opinion
Paul Bongiorno
environment February 15, 2020
Coal-blooded attacks on Coalition unity
When a prime minister has to appeal for unity in his ranks, not one but two weeks running, you know there isn’t any. And the awful reality for Scott Morrison is that he’s got one hand tied behind his back as he tries to restore the promised...
politics February 8, 2020
Climate wars return amid Coalition chaos
The old tautology “deja vu all over again” has become a jarring reality for the Coalition. And shattering the promised peace and stability are all the same factors that destroyed the prime ministership of Malcolm Turnbull: climate change, energy...
environment December 21, 2019
Scott Morrison’s year of living miraculously ended with our elected leader disappearing from view and his whereabouts being treated like a state secret. The attitude that the prime minister’s location is nobody’s business is a strong indication of...
rural February 1, 2020
Scott Morrison’s rebranding mission
Scott Morrison hates the pejorative nickname that has taken hold on social media. “Scotty from Marketing” was conferred on him by the satirical magazine The Betoota Advocate . The moniker has gained currency because it captures the growing gap...
environment December 14, 2019
PM’s clouded judgement on climate
On a day when thick, acrid smoke made Australia’s largest city virtually uninhabitable, the prime minister claimed climate policy success. Scott Morrison told a news conference – which had been called not to respond to the crisis but to discuss the...
media October 26, 2019
The shadowy corridors of power
A citizen’s right to know should be a motherhood statement in our liberal democracy, but too much vested interest gets in the way. Most essentially, the pursuit of power – and the holding on to it – is the primal force distorting the way our...
politics October 19, 2019
PM under the pump over drought and economy
For Scott Morrison, God obviously votes Liberal – that’s how he explains his “miraculous” win in May. His mother-in-law confirmed on election night the family had all been praying for the result they got. On Tuesday, at the National Prayer Breakfast...
environment October 12, 2019
The hot topic of climate change
The ghosts of leaders past are haunting the political firmament as climate change, the one issue that played a major role in their demise, flares spectacularly. While Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten ruminate on their contributions to...
rural October 5, 2019
Prime ministers do their best to hide it, but the fact is governing involves mostly flying by the seat of your pants. And this is particularly true for the Morrison administration, now into its sixth month after its surprise election win. It is...
environment September 28, 2019
Trump awards Morrison metal of honour
Scott Morrison is back on Australian soil with the ramifications of his seven-day Trumpfest romp still to play out. He returns with an accolade from the United States president still ringing in his ears. No “man of steel”, this Aussie leader is a “...
opinion September 21, 2019
Entering Trump’s dinner circle
The duchessing of Scott Morrison in Washington begins today with one of the most colourful ceremonies Donald Trump can muster. The United States Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, resplendent in their 18th-century uniforms and playing antique...
