How the ACT health budget neglect puts the poor at risk
"The minister’s response does not evince any concern about the distressing and disproportionate impact of the government’s effective cut to health services on poorer members of our community," says JON STANHOPE in reaffirming the government's long-term neglect of the ACT health budget.
Sports rorts show it’s time to clean things up
"How many other politicians will be caught out before there is agreement for a genuine effort to clean up federal politics," wonders political columnist MICHAEL MOORE
Stand up and demand they fix the hospital mess
"It’s time to call out all involved with the mess being made of the Woden Valley Hospital, to ignore their spin and to demand things get fixed. The people of Canberra deserve better," writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
How the government spins trees in Dickson
"This is the government of tricky denials and deflections. Words are not matched with actions," writes "Canberra Matters:" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
Cartoon / Dose of Dorin
Another cartoon from the wry eye of PAUL DORIN.
‘Closing the Gap’ report shows disappointing results
The prime minister will give details of the government’s major overhaul of the assessment process, saying that until recently Closing the Gap was never a partnership with indigenous people, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
When political hell is paved with good intentions
"In an election year it should not be surprising that a government that has been in power for nearly two decades is intent on finding ways to illustrate they care about Canberrans. Delivering on that intent may well be another issue," writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
How Shane fudged around an inconvenient truth
"An Aboriginal person in the ACT is 18.9 times more likely to go to prison than a non-Aboriginal person. Surely, the minister should have commented on that," writes columnist JON STANHOPE.
It turned into a profitable day for the Nats
With the minor party deeply split and its rebels out of control, and hard line Nationals and moderate Liberals exchanging shots over coal, the government is distracted and risks being destabilised, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
Sports rorts continue to plague the Government
These few days have highlighted, and worsened, Morrison’s difficulties in managing the always volatile climate debate within his government and making whatever adjustments he might judge necessary before the 2022 election, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
McCormack’s battle to hold off a second shot from Joyce
How things will pan out now is the unanswerable question, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
Maybe we aren’t the people we like to think we are
"We cannot delude ourselves into thinking that there remains nothing to be concerned about in our treatment of asylum seekers or that we have not done irredeemable harm to our reputation as a fair and just nation," writes columnist JON STANHOPE.
Climate emergency, naw just business as usual
"If they actually believed in a climate emergency, then this government needs to stop issuing documents, stop having meetings and cease the misleading spin. The urgent and overdue action is planting an enormous number of trees immediately," writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
How boiling frogs set the pace for Morrison
"Now there is a fire crisis. A crisis. Time to react. Intense media and social pressure has woken Scott Morrison from his somnambulistic stupor on this issue. He has reacted to the fires scorching Australia," writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
Cartoon / Dose of Dorin
Cartoonist PAUL DORIN gets into the climate of changes in Canberra.
McCormack holds his job as Nationals’ leader
McCormack’s reshuffle will now have to be substantial because Matt Canavan, who has been resources minister, quit cabinet to campaign for Joyce, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
Adam Bandt is new Greens leader
The Greens’ only House of Representatives member, Adam Bandt, is the party’s new leader, elected unanimously, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
What was behind Di Natale’s ‘shock’ resignation?
Richard Di Natale has quit the leadership of the Greens, telling his party room today (February 3) he will also leave the Senate, writes political columnist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
Remembering a history of Australian political rorts
The sports rorts scandal has evoked in some commentators considerable nostalgia, writes political historian FRANK BONGIORNO.
Gun membership is McKenzie’s undoing
Bridget McKenzie has finally fallen on her sword, writes political journalist MICHELLE GRATTAN.
PUZZLES
TOP STORIES
New coin captures the strength of women cricketers
Women cricketers have featured on a new Australian coin to mark the International Cricket Council Women’s T20 World Cup.
