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Michael McCormack

August 2024

Sydney University boss Mark Scott has warned of possible job losses as the government cracks down on international students.

Sydney Uni enters hiring crackdown amid foreign student cap fallout

Sydney University head Mark Scott has flagged that vacant roles may not be filled in light of the migration reforms targeting international students.

  • Julie Hare

November 2023

Racing NSW boss Peter V’Landys is playing a key role in growing Melbourne Cup rival The Everest.

Peter V’Landys haunts AHA lunch

The powerful lobby group entertained a room bustling with Labor types. And a few Nationals too.

  • Myriam Robin

September 2023

Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka. The airline’s IPO process hasn’t taken flight, raising big questions over Australia being the world’s most open aviation market.

Why claims Australia’s aviation market is competitive don’t fly

The idea that Australia is the world’s most competitive aviation market doesn’t stack up when viewed against arguments used to justify the Qatar decision.

  • Ayesha de Kretser

December 2022

Former deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack falls ill after drinking a bowl of strong kava.

McCormack hospitalised after drinking entire bowl of kava

Former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack has opened up about being hospitalised after drinking a full bowl of kava during the government’s trip to the Pacific.

  • Andrew Tillett
Penny Wong has restored joint government and opposition visits to the Pacific after they fell into abeyance.

Penny Wong takes political foes on Pacific trip

Foreign Minister Penny Wong will lead a bipartisan sweep through the Pacific this week.

  • Andrew Tillett
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May 2022

Joyce has had a tumultuous political career since his affair with a former staffer.

Pitt supports Joyce as leadership contenders grow

Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud is talking to colleagues about a possible bid to replace Barnaby Joyce, as a possible party room fight looms.

  • Tom McIlroy
Mick McCormack says Australia has wasted 17 years in the renewable energy process.

‘After 17 wasted years Australia still has no energy plan’

The nation could have resolved its energy transition by now had it put a price on carbon in 2005, says Origin Energy director and former APA boss Mick McCormack.

  • Colin Packham

October 2021

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, left with Barnaby Joyce, told Parliament on Monday he would stick with the target that he took to the 2019 election.

Politics is often counterintuitive, and climate action is no different

Barnaby Joyce looks every bit the man who knows he has to deliver something that every sinew of his body disagrees with.

  • Phillip Coorey

September 2021

Not possible to reach net zero carbon without farmers on board.

For farmers, climate change is both headache and a motivator

Unlike coal, there is no easy substitute for meat or dairy produced by belching livestock. But farmers do have other options in their own hands.

  • Tony Wood

July 2021

Qantas said outsourcing the ground handling work would save it about $100 million annually, reduce capital expenditure costs by $80 million over the next five years and allow it too match fluctuating demand.

Qantas feared government attack over outsourcing

The airline thought the government would see the outsourcing of 2500 ground handling jobs last year as ‘inconsistent with the policy aims of JobKeeper’.

  • Lucas Baird
The audit office’s Brian Boyd says the federal government rejected Treasury advice that funding be awarded on a competitive basis.

Car park scheme started out targeting marginal seats

The Auditor-General says a $660 million program to build commuter car parks targeted marginal seats – including one that did not have a railway station.

  • Andrew Tillett

June 2021

Comeback: Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce in parliament last week.

Barnaby Joyce might have the right leadership stuff

The resurrected Deputy Prime Minister has a good chance of success – despite what the critics claim – because of the common traits shared with other long-term political leaders.

  • Alexander Downer
Re-elected Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce during question time on Thursday.

How Barnaby Joyce seized the Nationals’ crown

Michael McCormack was on borrowed time but had a slim chance to save his job in the week leading up to the Nationals’ leadership coup. He didn’t take it.

  • Phillip Coorey
Barnaby Joyce, flanked by David Littleproud and Josh Frydenberg, lets fly at Anthony Albanese in question time on Tuesday.

Nationals rebuff net zero emissions truce

Deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud tried to offer an olive branch to the Liberals, but MPs allied to Barnaby Joyce rejected the prospect of any deal.

  • Phillip Coorey
Nationals David Littleproud, Barnaby Joyce and Bridget McKenzie hold a press conference following the Nationals leadership spill at Parliament House in Canberra.

Joyce’s return ignites climate policy chaos

While some Liberal MPs worry the pro-coal leader could damage the Coalition in the cities, others say he could expand the Nationals’ footprint in the regions.

  • Phillip Coorey
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Barnaby Joyce has returned as Nationals leader after 39 months on the backbench.

Barnaby 2.0: ‘It’s gonna be a wild ride’

While some Liberals believe Joyce could win extra seats in the regions, others fear the damage he could cause in the cities.

  • Phillip Coorey
Michael McCormack

Que sera, sera: McCormack, Barnaby and whatever will be

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanse hit out at the “Abbott-Truss, Turnbull-Truss,Turnbull-Joyce, Turnbull-McCormack, Morrison-McCormack, Morrison-Joyce government” on Monday

  • Tom McIlroy
Not everyone is laughing at the return of Barnaby Joyce as leader of the Nationals.

Nats rejoice, but can Barnaby resume his sales job?

Barnaby Joyce is about to start a new chapter in a long and colourful career.

  • Andrew Tillett
Nationals David Littleproud, Barnaby Joyce and Bridget McKenzie front the media after Joyce prevailed in a party room ballot on Monday.

Will PM’s net zero emissions move come to nought?

The return of Barnaby Joyce threatens to tear Scott Morrison between the Coalition’s conservative base and international opinion.

  • Andrew Tillett

McCormack’s defenders say Joyce ‘just wants his job’

Ever since Barnaby Joyce was forced to stand aside in February 2018 he – and his backers – have been hell-bent on wresting back the leadership.

  • Phillip Coorey

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/person/michael-francis-mccormack-jfd