Peter Van Onselen

Dr Peter van Onselen has been the Contributing Editor at The Australian since 2009. He is also a professor of politics and public policy at the University of Western Australia and was appointed its foundation chair of journalism in 2011. Peter has been awarded a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours, a Master of Commerce, a Master of Policy Studies and a PhD in political science. Peter is the author or editor of six books, including four best sellers. His biography on John Howard was ranked by the Wall Street Journal as the best biography of 2007. Peter has won Walkley and Logie awards for his broadcast journalism and a News Award for his feature and opinion writing.

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commentaryInquirer

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MAY 10: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers arrive for media interviews at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Need for tax reform grows as economy slows down

Simplistic calls for the minimum wage to rise in line with inflation will end up risking the jobs of the very workers it is supposed to help.

Peter Van Onselen

BUDGET 2023Inquirer

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NCA NewsWire 12/05/23 : Australian Treasurer The Hon Jim Chalmers MP speaks to media at the launch of a new build to rent development in Brisbane .Picture: NCA NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

If a Labor government can’t spend up big, what’s left for it to do?

You can see the ideal Labor campaign now: we delivered the voice, we’ve handed down two surpluses in a row, re-elect us to finish the job we’ve started. But it squibs the hard yards.

Peter Van Onselen

commentaryCommentary

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MAY 09: Treasurer Jim Chalmers hands down the 2023 Budget in the House of Representatives at Parliament House on May 09, 2023 in Canberra, Australia. The Albanese government's 2023 budget focused on economic recovery, healthcare, national security and climate action with a global geopolitical landscape at its most unstable in decades. The Australian economy still facing inflation headwinds with real wages lagging interest rate rises. (Photo by Martin Ollman/Getty Images)

Smallest of silver linings, with tough times ahead of us

Piecemeal changes from portfolio to portfolio are no substitute for recalibrating the overall budget.

Peter Van Onselen

COMMENTARYPolitics

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese listens to Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers speak to the media during a press conference tat Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, February 28, 2023. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

Enjoy your five minutes of surplus sunshine

If paying off debt is such an important goal for Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers, why are they baking in exploding recurrent expenditure going forward?

Peter Van Onselen

Inquirer

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MAY 2: Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler addresses the National Press Club in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Pharmacy policy shift takes Labor off script

Mark Butler’s double whammy for chemists could backfire on the very people it was intended to help.

Peter Van Onselen

CommentaryInquirer

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos April 28, 2023: Anthony Albanese and state premiers for National CabinetPicture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Patience a virtue in Albanese’s plan for the nation

As Labor settles in, its plans to steadily reshape Australia will begin to unfold. The Indigenous voice to parliament is the focus for now, a second term will put the republic debate front and centre.

Peter Van Onselen

commentaryCommentary

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 17: Treasurer Jim Chalmers holds a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

This is not an either or moment over reform

Anthony Albanese wants to achieve great things with the Indigenous voice to parliament but the economy and tax system also need urgent reform.

Peter Van Onselen

CommentaryInquirer

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. -NCA NewsWire Photos. APRIL 11, 2023. Julian Leeser The opposition’s spokesman for Indigenous affairs resigns from the Liberal party front bench. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Ben Symons

Intolerance takes down a man of goodwill

While some commentators were quick to allege Julian Leeser’s move to quit would damage Peter Dutton and perhaps even the No case, the opposite appears likelier.

Peter Van Onselen

CommentaryInquirer

2023 Aston by-Election. Liberal party candidate Roshena Campbell campaigning at Lysterfield Primary School with Liberal party leader Peter Dutton. Saturday, April 1, 2023. Picture: David Crosling

Denialism will keep Liberals in wilderness

The Liberal Party is not facing an existential crisis, but it will be stuck in the electoral mud unless it confronts its weaknesses.

Peter Van Onselen

commentaryCommentary

People are seen walking past the Reserve Bank of Australia headquarters in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING

No good news on rates whatever RBA decides today

If interest rates go up today, so will mortgage payments but if they don’t move, that’s a sign of a slowing economy.

Peter Van Onselen

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/peter-van-onselen/page/8