SCOTT Morrison has foreshadowed the re-opening of the Christmas Island detention facility, announcing his government would be stepping up border security after the medical transfer bill passed the Senate on Wednesday (February 13).  The legislation […]

THE government has suffered a historic defeat in the House of Representatives, with Labor and crossbenchers passing the legislation facilitating medical transfers from Manus and Nauru by 75-74.  This came after a dramatic last-minute government […]

THE fate of the legislation facilitating medical evacuations from Manus and Nauru depends on the response of the crossbenchers to compromise amendments Labor is putting to them ahead of today’s vote.  The bill, passed last […]

IN a speech today (February 11), with the theme of “Keeping Australians safe and secure”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is committing about $78 million to protect women and children against domestic violence. The money includes […]

STRANGELY enough, there’s a link between “Kevin07” as an electoral phenomenon and the recent successes of independents such as Kerryn Phelps (Wentworth), Cathy McGowan (Indi), and Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo). All three now hold once safe […]

THE battle over the medical transfers legislation has become something of a thriller for political tragics.  The government is desperate to head off a defeat next week on the bill. That’s just elevated the issue. […]

AS the battle escalates ahead of next week’s vote on legislation to facilitate medical transfers from Manus and Nauru, Scott Morrison is playing up the dangers if the bill passes while downplaying the political implications.  […]

IN his first economic speech of the year Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said workers are being denied “a fair go”.  “Under the Liberals, the economy is not working for working people,” Bowen will said, delivering […]

THE government has finalised the removal of the last children from Nauru, as it battles to head off a parliamentary defeat on legislation to facilitate medical transfers from offshore.  Scott Morrison and Immigration Minister David […]

OFFICIAL reports and photos from observers appointed by the government covering eight live export voyages from April to June last year have documented further evidence of the suffering experienced by many animals.  The notes and […]

A RE-ELECTED Coalition government would create 1.25 million jobs over the next five years, Scott Morrison will promise as he campaigns on the next stage of the government’s economic plan.  Beginning a tour of south […]

AS a new round of the culture wars bubbles, West Australian Liberal senator Dean Smith has urged that we should legislate to “protect” the January 26 date of Australia Day.  Smith came to national prominence […]

SCOTT Morrison’s controversial move to install former Labor party president Warren Mundine as Liberal candidate in the ultra-marginal NSW seat of Gilmore has triggered a local implosion.  As members of the Liberal state executive were […]

TREASURER Josh Frydenberg warned that Australia must navigate difficult economic currents in coming days, in a speech setting the government’s policy in a framework of “values” and “beliefs”. Addressing the Sydney Institute today (Tuesday, January […]

THE political down time over summer can be something of a respite for an embattled government. But for Scott Morrison, it has just brought more setbacks. The weekend announcement by cabinet minister Kelly O’Dwyer that […]

LOOKING back on the federal politics of 2018, voters can conclude they’ve been given a rough trot.  What’s been dubbed “the permanent election campaign” to which we are subjected these days is a curse. Too […]