Gerard Henderson's Weekly Column

Tony Abbott proves he really has people skills: 9th March 2010
Abbott picks wrong target in battle for hearts and minds: 2nd March 2010
Labor's loose cannons allow friendships to turn frosty: 23rd February 2010
Rudd must dump dead ducks and tackle what really matters: 16th February 2010
Fair Work laws are not helping the young and other unemployed: 9th February 2010
Australia's 'racist' tag is myth heavily hyped: 2nd February 2010
Human rights act slips down the list: 26th January 2010
Man who would be king, but not governor-general ... yet: 19th January 2010
Little room to change tack on matters of national security: 12th January 2010
Student assaults teach some harsh lessons about racism: 5th January 2010
Did they say that? Traps for the sages and soothsayers: 29th December 2009
Labor's good intentions fail to guarantee jobs for youth: 22nd December 2009
Courageous MacKillop was not beholden to boundaries: 15th December 2009
Doomsday prophecies exposed as mere fantasies of the left: 8th December 2009
Lodge is a long way off, but new man will shore up base: 2nd December 2009
Howard not the man to give advice on changing leaders: 1st December 2009
Article - Holding Liberalism together: 28th November 2009
In this climate, it's stupid to air your dirty linen: 24th November 2009
Meddling in our politics not a good look from right or left: 17th November 2009
Pilger loath to hear the roar of dissent: 10th November 2009
Big is beautiful in a land that thrives on foreign affairs: 3rd November 2009
Wielding the whip on asylum seekers: both sides have done it: 27th October 2009
Judges and juries called it as they saw it: 20th October 2009
Given the climate, Turnbull's the right man for the job: 13th October 2009
Rudd's attitude to China gets the balance just about right: 6th October 2009
Rudd changed the world order, says Rudd - and compliant media: 29th September 2009
Nazi remarks go way over the top: 15th September 2009
Rudd will need reform for recovery: 8th September 2009
Enter the young conservatives: 1st September 2009
No need to be concerned about hurting China's feelings: 25th August 2009
Hindsight has not cleared the vision of an atrocity: 18th August 2009
A fatal dalliance: Liberals who want to be loved: 11th August 2009
Bagging religion is hardly dangerous: 4th August 2009
Rudd's essay shows his tribal loyalty: 28th July 2009
Liberal history ambushed by left-wing pundits: 21st July 2009
Fair Work makes no sense in GFC: 16th July 2009
Black and white and Rudd all over: 7th July 2009
New blood will revive Coalition: 30th June 2009
Close the gate on the beaut ute: 23rd June 2009
Labor's work laws key: compromise: 16th June 2009
Obama and the tactics of truth: 9th June 2009
A bruised relationship with India: 2nd June 2009
Heads of state are above the fray: 26th May 2009
Greens profit from Liberal largesse: 19th May 2009
Abstinence makes voters fonder: 12th May 2009
A prudent approach on China: 5th May 2009
Labor must not ignore youth jobs: 28th April 2009
Silence over boat-people fire: 21st April 2009
Can't See the Truth for the Screen: 3rd March 2009
Disunity is death in Opposition: 24th February 2009
How to tame the angry beast: 17th February 2009
Why the Pope should use his Google: 10th February 2009
Rudd neo-liberal with the facts: 3rd February 2009
Settle down - it's our defining day: 27th January 2009
Can-do guy with all the safe moves: 20th January 2009
Harry's shooting from the lip a warning to all: 13th January 2009
Resettling Guantanamo inmates: 6th January 2009
History wars and hysterical bores: 30th December 2008
PM can't pander to expressionists: 23rd December 2008
Voice of a minority disappears: 16th December 2008
Obama's step in the right direction: 9th December 2008
Forget the D word, there's another cap for Rudd to wear: 2nd December 2008
Sorry saga of Hicks supporters: 25th November 2008
The left writes Liberals' history: 18th November 2008
Truth and the casualties of war: 11th November 2008
Don't hit immigration panic button: 28th October 2008
Doomsayer gets instant fame: 21st October 2008
Break election promises, save jobs: 14th October 2008
Do-gooders helped make the mess: 8th October 2008
It's economy with the truth, stupid: 30th September 2008
Bombs prove it pays to be vigilant: 23rd September 2008
Turnbull looks the man for the job: 16th September 2008
Nats head for a smaller paddock: 9th September 2008
Full marks for old-school Rudd: 2nd September 2008
History says blocking doesn't work: 26th August 2008
Weird portrait by a spiteful mob: 19th August 2008
No wins for Howard in culture wars: 12th August 2008
Why Costello can still be the one: 5th August 2008
A heated grab for climate control: 29th July 2008
Rudd or Costello, it's a mild ride: 22nd July 2008
The Sorry Sport of Pope Bashing: 15th July 2008
The shrewd move is to just say yes: 8th July 2008
Crying need for doubting Peter: 1st July 2008
Baton passed in diplomatic games: 24th June 2008
Teething pains tied to baby bonus: 17th June 2008
What lies beneath Iraq line: 10th June 2008
Labor's loss over Henson: 3rd June 2008
Libs mustn't let Rudd dictate history of reform: 27th May 2008
Ming needs more than lip service: 20th May 2008
How the middle class will fare: 13th May 2008
Libs will always languish without intellectual brawn: 6th May 2008
Obama strays from the Rudd manual: 29th April 2008
Rights bus unlikely to leave depot: 22nd April 2008
No means woe with a plebiscite set for 2013: 15th April 2008
The real meaning of genocide: 8th April 2008
Reports of Withdrawl Premature: 1st April 2008
Beware unrealistic expectations: 25th March 2008
Habib's lost case a victory for sense: 18th March 2008
Harry puts the prince in principle: 4th March 2008
Opposition dogs need new tricks: 26th February 2008
The culture war crimes tribunal: 19th February 2008
A half-Nelson won't convince voters: 12th February 2008
Keelty not getting a fair hearing: 5th February 2008
Young and free, girt by sea, let us all rejoice: 29th January 2008
When will this reign ever stop?: 22nd January 2008
Middle ground may be hard to find: 15th January 2008
I remember 1968, and I was there: 8th January 2008
The Hicks Fan Club is in Denial: 1st January 2008
The Hicks fan club is in denial: 1st January 2008
A year of fear and loathing and failed prophets: 27th December 2007
Failed policy strong on sentiment: 18th December 2007
Libs will pull through again: 11th December 2007
Anti-climax for an excited left: 4th December 2007
If only he'd retired gracefully: 27th November 2007
What about civil liberties of police?: 20th November 2007
Truck of truth hits a few potholes: 13th November 2007
Due respect at last - from most: 6th November 2007
The Slow Creep of Conservatism: 30th October 2007
Credit Where Credit's Due: 23rd October 2007
Ears to the pulpit, when it suits: 16th October 2007
False Silence Has Everybody Talking: 9th October 2007
Critics face loss of raison d'etre: 2nd October 2007
We must all beware the n-word: 25th September 2007
Positions on work and Iraq make all the difference: 18th September 2007
Pranksters up to unfunny business: 11th September 2007
Repairs needed to bridging visas: 4th September 2007
Welcome to all who pass the test: 28th August 2007
Journalists make a meal of it: 21st August 2007
Media missing Bennelong point: 14th August 2007
Attack on freedom overstated: 7th August 2007
A faction best left alone by Rudd: 31st July 2007
Rudd won't escape Haneef fallout: 24th July 2007
Trivial pursuit of gotcha moments: 16th July 2007
Flaw in Coalition defences exposed: 10th July 2007
Every right to be obsessed by Islamic terrorism: 3rd July 2007
For this radical conservative, it's nation first: 26th June 2007
Separation of church and state is fundamental - when it suits: 19th June 2007
Unseen faces on the ABC 'board': 12th June 2007
Real policy is better than ads: 5th June 2007
Amnesty, from the practical truth: 29th May 2007
Hicks's sensible mood won't stop the debate: 22nd May 2007
Deputies stand by their sheriff: 15th May 2007
Blinkers on in the killing fields: 8th May 2007
Rudd plan offers only a return to an outdated club: 1st May 2007
Why Rudd should channel Hawke: 24th April 2007
Hate in the name of free speech: 17th April 2007
Fragile union, even with a Labor win: 10th April 2007
This advice, by Blighty, is a bit smug: 3rd April 2007
Work Choices spin just doesn't make sense: 27th March 2007
Slack weakens Liberals as the blows keep coming: 20th March 2007
Friends in peace and prosperity: 13th March 2007
From Saint Kevin to mere mortal: 6th March 2007
Time for some Coalition discipline: 27th February 2007
No denying the partnership works: 20th February 2007
Howard is undiplomatic but correct: 13th February 2007
Nothing silly about Rudd's season: 6th February 2007
Hicks makes a case against himself: 30th January 2007
Misery, but only in their company: 23rd January 2007
Moderates say enough's enough: 16th January 2007
Past recalled takes the bite out of Fraser's bark: 9th January 2007
After the gallows, a sombre consensus that justice was done: 2nd January 2007
It's a dog eat dog in the year of hyperbole: 26th December 2006
Sneers Bring Fear of the Old Divide: 19th December 2006
Just Another Sunny Afternoon: 12th December 2006
Time is Not on New Leader's Side: 5th December 2006
It's a Fine Job When No One Notices the Queen's Man: 28th November 2006
Outgunned in the Culture Wars: 21st November 2006
Calm Consensus Opened the Door to Prosperity: 14th November 2006
Religion's Back in the Political Ring: 7th November 2006
Immigration Mistakes Return to Haunt Us: 31st October 2006
Accepting the law is what counts: 24th October 2006
Overdue reforms the art of an editor-in-chief: 17th October 2006
Liberal dissenters have rarely had it so good: 10th October 2006
Beazley will hurt the US alliance at his peril: 3rd October 2006
No security for ALP until the sniping stops: 26th September 2006
A reaction 'contrary to God's nature': 18th September 2006
A lesson the West could not ignore: 12th September 2006
Hyperbole in need of a control order: 5th September 2006
Beyond Canberra, Liberals in a state: 29th August 2006
Unanimous verdict in democracy divided: 22nd August 2006
A smart leader knows when the cause is lost: 15th August 2006
No such thing as half a peace rally: 8th August 2006
Prized crown may fit like a noose: 1st August 2006
Mythology loses out to the facts: 25th July 2006
Hints and gestures have only added to Costello's frustration: 18th July 2006
Take a note: it won't help Costello at all: 11th July 2006
Clear case of misplaced sympathy: 4th July 2006
Keep domestic politics out of Papua: 27th June 2006
Lots of noise about a likely silence: 20th June 2006
Beazley ties his future to the unions: 13th June 2006
Fledgling nation simply wasn't ready: 6th June 2006
Marriage of convenience ill advised: 30th May 2006
Too early for a Christmas wish list: 23rd May 2006
Terrorism part of a bigger picture: 16th May 2006
Tough score for treasurers of note: 9th May 2006
Never put your head in a paper tiger's mouth: 2nd May 2006
A legend wins the culture wars: 25th April 2006
How Whitlam closed the door on refugees: 18th April 2006
Time for non-believers to hear the word: 11th April 2006
Red faces if Greens keep on about an independent Papua: 4th April 2006
Knowing the enemy makes leaders friends: 30th March 2006
Still plenty of life in the Labor Party: 21st March 2006
A curtsy, then back to the future: 14th March 2006
Haters their own worst enemy: 7th March 2006
Leaders right to censure radicals: 28th February 2006
Sober, but a power walker for reform: 21st February 2006
Media bend in the prevailing wind: 14th February 2006
The ABC of how not to win friends: 7th February 2006
The 'facists' the left would have us believe in: 31st January 2006
Hicks makes a case against himself: 30th January 2006
Sorry, mate, but Her Maj's got that gig: 24th January 2006
Going? We'll know when Howard does: 17th January 2006
Grand mythology still blinds disciples to the crimes of communism: 10th January 2006
Of man, myth and calling the shots: 3rd January 2006
Expect more of the same in 2006: 27th December 2005
Critics on the wrong track over racism: 20th December 2005
A no man's land in our our ethnic mix: 13th December 2005
The rise of fascism as an easy insult: 6th December 2005
A new way to fill some of those job vacancies: 29th November 2005
Coaliton troops ill-equiped for battle of ideas: 22nd November 2005
France - no wisdom on migrants: 15th November 2005
A decision difficult for many to dismiss: 8th November 2005
Balance a must in this vital debate: 1st November 2005
Cynicism rife in the party room, not at large: 25th October 2005
Seasick green on the good ship Australia: 18th October 2005
If the push is for jobs, the evidence is clear: 11th October 2005
Underplaying the threat of terrorism could be a fatal mistake: 4th October 2005
The 'ayes' have it on anti-terrorism laws: 27th September 2005
No harm in some valuable introspection: 20th September 2005
The electorate's silence is telling: 13th September 2005
Be it tax or tact, it's all grist to the leadership mill: 6th September 2005
Slow and steady around the traps for young players: 30th August 2005
Lesson one for the naïve negotiator: 23rd August 2005
This young revolutionary was true to his word: 16th August 2005
Work ahead for the master pragmatist: 9th August 2005
Speaking out of turn is not free speech: 2nd August 2005
Reality of war rewrites the script: 26th July 2005
A bow to Mao now so embaarrassing: 19th July 2005
Iraqis, too, are victims of the resistance: 12th July 2005
Latham: the electoral disaster Labor had to have: 5th July 2005
Left intelligentsia misses right turn: 28th June 2005
Popular line is not Liberal with the truth: 21st June 2005
Visa decisions called into question: 14th June 2005
Barriers are the problem, not borders: 7th June 2005
Howard has sights set on a tighter ship: 31st May 2005
Downer reclaiming lost ground: 24th May 2005
Sowing the seeds of global stability: 17th May 2005
Voters make it coalition of the winning: 10th May 2005
One man's failed bushfire: 3rd May 2005
Thirty years on, an occasion for some to say sorry: 26th April 2005
The lingering myth of ANZAC Day: 19th April 2005
Paranoia split Labor for 25 years: 12th April 2005
Similar steps, just different partners: 5th April 2005
From blarney to Sinn Fein bluster: 29th March 2005
Labor crawls back to pre-Latham position: 22nd March 2005
Pragmatism is the order of the day: 15th March 2005
Devil in the detail, but it's now their job: 7th March 2005
Labor tested by Japan's Iraq resolve: 1st March 2005
Terrorism as seen through public eyes and by cynical media: 22nd February 2005
Paper crown when Charles takes reign: 15th February 2005
Terminating debate snubs democracy: 8th February 2005
Iraq's real resistance fights back: 1st February 2005
Face the facts: Latham was a disaster: 25th January 2005
Why Nazism is a joke to callow Harry: 18th January 2005
Minority may yet tax majority: 11th January 2005
No shame in this display of emotion: 4th January 2005
Campaigner stumbles on whitewash of a rascist past: 7th December 2004