Political news and analysis from the ACT and Federal Parliaments
"The question the Greens must answer is that when the hard reality of budgetary choice hits, will they prioritise public housing over the tram?" JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED dismantle the Greens public housing policy.
Jim Chalmers has been bitten by the giveaway bug in a budget that contains good news for almost everyone, writes STEPHEN BARTOS.
What the Reserve Bank thinks of Chalmers’ budget will be nearly as important as the voters’ opinion, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
Relief on energy bills for all in a federal budget that bets on lower inflation, reports MICHELLE GRATTAN.
"The policy of the government, driven by the Greens, is to build future Canberra totally within the current footprint. Madness!', writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
"Canberra needs to see significant change in the ACT Assembly. With education and health that have moved from Australian leader to the bottom of the pile under Labor stewardship, it really is time for a change," writes MICHAEL MOORE.
Like the famous budget tree, Jim Chalmers can change the story to suit the season, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
"Nearly all the local campaigns are using social and digital media now, keeping their big spend free for when the campaign kicks… but this is where they have it wrong to a certain extent," writes political columnist ANDREW HUGHES.
Another wry look at the upcoming federal budget from cartoonist PAUL DORIN.
Ministers Clare O'Neil and Andrew Giles are dodging the spotlight shining on blunders over ex-detainees, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
"It's difficult to justify the ACT's excess taxation when debt's rising, the hospital system is the country's poorest and services for disadvantaged groups are the nation's worst," write JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED.
"It is an election year. The candidates for Murrumbidgee would be wise to promise the people of the Molonglo Valley that they will rectify the mistakes of Minister Yvette Berry," says political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
“Rattenbury is caught between a rock and a hard place. As Gaming Minister he works within the constraints of a government. As Leader of the Greens, he is committed to gambling reform," writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
Social media companies can’t be immune from the need for a social licence, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
"Depletion of cash, unbudgeted borrowings and an equity injection into a joint venture raise some tantalising questions that the government needs to answer." JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED look at another of the Budget Review's 'initiatives'.
"A good wedge gets voters off the fence. Voters become very much engaged and very much angry. Time to take that anger out at the ballot box," writes political columnist ANDREW HUGHES.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is to walk the Kokoda Track and engage in some jungle diplomacy, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy reform, writes MICHELLE GRATTAN.
"Since 2012-13 the ACT has attained a reputation as a laggard, the worst performing jurisdiction in Australia, a status that is currently reflected in the forward estimates." More ACT budget revelations from JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED.
