Yesterday
The Liberal Party needs to listen to its grassroots
The party is run by powerbrokers and their foot soldiers, organised around individuals and shifting backroom deals with little interest in ideas or principles.
May
How a crushing defeat shifted factional power in the Liberal Party
All federal elections reshape power within political parties, but the Liberals’ devastation on May 3 has allowed Sussan Ley to transform the landscape.
Husic is right: Albanese is too timid about the challenges ahead
Insiders describe a PM more concentrated on the management of daily political tactics than the hard brainwork of developing strategies for the longer term.
Factional enemies of NSW Liberals reform are opposed to election wins
Those demanding that the three administrators leave are not helping Sussan Ley either, who has declared her determination to lead from the centre.
New Labor cabinet will be a test of Albanese’s leadership
Labor must rise above internal skirmishes and factional carve-ups and get on with the hard, necessary work of economic reform.
August 2024
Fear and loathing in the NSW Liberals
A preselection candidate has gone to the Federal Court, alleging he was rejected by the NSW branch for the last state election because of his race.
August 2023
China’s fresh property mess, and nine more opinion reads from this week
From Australia’s most pressing foreign policy dilemma to China’s fresh mess, and what Chanticleer columnists learnt from earnings.
Labor keeps Left-Right balance as ‘union coalition’ comes up short
A maverick independent unionist backed by “a coalition of the unwanted” has fallen short of disrupting the Labor factional balance on the powerful national executive.
Labor support for AUKUS never in doubt
The debate at the ALP conference was a useful demonstration of the government’s resolute stance – which is now officially endorsed by the whole party.
Labor shows its realpolitik colours
The Left faction had the numbers to control of the ALP’s conference for the first time in decades. It had to work hard not to embarrass the government.
ALP national executive to spill as unions test factions
The Labor national executive is expected to go to a vote as the party’s Left faction tests if it has a majority and an unhappy coalition of unions makes a play for the deciding seat.
PM tells true believers: hold on to power
Anthony Albanese says strong economic and national security credentials, and keeping promises, are vital to staying in power.
February 2022
Andrews faces fresh ‘red shirts’ probe after Labor MP crosses floor
The Victorian Premier faces a fresh probe into the infamous rort after an MP crossed the parliamentary floor to vote with ousted Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek.
October 2019
The perils of turning politics into relentless attack
The trashing of norms and rules without accountability might be the mark of Trump and Brexit, but it is playing out here as well.