Menu Close

Articles on Colin Barnett

Displaying 1 - 20 of 27 articles

Colin Barnett opposes a plebiscite on same-sex marriage being held close to next year’s WA state election. Richard Wainwright/AAP

Colin Barnett says same-sex marriage should be settled by parliament

Malcolm Turnbull’s plebiscite on same-sex marriage has run into new problems, with the Australian Electoral Commission recommending it should be delayed until next year.
The sale of the port of Fremantle, the last capital city port to be privatised, is now in limbo. AAP/Kim Christian

WA port sales the latest privatisations to hit political hurdles

The Barnett government’s plans to sell ports, including the last capital city port slated for privatisation, appear to have been torpedoed by the WA Nationals’ change of heart.
Malcolm Turnbull may struggle to persuade Daniel Andrews and some other state leaders to back major tax change, though Mike Baird has been arguing for reform. Sam Mooy/AAP

Turnbull faces his most taxing test yet: wooing the states to overhaul the GST

Despite all the media coverage, don’t expect any clear decisions on national tax reform on Friday. But we should see more progress on other issues, including domestic violence and violent extremism.
More than 3,000 Aboriginal sites have lost registration status as part of sweeping changes in classifications in the Aboriginal Heritage Register. Domes of Purnululu, Western Australia. Pic: David Denicolò

Separate but unequal: the sad fate of Aboriginal heritage in Western Australia

More than 3,000 Aboriginal heritage sites in Western Australia have lost registration status as part of sweeping changes in classifications in the Aboriginal Heritage Register. That needs to change.
The Commonwealth appear to hold the aces when it comes to state-federal funding, but the states have cards to play. AAP/Stefan Postles

Time for states to change the script over GST gains

The stoush over GST redistribution followed a predictable script of squabbling between states; but now is the time for an alternative agenda.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott caused controversy earlier this week when he said that living in remote Indigenous communities was a ‘lifestyle choice’. AAP/Tracey Nearmy

For the real story on Indigenous Australia, social beats old media

The furore over Tony Abbott’s ‘lifestyle choices’ comments both sidelines and highlights the lack of real discussion on Indigenous policy in Australia.
AAP/Alan Porritt

Is Colin Barnett a communist?

Western Australia is an interesting place. No, really! True, lots of students from Asia think Perth’s a bit ‘quiet’, but at least local politics is getting a bit more exciting. Indeed, our state premier…
Religious leaders have come together to promote community harmony, but some political and media agendas have encouraged Islamophobia. AAP/Tracey Nearmy

Politicians and media let us down in fight to curb rising Islamophobia

Many incidents of violence and harassment directed at Australian Muslims have been reported recently. These are visible confirmation of fears expressed by their community, that support for the government’s…
Western Australia has killed two great white sharks after a surfer was seriously injured last week. Sharkdiver.com/Wikimedia Commons

Response to the latest shark bite is fuelled by myth and retribution

When I used to tell people that I did my PhD on the politics of shark attacks, they would ask, “Is there a politics to shark attacks?” Nobody asks that any more. Now they just say, “Oh, like in Western…
Wave of protest: surfers were among thousands who rallied at Cottesloe Beach against the Barnett government’s shark cull. AAP Image/Theron Kirkman

WA shark cull season ends, and ocean users don’t want it to return

The end of April marks the end of Western Australia’s shark cull – for now at least. Since January 25, dozens of sharks (the WA government has not yet released official figures) have been killed off popular…
Despite his electoral success earlier this year, WA premier Colin Barnett has suffered a string of economic blows - the latest being a credit rating downgrade and the rejection of his proposed raise in the GST. AAP/Theron Kirkman

GST rebuff and credit downgrade add to Barnett’s annus horribilis

2013 hasn’t been a good year for Western Australian premier Colin Barnett. Standard and Poor’s recent downgrade of his government’s credit rating continues a pattern. It is not an aberration. Barnett’s…

Top contributors

More