The term fascist used to have real meaning. It applied to Benito Mussolini’s dictatorship that prevailed in Italy from the March on Rome in October 1922 until the man who liked to be called Il Duce was overthrown in July 1943. The word liar used to be applied to someone who said something false with [...]
The concept that a book cannot be judged by its cover is a cliche of long standing. However, in democratic societies at least, it has been accepted that the scope of an organisation can be ascertained by its title. Not so the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. As the recent public hearings in ICAC’s Operation Keppel demonstrate, [...]
The one-time British prime minister Harold Wilson is perhaps best remembered for having said, apparently in 1964, that a week is a long time in politics. Over half a century later, a day is a long time in politics. Just over a week ago, there was considerable talk about whether Scott Morrison would represent Australia at [...]
Where’s the Australian Republic Movement when it might be relevant? There was no sign of the normally loquacious Peter FitzSimons, the ARM’s chairman, after Prince Charles gave his interview with BBC climate editor Justin Rowlatt last Monday (London time). Strolling through the gardens of the royal family’s estate in Balmoral, the Prince of Wales saw [...]
It seems that the advent of Dominic Perrottet as Premier of NSW has placed Nine newspapers between The Rock and a contemporary sectarian hard place. How else to explain the article by Stephanie Dowrick (aka The Reverend Stephanie Dowrick) in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on Monday? Dowrick’s piece – which was titled [...]
Some Australians may regard it as amazing that Laura Tingle remains as the chief political correspondent for ABC television’s 7.30 program with regular appearances on Insiders, despite having accused the Scott Morrison-led Coalition of “ideological bastardry” in a late-night tweet not so long ago. For her part, Tingle told 7.30 viewers on Wednesday that former [...]
It was one of the more extraordinary interviews of recent memory – which was barely covered in the media. On Monday, Stan Grant interviewed Victor Gao on ABC television’s China Tonight program in the wake of the decision that Australia would purchase nuclear-powered submarines from the US or Britain under the new AUKUS trilateral security [...]
If Industry Minister Christian Porter is forced to quit the ministry on account of accepting anonymous donations to cover personal legal costs, then only super-rich politicians will be able to defend their reputations by means of defamation actions. The likes of Clive Palmer, who held the Queensland seat of Fairfax for the Palmer United Party [...]
Just when you thought no further apologies or settlements would be required by the ABC for some time at least, the ABC communications department was busy again this week. On Tuesday, ABC communications released a document by Peter Munro titled “ABC Statement on Ms Represented”. The documentary, which aired for a total of two hours [...]
Queensland – beautiful one year, closed for business the next. This could be the new slogan that defines what some call the Sunshine State if Queensland’s Labor Party Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk stands by her statements of last Wednesday. Addressing the Queensland parliament on Wednesday, Palaszczuk said: “You open this state and you let the virus [...]