Politics - national

Mad as hell? Welcome to #hesaidshesaid

Club Troppo - July 22, 2010 - 2:01am

One of the things I’d like to do in this election campaign is to draw attention to all the (most egregious) cases where the press engage in the mindlessness of “he said – she said” journalism. That is where they report various sides accusations of the other as if that then finishes their job. Obviously us voters want information to help us tell which of the two sides stories is more plausible. And obviously enough sometimes even a hard working journalist can’t find out the information necessary to throw light on the subject.  But often they can. Read more »

Robert James Lee Gillard (here’s hoping)

Club Troppo - July 7, 2010 - 7:17pm

I wrote up my own views about the power of ‘consensus politics’ here. Specifically I suggested that three aspects of a leader’s performance involve whether:

  • unity or division is emphasised
  • there is a cult of the strong leader as opposed to the leader being seen as an orchestrator of wider forces
  • populist themes dominate political rhetoric

I’m hopeful regarding Julia Gillard on each of these scores, though more confident of the first two than the third.  Anyway, in Monday’s column for the Sydney Morning Herald I tried to argue that consensus was the only way through the kinds of impasse we’ve seen mar the Rudd Government.

Where is politics headed after the ALP’s near-death resources rent tax experience? Read more »

The vortex of performance politics sucks in another victim . . .

Club Troppo - June 18, 2010 - 7:12pm

Thoughts on reading this psychologist’s write up of the Gulf of Mexico disaster:

A long time ago I stopped calling my Mum a Labor supporter and called her a Labor barracker. She’s disdainful of my interest in football – a thoroughly trivial activity which is arresting for those who involve themselves nevertheless. And there’s some comfort in its utter lack of deeper meaning. At least if you’ve earned yourself a break on the weekend, you can relax and watch the footy. Anyone who listens to abuse question time is either a pundit or a barracker – what on earth would be the point of listening if you’re not one of those? Read more »

He said, she said #2786

Club Troppo - June 13, 2010 - 12:53pm

On today’s RN News, the ABC reported that Lindsay Tanner had told the Insiders program that Kevin Rudd would lead the ALP to the next election.  This was one of the six most important things to tell us at 10.00 am this morning. Why is that news? What was he supposed to say? “Actually Barrie, that’s a good question, we’re thinking the same thing, we might dump Kevin, but right now we’re just sizing up our options”.

Lies, damned lies and implied repeal …

Club Troppo - July 21, 2010 - 10:58pm

Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey must be hoping that very few voters have any understanding of the basic principles of statutory interpretation.  Any who did would instantly realise that the Coalition’s promise to amend the Electoral Act to force unions to repay the Australian Electoral Commission for the costs of running union ballots effectively renders completely meaningless Abbott’s more general promise not to change Labor’s Fair Work Act.  The latter is, of course, designed to negate Labor’s scare campaign that the Coalition has secret plans to resuscitate Work Choices.

The parties currently seem to be engaged in a game of duelling senior counsel, with Labor trotting out Bret Walker SC to assert that “if the Coalition changed the Electoral Act, it would be impossible not to affect the Fair Work legislation …” while the Coalition relies on academic constitutional lawyer Andrew Lynch:

Read more »

Julia and Kev – the real story

Club Troppo - June 28, 2010 - 5:49pm

Grossly unfair but wickedly funny:

What became of the populist left?

Club Troppo - June 17, 2010 - 12:27pm

In a memorable moment in the 1983 election Malcolm Fraser, suggested that if people got a Labor Government they’d have to keep their savings under their bed. Bob Hawke responded that the commies were already under the bed. Back then Hawke could tap into a collective consciousness about the foibles and silliness of his right leaning opponents. All that anti-communism had become a figure of fun and an offence against the ‘political correctness’ of its day. Read more »