This Budget is for the true believers, the Liberal Party base that has stuck with Tony Abbott through thick and thin but was threatening to desert him for Julie Bishop, Scott Morrison or, if they could stomach his belief in global warming, Malcolm Turnbull. Among these true believers are good, hard-working people who have taken […]
The conservatives are back in charge, @DrCraigEmerson comments on brutal #budget2014
May 17, 2014
If ever there were any doubts about the difference in values between conservative and progressive Australian governments they were laid to rest by the Abbott Government’s first Budget. It was the pernicious embodiment of conservative philosophy: treat the poor and vulnerable as malingerers while going easy on wealthy backers; and, in order to maintain […]
Time to end the class war on education
April 1, 2013
By Noely Neate Mach 31st, 2013 Yesterday on Sky News Australian Agenda @vanOnselenP raised the question of tertiary education. What should have been a good segment discussing policy for a change ended up with Craig Emerson getting cranky while defending the right of kids less privileged than others to attend Uni as the so-called team of experts […]
Ashby Inquiry Proposal for Discussion
January 22, 2013
By Margo Kingston 22 January 2013 Two days ago Paula Matthewson, who tweets and blogs as @Dragonista, posted an open letter to the #AshbyInquiryNow campaign people challenging them on their strategy and aims. A stimulating discussion ensued in comments to her piece which showed that engaged citizens on the right, centre and left agreed that it was […]
The media now operates with all the subtlety of a Pugilist.
December 24, 2012
Subtlety lost By Craig Emerson Date: 24 December 2012 Source: Craig Emerson At Sydney University in the early 1970s a course simply called “Government” was offered to economics, arts and law students. It was a time of social upheaval and the election of the Whitlam Government had ended 23 years of conservative rule. The Murdoch press had […]
