October 2023
- Opinion
- Vale
Bill Hayden had an ear for fun and a touch for political wizardry
Two decisions Bill Hayden made changed the course of Australian political history and one of them was a masterstroke for Labor and the country.
December 2021
- Opinion
- Scott Morrison
It’s time for Scott Morrison to govern, except he never will
Politics for Morrison’s Coalition is about scheming to stay in power, while Australia starts regressing into its old insular ways.
August 2021
John Howard on the growing debt pile, China and ‘wokeism’
The former prime minister worries there is no blueprint for the geopolitical and economic challenges ahead, but is still a ‘huge optimist’ about Australia.
July 2020
A look back to a different time in Australia-China relations
In his new book, Geoff Kitney recalls a time when Australian leaders, such as Doug Anthony and Bob Hawke, saw only great opportunity in China.
June 2019
- Opinion
- Political leadership
ScoMo's leadership test has only just begun
The PM was elected not to rock the boats. But he cannot govern on that basis.
May 2019
Why the Financial Review backed Bob Hawke
The Financial Review concluded that a vote for the Labor Party and Bob Hawke was as reasonable a choice as was a vote for the Coalition and Malcolm Fraser.
October 2017
Populism threatens Australia's most influential people
The trends that fuelled Brexit and Donald Trump's election are in play in Australia, making the seat of power an uncomfortable place to sit.
- Updated
September 2015
- Exclusive
Treasury head John Fraser warns Australia risks falling behind
The federal government's top economic policy bureaucrat has warned that Australia is too complacent about the economic challenges it faces and risks falling behind.
- Updated
Power 2015: Malcolm Turnbull takes top spot at the 11th hour
When our 2015 power panel met mid-year to debate power in Australia there was deep doubt about whether Tony Abbott had the capacity to use his prime ministerial power effectively. Those doubts were confirmed just as the AFR Magazine Power issue went to print.
- Updated
Australian Treasury secretary John Fraser: 'I am a prick. I really am.'
The plain-speaking John Fraser is on his second stint in Treasury after two decades in a completely different world.
- Updated
Joe Hockey, Andrew Robb, Peter Greste: why they're NOT on the AFR Mag Power lists
These movers and shakers didn’t make the top 15 in our overt, covert or cultural power lists but are nevertheless making waves.
- Updated
May 2015
- Opinion
- Opinion
Why Joe Hockey skipped Parliament question time on the biggest political day of the year
Joe Hockey was too busy to turn up for the first flurry of political firsts to open the budget session of federal Parliament.
- Updated
Bill Shorten the invisible man
The small-target, do-nothing tactic of opposition is not working for Bill Shorten.
- Updated
March 2015
- Opinion
- Opinion
Leadership threat continues to hang over Abbott
The government needs to listen to voters if it's going to start a conversation about reform.
- Updated
February 2015
- Opinion
Why Malcolm Turnbull didn't seize Liberal leadership chance
The Coalition is in a desperate situation. Someone who has the capacity to turn its fortunes around surely is obliged to step up. Malcolm Turnbull is that someone, so why is he hesitating?
January 2015
- Opinion
- Opinion
1988-89 cabinet papers capture triumph and turmoil of Hawke-Keating government
If he could rewind his political career and have another go at any part of it, Paul Keating would surely choose the period between two of the most memorable of the vivid one-liners that defined his political personality.
- Updated
Political battle over climate change has raged for 25 years
The battles that remain intense in Australian politics today over how to deal with climate change began inside the Hawke government 25 years ago, just-released secret Cabinet papers have revealed.
- Updated
Garnaut says tough economic reform is key
A key figure behind the economic reforms that helped Australia stay out of recession for nearly a quarter of a century has used the release of the Hawke Cabinet papers from 1988-89 to warn about economic risk.
November 2014
Travels across a Europe torn by peace
Europe is the birthplace of Western culture and the axis of two world wars, a continent that ripped itself apart and united under the EU.
- Updated
August 2014
Sem Fabrizi: a very civil civil servant
The European Union ambassador has dodged bunga bunga parties and spent three years in China. Now his latest posting has him tasting the delights of Australia.
- Updated