After 12 months as prime minister, Morrison looks the strong leader, clearly in charge, with few constraints. But will he make a substantial entry in the history book of Australian prime ministers?
Australia has committed to joining the US and the UK in a mission to protect oil ships in the Strait of Hormuz. But why is the Strait the source of so much tension between the US and Iran?
GetUp is already subject to the same type of regulation as a political party. By challenging its links to left-wing parties, though, the Coalition is seeking to strip away its claim of independence.
Ahead of the formal receipt of the Thodey report on the public service, Morrison stresses the service must be responsive to both its ministers and the “quiet Australians”.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Australia’s inability – or refusal – to take firmer action on climate change is undermining its entire ‘Pacific step-up’.
Backbencher Andrew Hastie’s recent opinion piece has caused ructions within the government, but Scott Morrison needs to articulate a clear policy on China that also allows for dissenting voices.
On the ‘creeping crisis’ in the public service
The Conversation, CC BY28.8 MB(download)
A timely study of the public service, titled Today's problems, Yesterday's toolkit discusses the ‘creeping crisis’ of effectiveness and legitimacy the Australian public service is facing.
With the experience of hastily joining the US-lead invasion of Iraq in 2003 still fresh, the federal government must ensure it has a clear view of the limits of any new commitment.
The public service is a soft target, and Scott Morrison has already had it in his sights, telling it to remember the old adage – that it is on tap and the government is on top.
A busy week in Parliament House has seen Labor adopting new tactics during question time, putting pressure on government ministers, while Morrison struggles to maintain order among his backbenchers.
This week, Morrison told his backbench to keep their opinions in line or internal, appointed a man he’s personally close to as his new head of the Prime Minister’s department, and put the public service in its place.
Senior Lecturer in Political Science: Research Fellow at the Cairns Institute; Research Associate for Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland, James Cook University