citizens…
The Marine le Pen dilemma
French Presidential candidate Marine le Pen represents the counter force to the liberal republican tradition that has solidified in France…
Easter: the twisted tale that brings hope
A few years ago, a short-lived burst of hand-wringing (and not a little mirth) met the announcement that a survey…
North Shore, running sore
On the eve of the North Shore by-election Liberal Party candidate Felicity Wilson was confronted over a string of fibs…
Some things get censored at Sydney Uni…
In 1964, a small student protest movement gained traction across the United States and galvanised the entire nation. At the…
Criminals, Easter and good old Australian values
Believe it or not, Easter celebrates a man who died a criminal’s death and became the foundation for what are…
Sydney University trashes its brand – yet again
Meet Jay Tharappel, a tutor in human rights (!) at the Sydney University. Jay, as even a casual perusal of his…
Domestic violence: where are the realists?
Why are the majority of politicians accepting a spoonful of the gender-biased narrative in Australian parliament without questioning their medication?…
An empty chair, a missing Premier, a poignant metaphor
The British actress, comedian, broadcaster, Liz Carr, known internationally for her work opposing assisted suicide as a disability campaigner as…
Millennials, explained
Apparently, Churchill didn’t say “If you’re not a liberal when you’re 25, you have no heart and if you’re not…
Rejoice: America is back
In the vast array of comment concerning President Trump’s intervention in Syria, recall that most commentators, whether American or not, refused to…
If you thought the federal Liberal Party was bad…
This weekend’s truly awful swing against the Libs in NSW reminds us all that as bad as the Liberal politicians…
What Married at First Sight teaches us about the social sciences
So Married at First Sight is over for another year, at least that’s the promise Channel 9’s made to everyone.…
Trumping Putin at his own game
BOSTON, UNITED STATES — If you want proof that humans evolved from apes, listen to teenaged boys laughing. Even when…
Young people need hope and jobs, not gesture politics
Calls from two Nick Xenophon Team parliamentarians and Independent Member for Indi Cathy McGowan to establish a Federal Minister for Young…
Trump’s strike: a move even peaceniks should back
BOSTON, UNITED STATES — Donald Trump’s strike on a Syrian airbase marks the United States’ first direct act of aggression against…
Syria: action, not words
While Hillary Clinton sat whinging (yet again) that misogyny undoubtedly “played a role” in her losing the election, we got…
Corbyn’s anti-Semitism row: a warning for Australian Labor
If there is a distinction to be made between British Labour and Australian Labor, it can be seen no more…
Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s real heresy: against leftist dogma
In 1996, British artist Chris Ofili premiered his painting of the Virgin Mary composed through liberal use of elephant dung…
Oh Malcolm, Malcolm, Malcolm…
Winston Churchill said of Ramsay MacDonald, Britain’s first Labour PM: I remember when I was a child, being taken to…
Tony Nutt: Turnbull’s fall guy
On Wednesday, Liberal federal director Tony Nutt announced his resignation after a year and a half in the job. The…
The Greens Israel problem
In some respects, the NSW branch of the Young Greens ought to be congratulated for their honesty. As reported in…