Australia has a rich modern history of former prime ministers writing memoirs, partly to exact revenge and partly to secure their legacy as they see it. A Bigger Picture fits into that tradition.
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his autobiography, ‘A Bigger Picture’
In this episode of Politics with Michelle Grattan, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull gives his assessment of Scott Morrison as a former colleague and as prime minister, warns about the right of the Liberal party, and tongue lashes News Corp.
Morrison has refused to meet calls for a national summit or a COAG meeting on the fire effort.
Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Authoritarian populism has been around for a while, but this government’s determination to punish some groups make the label more apt than just “conservative”.
Extinction Rebellion protesters have faced harsh bail conditions, typically reserved for bikie gang members.
Dave Hunt/AAP
Deep Saini and Michelle Grattan discuss the acts of civil disobedience by climate activist group Extinction Rebellion, and consider what Australia’s responsibility is in the Turkey-Syria conflict.
The Morrison win doesn’t mean the issue of climate change lacks cut through, or won’t have potency in the future.
Glenn Hunt/AAP
Sometimes birthdays are best let pass quietly. The Liberals are finding the 75th anniversary of their founding another unfortunate occasion for the blood sport they thought they’d put behind them.
Had Peter Dutton won the 2018 leadership ballot and become prime minister, the governor-general may have had some tricky legal arguments on his hands.
AAP/Ellen Smith
The Constitution says that the governor-general can only act to fill a vacancy in the prime ministership if there is one - but in this case, some complex questions would have arisen.
Malcolm Turnbull took to Twitter on Thursday, reigniting his battle with Christian Porter.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
We’ve been here before. In fact we’ve been going round in circles on climate policy for decades, while the temperature (of the debate, as well as the planet) climbs ever higher.
It is unlikely the Turnbull-Morrison Coalition government will be remembered for any significant reforms.
Lukas Coch/AAP
In terms of major policy achievements, the Coalition government has little to show for its time in office.
As prime minister, republican Malcolm Turnbull said there would be no more moves towards an Australian head of state while Queen Elizabeth remained on the throne.
AAP/Ward/WENN.com
Bill Shorten is committed to an Australian head of state, but it will likely take lost priority to constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.
The Morrison government has committed $50million to celebrate next year’s 250th anniversary of Cook’s landing at Kurnell on April 29, 1770.
AAP/Marc McCormack
The government’s investment in a celebration of 250 years since James Cook’s voyage to and along Australia, if not done properly, will further inflame the history wars in Australia.
The former PM via twitter effectively inserted himself into Question Time - in real time.
Dan Himbrechts/AAP
This and Turnbull’s observations on energy policy provided abundant material for a question time attack by Labor bloated from dining on the unending manna that’s been flowing from political heaven.
Kelly has had a special place on Sky, with so many appearances his.
colleagues joke he must have a sleeping bag there.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
The right is strong within the
party. And with the Morrison government now dealing with a hung parliament, there has been a risk that a disendorsed Kelly could defect to the
crossbench.
Kelly was one of those who scuppered the National Energy Guarantee, in.
the party meltdown that ended Turnbull’s leadership.
MICK TSIKAS/AAP
With John Howard in 2004-7 the last prime minister to serve a full term, it may seem Australia has sunk into a long rein of political instability. But that is not necessarily the case.
Images like this one aired by the ABC’s Four Corners programme helped trigger a Royal Commission - but its recommendations have still not been acted on.
ABC Four Corners
One year after the Royal Commission into Northern Territory child detention recommended big changes, little of substance has been done to tackle the problem by the NT Labor government.
Scott Morrison’s personal ratings have also worsened, in a poll that.
comes in the wake of his intensive week of campaigning in the key
state of Queensland.
Dan Peled/AAP
The Newspolls have been consistently worse for the Coalition since the
leadership change – before that Labor had been cut back to a narrow 51-49% lead.
Michelle Grattan speaks to Deep Saini about the week in Australian politics.
In happier times: Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison are now in dispute about the purpose of Turnbull attending the Oceans conference on Australia’s behalf.
AAP/Lukas Coch
It has been another turbulent week in politics, this time capped off by a difference of opinion between the most recent former prime minister and the current one.