Chris Johnson on Tony Abbott - National

Broader mine tax to 'stop cuts in PS'

Chris Johnson Broadening the base of the minerals resource rent tax could be exactly what the public service needs to ensure its numbers are not slashed after this year's federal election.

Comments 32

PM denies Abbott his day as grand inquisitor

Chris Johnson Prime Minister Julia Gillard used the Parliament's last sitting day of the year on Thursday to demand Opposition Leader Tony Abbott put up or shut up over accusations she had broken the law through...

Abbott: I won't use gender and class to divide nation

Chris Johnson Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has accused Prime Minister Julia Gillard of trying to divide Australia with gender and class wars.

Comments 8

Public service told to prepare for March poll

Chris Johnson The Canberra bureaucracy is being primed for a federal election to be possibly held early next year.

PM to be focus of fiery final session

Chris Johnson Federal politicians return to Canberra on Monday for what looks set to be a fiery week before Parliament rises for the Christmas break.

PM goes on attack in AWU episode

Chris Johnson Prime Minister Julia Gillard blunted the opposition's attack over the Australian Workers Union scandal on Monday, savaging her chief accuser - union official Ralph Blewitt - in the process.

Chris Johnson

Swan's $16b target to ensure surplus

Chris Johnson Baby bonus payments, private health insurance rebates and the budget surplus target have all been cut, but there is no slashing of public service jobs in the government's latest economic update.

Lawyer questions media presence

Chris Johnson The lawyer of suspended Labor MP Craig Thomson is outraged that the media appeared to have been alerted to a raids on the MP's home before it occurred.

Big picture: Australia in Asia in 2025

Chris Johnson The white paper says that one third of board members of Australia's top 200 publicly listed companies and Commonwealth bodies will have "deep experience in and knowledge of Asia".

PM silent on McKew's claims of disloyalty

Chris Johnson Prime Minister Julia Gillard is refusing to buy into the debate about the removal of her predecessor but Kevin Rudd wants those involved in the 2010 coup against him to come clean about the roles...

Abbott shifts attack to surplus forecast

Chris Johnson Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has turned his focus away from the carbon tax and is attacking the government over its forecast budget surplus.

Slipper exits as tempers flare

Chris Johnson The Government is in damage control following dramatic scenes in Parliament yesterday that resulted in Speaker Peter Slipper's resignation and the Prime Minister mounting an extraordinary defence in...

Slipper takes his revenge on opposition

Chris Johnson Former Speaker Peter Slipper has already exercised his newfound power as an independent MP by voting with Labor to change standing orders against the wishes of the Coalition.

Sexism 'on rise' since Gillard PM

Chris Johnson Parliament's new Speaker, Anna Burke, believes the arrival of Australia's first female Prime Minister has given rise to an ugly and sexist element in society.

It's time to move past sexism talk, MPs say

Chris Johnson Government ministers have urged all MPs to get back to discussing policy instead of the name-calling that has dominated parliamentary debate in recent months.

Fair Work Australia's civil case threat to Thomson's career

Chris Johnson Suspended Labor MP Craig Thomson hopes civil charges brought against him by Fair Work Australia will be thrown out of court but if they are not, bankruptcy could force the independent out of...

Rudd tells world he's still here and he's backing Gillard as the leader

Chris Johnson Kevin Rudd has publicly declared his support for Prime Minister Julia Gillard and has vowed to do all he can to help return Labor to office in next year's election.

Abbott swoops to push discipline

Chris Johnson Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has delivered a clear message to his frontbench that he will no longer tolerate ill-discipline, after forcing his parliamentary secretary Cory Bernardi's resignation for...

Abbott under fire for use of Bali Memorial Garden

Chris Johnson Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been accused of politicising victims of terrorism by staging a press conference in Parliament House's Bali Memorial Garden.