There is an unwavering, untested, bipartisan assertion on asylum seekers: no-one will be resettled in Australia, as that will encourage people smugglers.
AAP/Eoin Blackwell
History suggests that resettling refugees on Nauru and Manus Island in Australia and New Zealand will not enliven people smuggling between Indonesia and Christmas Island.
While state and territory leaders will be partners, Malcolm Turnbull’s government intends to be the driver of a national policy for Australia’s cities.
AAP/Lukas Coch
The Turnbull government’s cities policy is the latest incarnation of ‘the-Commonwealth-knows-best’ approach, with little regard for whether urban issues are best resolved at the metropolitan level.
Social media plays an increasingly important role for politicians in getting their election messages out.
AAP/David Moir
In 2015, the ABC aired a gripping documentary series covering the tumultuous Rudd-Gillard era. This week, Sarah Ferguson has released a book developed from the documentary.
The Australian government seems to think fossil fuels need help, when businesses are deciding otherwise.
Coal image from www.shutterstock.com
Do fossil fuels need saving from efforts to combat climate change? The Australian government seems to think so, but that sort of thinking is out of date.
Tony Abbott sought to rule rather than govern, in much the same way that Kevin Rudd did. Both unravelled.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Debate, serious discussion and deliberation are valued highly in a democracy not just for their own sake, but because they are considered essential to testing the quality of ideas and arguments.
Malcolm Turnbull addresses the opening of the Paris climate summit.
EPA/Christophe Petit Tesson
When newly minted Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rose to speak at COP13 in Bali in 2007 and announced that Australia would ratify the Kyoto Protocol, he received a standing ovation from the world community…
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has challenged Cardinal George Pell on the science, the policy and the ethics of climate change.
Peter Rae/AAP
If history is a guide, the next UN secretary-general will be from Eastern Europe, working in their national government, and with strong foreign service experience.
Tony Abbott’s speech after losing the leadership differed from his recent predecessors’ efforts by making no mention of his successor.
AAP/Sam Mooy
A politician’s final statement as leader is their chance to have the last word. Tony Abbott’s speech was telling in both what he chose to say and not to say.
Abbott isn’t the first leader to be toppled amid questions over his approach to climate change.
AAP Mick Tsikas
From Hawke-Keating to Rudd-Gillard, climate policy has an uncanny ability to cost Australian political leaders their jobs. And it was a key element in the rivalry between Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is struggling to contain instability in an openly divided team.
Lukas Coch/AAP
When Kevin Rudd came under attack from some of his ministers for the way he ran his cabinet, it turned out to be the beginning of the end. Now we are seeing Tony Abbott struggling to contain instability…
Kevin Rudd was portrayed as interfering, micro-managing and bullying in his first stint as prime minister – but some painted a different picture.
AAP/ABC
Whose “truth” best explains the implosion of the Rudd-Gillard Labor governments? Multiple “truths” are presented in the ABC’s The Killing Season as we continue to pick over that era’s debris.
Kevin Rudd admits he might have leaked to Laurie Oakes damaging details of the meeting he and Gillard had on the night of the 2010 coup against him.
Supplied/ABC
Kevin Rudd has said there was “no way in the world” he would have moved against Julia Gillard in June 2013 unless Bill Shorten and his group were with him.
Bill Glasson, pictured campaigning with Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the Griffith byelection, has confirmed he is a candidate to fill a Senate vacancy.
AAP/Dan Peled
Analysis of the mindsets and responses of thousands of senior leaders tells us only about 7% are likely to have the right stuff to lead effective government responses to wicked problems.