That Victorian Liberals have to change candidates in three seats draws attention to an issue that should be properly fixed but won’t be any time soon – the problem of section 44 of the constitution.
All these years later, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has failed to learn from Bowen’s mistake. He has misused and verballed his department, and been caught out.
Housing policy is a stark point of difference at this election. While the government took promising steps to set up social housing finance, it has yet to give any sign it will finish what it started.
We’ve had ten federal ministers with titular responsibility for science since 2007 – five under the coalition and five under Labor. That variation and a lack of consistent vision has an impact.
This election is Shorten’s to lose, if you take the trend of opinion polls, and what the public have predicted. But the campaign can be crucial and Morrison is a ferocious and desperate fighter.
Scott Morrison has bragged about ‘stopping the boats’, but his government has failed to do anything meaningful to bolster cyber security and stop the malware.
There are generally two kinds of federal election: one when the government is returned; the other when it is defeated. History tells us the former is far more common.
Keep up-to-date with how the federal election is playing out locally. Our State of the States series takes stock of the key issues, seats and policies affecting the vote in each of Australia’s states.
Immigration has featured as an issue in every Australian election since 2001. But the numbers often tell a different story from the political posturing.
Investing in early childhood education and care can save more money in the long run – in areas including health care – than dealing with these issues later in life.
The Coalition government’s approach to arts and culture policy has been one of ad hocism and neglect. Perhaps most serious has been the damage done to the Australia Council and the ABC.
The government is spruiking its commitment to religious freedom and freedom of speech, as well as its successes on tackling inequality. Its record, however, leaves much to be desired.
Labor’s 2019 NBN election policy will disappoint those hoping for a fast-tracked return to that party’s 2009 vision of high-speed fibre for (almost) everyone.
Senior Lecturer in Political Science: Research Fellow at the Cairns Institute; Research Associate for Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland, James Cook University