opinion
Paul Bongiorno
politics September 14, 2019
The Morrison government is running away from a national integrity commission at breakneck speed. Its reluctance is made all the starker by its unrestrained willingness to seize on the embarrassment caused to its Labor opponents by Australia’s...
immigration September 7, 2019
Seeking mercy for Tamil family
When Labor leader Anthony Albanese flew into the Queensland town of Biloela midweek, the temperature was 31 degrees. But the heat was still far below that generated by the government’s determination to deport a Sri Lankan Tamil family who had called...
environment August 24, 2019
Testing Scott Morrison’s diplomacy
In a frank admission – rare for prime ministers, who like to impress they are confidently in charge – Scott Morrison has revealed what keeps him awake at night. That is the feud between our biggest customer and our closest friend. The problem for...
politics August 31, 2019
Timor-Leste independence and press freedom
At the very time the world’s most powerful democracy is locked in a trade war with the planet’s biggest authoritarian state, Australia’s reputation as a free nation is under severe strain. And nothing highlights this more than the independence...
media August 17, 2019
Press freedom and Hastie words on China
Whoever chose the venue for the first day of the federal parliamentary inquiry into press freedom had a sense of humour. At least, it tickled the funny bones of journalists assigned to the story when they learnt the inquiry was to be held at the New...
ir June 22, 2019
The cost of Coalition tax cuts
The tax cuts impasse between the government and the opposition has opened the way for a familiar play from the senate crossbench. As Scott Morrison was basking in the warmth of a holiday in Fiji, it was the Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick who...
immigration June 15, 2019
All quiet on the Morrison front
Scott Morrison is assiduously doing nothing much of consequence. In fact, this week he appeared to have taken a leaf out of the opposition leader’s book and, like Anthony Albanese, is doing a lot of listening. He has apparently decided this is the...
defence June 8, 2019
Morrison goes from royals to rate cuts to raids
As it was for his many predecessors, Scott Morrison and his wife, Jenny, were ushered into the Buckingham Palace parlour the Queen reserves for meeting her prime ministers. The antique two-bar electric heater was not turned on in the fireplace but...
indigenous affairs June 1, 2019
Morrison and Albanese set out their plans
Already, the race is on for the next election. Both a jubilant Scott Morrison and a perky Anthony Albanese are off and running. Morrison has set himself the task of winning a fourth term for the Coalition, while Albanese is determined to learn from...
economy May 25, 2019
Reserve Bank ends Coalition celebration
Along with the rest of the nation, Scott Morrison could scarcely believe it. His mother told journalists a lot of prayers went into the shock defeat of Labor, and her jubilant son told the cheering party faithful he had “always believed in miracles...
opinion May 18, 2019
A brooding reluctance in voter-land
Bill Shorten began the week on an upbeat note, saying he had detected a mood for change. Constant opinion polling has reinforced his discerned wisdom but there is a brooding reluctance in voter-land. One of Shorten’s key strategists was quietly...
