Articles on Australian politics

Displaying 1 - 20 of 349 articles

Scott Morrison addresses the media on Sunday. Julian Smith/AAP

May 15, 2017

The budget is the government’s Plan B, but what’s Plan C if polls stay bad?

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Some predict Turnbull's leadership will be in the frame unless the numbers improve; on the other hand, another change would be extremely hard.

Was World Vision Australia chief advocate Tim Costello right to say that Australia’s foreign aid spending was at its highest under Menzies, at 0.5% of gross national income? AAP Image/Royal Australian Air Force, CPL Jessica de Rouw

January 30, 2017

FactCheck: What are the facts on Australia’s foreign aid spending?

Robin Davies, Australian National University

We check the facts on how Australia's foreign aid spend has changed over time.

Choosing Cairns or Townsville as a northern Queensland capital would set off a political storm, as would new regional governments around Australia. Dan Peled/AAP

January 18, 2017

If we scrapped the states, increasing Canberra’s clout would be a backward step

John Quiggin, The University of Queensland

Federal politicians and the public like the idea of abolishing the states. But consider the likely result: a more powerful Canberra, with regional governments amounting to glorified shire councils.

Writer and actor Nakkiah Lui, speaking on Q&A. Q&A

November 28, 2016

FactCheck Q&A: what are the facts on funding for domestic violence legal services in Australia?

Heather Douglas, The University of Queensland

Has the Coalition government cut $35 million from frontline legal services for victims of domestic and family violence?

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has a complex relationship with the Liberal Party’s powerful social conservatives. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

November 17, 2016

Pressure on Malcolm Turnbull to bend to conservatives is stronger than ever

Carol Johnson, University of Adelaide

The pressure on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to bend to the conservative right factions of the Liberal and National parties has been compounded by the election of Donald Trump.

Trump’s demagoguery had the effect not only of humiliating reason in the face of extreme emotion and prejudice, but also of taking people into cloud cuckoo land. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA

November 15, 2016

Raimond Gaita on Donald Trump’s America: a cloud cuckoo land devoid of fact, evidence and argument

Raimond Gaita, University of Melbourne

Trump's demagoguery took political discourse in America to a place where it lost contact with reality.

Sydney’s WestConnex road project has a surprisingly low ‘worst case’ cost estimate. David Moir/AAP

October 23, 2016

Spectacular cost blowouts show need to keep governments honest on transport

Marion Terrill, Grattan Institute

Our infrastructure systems should promise what is worth having, and then deliver what is promised.

From a battle over an oil pipeline in the American mid-west to small Australian communities fighting for survival, Indigenous people are harnessing social media to take their stories global. Joe Brusky/Flickr

October 17, 2016

12 deadly Indigenous Australian social media users to follow

Bronwyn Carlson, University of Wollongong

Indigenous people make up small percentages of the population in many countries – but using social media, Indigenous voices can be heard worldwide. Here are a dozen deadly Australians worth following.

Senator Bridget McKenzie, speaking on Q&A. Q&A

September 19, 2016

FactCheck Q&A: Is Australia one of the few countries worldwide to accept foreign political donations?

Marian Sawer, Australian National University

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said Australia is one of the few countries in the world to accept foreign political donations. Is that true?

The government plans to axe a supplement for Newstart recipients. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

August 30, 2016

FactCheck Q&A: is a week’s worth of Newstart equal to what a politician can claim for one night in Canberra?

Yee-Fui Ng, RMIT University

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre's Kon Karapanagiotidis said that what a politician can claim for a one night stay in Canberra is equivalent to an entire week on Newstart. Is that true?

Vincent Lingiari looks on as Prime Minister Gough Whitlam swigs champagne after the symbolic handback of the Gurindji people’s land. Rob Wesley-Smith

August 20, 2016

An historic handful of dirt: Whitlam and the legacy of the Wave Hill Walk-Off

Charlie Ward, Western Sydney University

A new book reveals the drama and comedy of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's famous "hand back" of Gurindji land in 1975, following the Wave Hill Walk-Off 50 years ago – and the bittersweet aftermath.

Queensland independent Peter Wellington backed Annastacia Palaszczuk (left) to form government after she promised to act on political donations. Dan Peled/AAP

July 20, 2016

Queenslanders will soon see in real-time who’s paying politicians – now Canberra must act

Colleen Lewis, Monash University

At long last, Australia has a government that is prepared to introduce real-time disclosure for political donations – a crucial change that lets voters make an informed choice at the ballot box.

June 30, 2016

Explainer: what’s at stake in the Australian election?

Zareh Ghazarian, Monash University

The Australian prime minister has dissolved both houses of parliament in an effort to take firm control of the government. Can he do it?

Malcolm Turnbull’s best election bet, from an economic standpoint, might be measures to improve confidence. AAP/Dean Lewins

April 4, 2016

The idea that conservatives are better economic managers simply does not stand up

James Morley, UNSW

Popular wisdom holds that conservatives manage the economy better than their progressive counterparts, but recent data from the US and Australia does not bear this out.

Whether he succeeds or not, Malcolm Turnbull’s attempt to reform the federation will be a long and tricky process. AAP/Ben Macmahon

March 31, 2016

Turnbull’s plan to fix the federation is bold – but can he deliver?

Paul Kildea, UNSW

Malcolm Turnbull's bold plan to give states the power to levy income tax is a risky move, and the latest in a string of attempts to 'fix' federal-state relations that have not succeeded.

Rail and other public transport infrastructure could receive more funding from the new Turnbull government. Mick Tsikas/AAP

September 30, 2015

Politics podcast: Jamie Briggs on the infrastructure needs of Australian cities

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Jamie Briggs talks to Michelle Grattan about his new portfolio, the policy pivot away from just roads toward other infrastructure projects like public transport, and much more.

Kim Carr says that $100,000 university degrees are ‘totally unnecessary’. Tracey Nearmy/AAP

September 22, 2015

Politics podcast: Kim Carr on Labor’s new higher education policy

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

CC BY-ND31 MB (download)

Shadow Higher Education Minister Kim Carr talks to Michelle Grattan about Labor's new higher education policy.

Liberal candidate Andrew Hastie has campaigned strongly on local issues. Richard Wainwright/AAP

September 17, 2015

Speaking with: the Poll Bludger William Bowe on the Canning byelection

Natalie Mast, University of Western Australia

Natalie Mast spoke with William Bowe about what the leadership spill means for the Canning byelection, which looms as a test of both new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Arthur Sinodinos was a key supporter of Malcolm Turnbull’s successful leadership challenge. Sam Mooy/AAP

September 17, 2015

Politics podcast: Arthur Sinodinos on why Australia needed a new prime minister

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Arthur Sinodinos, a key backer of Malcolm Turnbull, talks about why the Liberals needed a change in leadership and what he hopes will change in the running of the Prime Minister's Office.

Not all the measures listed fit the definition of a tax. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

September 2, 2015

FactCheck: Has the government introduced 17 new taxes?

Helen Hodgson, Curtin University

The Opposition is fond of saying that the government has imposed 17 new or increased taxes. Is that right?

Top contributors

Michelle Grattan
Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Zareh Ghazarian
Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University
Geoffrey Robinson
Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University
Mark Rolfe
Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, UNSW
Craig Mark
Professor, Faculty of International Studies, Kyoritsu Women's University
Carol Johnson
Professor of Politics, University of Adelaide
Trevor Cook
Recently awarded doctorate, University of Sydney
Nick Economou
Senior Lecturer, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University
Anika Gauja
Associate Professor, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney
Andrew Jakubowicz
Professor of Sociology, University of Technology Sydney
Gregory Melleuish
Professor, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong
Joo-Cheong Tham
Associate Professor, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne
Paul Harrison
Director, Centre for Employee and Consumer Wellbeing; Senior Lecturer, Deakin Business School, Deakin University
Jeff Borland
Professor of Economics, University of Melbourne
Robin Tennant-Wood