Labor MLA Dr Marisa Paterson… Minister Rattenbury “has sat on his hands and done nothing in the last two years”. “Rattenbury is caught between a rock and a hard place. As Gaming Minister he works within the constraints of a government. As Leader of the Greens, he is committed to gambling reform,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE. Labor MLA Dr Marisa Paterson is caught between a rock and a hard place. The dilemma she faces is illustrative of the challenges of party politics. Michael Moore. Ironically, the ACT Greens, who have been attacking her credibility on the issue of gambling ..read more

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel says he is not opposed to videos of his stabbing remaining on social media. Photo: Christ of Good Shepherd Church Social media companies can’t be immune from the need for a social licence, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.  In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Michelle Grattan. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to being told to take down from X (previously Twitter) the video of the stabbing of bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at ..read more

The National Convention Centre… an excellent setting for a dystopian ’80s apocalypse film. It desperately needs to be expanded and modernised. “A good wedge gets voters off  the fence. Voters become very much engaged and very much angry. Time to take that anger out at the ballot box,” writes political columnist ANDREW HUGHES. As the clock ticks to the October election, the Canberra Liberals are starting to discover the error of the small/no-target strategy of recent years: despite some decent policies being put up of late, no one is moving their vote.  Dr Andrew Hughes. The tran ..read more

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is to walk the Kokoda Track and engage in some jungle diplomacy, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.  Anthony Albanese will trek the Kokoda Track on Tuesday and Wednesday before attending the Anzac Day dawn service at the Isurava Memorial site that commemorates one of the toughest battles the Australians fought in World War II.  Michelle Grattan. The trek is a favourite with politicians, more often made as they scramble up the political ladder. Kevin Rudd, then-opposition foreign affairs spokesman, and Human Services Minister Joe Hockey famou ..read more

Police pushed back an angry mob outside a Sydney church after the stabbing of a bishop. (Paul Braven/AAP PHOTOS) Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy reform, writes MICHELLE GRATTAN. When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. Michelle Grattan. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed terrorism as Australia’s principal security concern,” he said. But ASIO also remained concerned about “lone actors” – individuals or small grou ..read more

A summary of operating budget results, 2012-13 to 2018-19. “Since 2012-13 the ACT has attained a reputation as a laggard, the worst performing jurisdiction in Australia, a status that is currently reflected in the forward estimates.” More ACT budget revelations from JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED.  The ACT is unique in not having posted a single surplus, for more than a decade, including in the period before the pandemic, when other states were recording surpluses.  Notably in the years before 2012-13, the ACT’s operating budget performance was invariably better than the state avera ..read more

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong. (AAP Image/James Ross) The Albanese government can’t be accused of excessive caution any longer, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.  Commentators used to complain the Albanese government was being too cautious. That charge can’t easily be levelled now. Michelle Grattan. Take two totally different issues on which the government in recent days has defined itself by its robust stances. One is the Israel-Hamas conflict. The other is the swing to a highly interventionist industry policy, spelled out by Prime Minister An ..read more

MARK KENNY explains why moving to the right could be wrong for Peter Dutton and the Coalition. Evidence that support for the Liberal Party is softening in its affluent inner-city homelands continues to accrue, while its hopes of capturing disgruntled voters in Labor seats in the suburbs and regions presume a historic shift in voting patterns. When Peter Dutton took the Coalition reins in 2022 after a humiliating loss of office, his first priority was unity. A punchy and well-schooled parliamentarian, Dutton knew that if ever he was to contest the prime ministership, his primary challenge was t ..read more

The middle ground base has moved to women, aged late 20s to probably early 50s, who live in urban areas, are usually degree qualified and want the tri-balance of work, life, and family. Photo: CoWomen “All parties should realise that the fastest primary vote gainers in the last decade of ACT politics, ‘Others’, do not currently have a seat in the assembly. But they do have influence,” writes political columnist ANDREW HUGHES. For those keen enough, the condolence motions spoken last month about the late Linda White were amongst the finest speeches heard in federal parliament in the last f ..read more

Slicker, modern electric buses are the way the Liberals see the next stage of public transport. Photo: ACT government “With the election not scheduled until late October, this is an unusually early release of a major policy. However, it is an Exocet missile aimed directly at the most vulnerable point of the government,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.  The launch of the Canberra Liberals transport policy directly targets the Labor-Greens greatest area of electoral weakness.  Michael Moore. The policy is extensive and provides a serious alternative to the governments’ c ..read more