Arthur Conan Doyle’s character Sherlock Holmes referred to the curious incident of the dog that did not bark. This week witnessed another odd circumstance; namely, the unwillingness of certain media outlets to report former Greens leader Bob Brown’s cry about wind farms in northwest Tasmania. On July 8, the Hobart Mercury published an article by Brown ­expressing…

Tom Keneally ‘threw the switch to alienation’ when discussing the issue of refugees and asylum-seekers with the BBC Most Australians appreciate the cut and thrust of the domestic political debate. However, when talking to foreigners all of us have a responsibility to be as factual as possible and to avoid hyperbole. Bestselling author and Booker…

The most important message from Sky News’ two-part documentary Bad Blood/New Blood, which aired on Tuesday and Wednesday, was provided by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. He said the Liberal Party was in the best position it had been in for some years. The Coalition’s defeat by Labor in March 2007 saw the incumbent prime minister…

Illustration: John Tiedemann What’s interesting about the ABC’s headquarters in Sydney’s inner-city Ultimo in recent times turns on that which is suddenly missing at the top of the organisation — namely, the prevalence of denial that has pervaded the public broadcaster for decades. For eons, the ABC board, senior management and high-profile staff have denied…

Unlike Bill Shorten, Prime Minister Scott Morrison went into the election with a modest platform. Yet it won both votes and seats.  In October 1980, the Coalition under Malcolm Fraser’s leadership won its third election in a row. A bit like 2019, except the current administration has had three prime ministers — Tony ­Abbott, Malcolm…