Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson is the National Political Correspondent for The Sunday Age and The Sun-Herald
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.
Political instability unnerves public servants
Chris Johnson Labor's leadership spill has done nothing to provide certainty to the public sector, which has been left in a state of flux over the government's inability to instil confidence in the people who work...
Protect our war doctors: Red Cross
Chris Johnson The International Committee of the Red Cross is appealing to the Australian Government to help create a global push for greater protection of medical teams in war zones and areas of humanitarian...
Women congregate to celebrate ordination
Chris Johnson There are only three female bishops in the Anglican Church of Australia and this week they are in Canberra celebrating what they and other women priests have achieved over the past 20 years.
North Korean embassy trip put on hold
Chris Johnson The Gillard Government has stalled plans for North Korea to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Australia in light of the latest nuclear test from the totalitarian state.
ACT a model for tax reform, says Swan
Chris Johnson The ACT has been held up as an example for other jurisdictions to follow when it comes to reforming tax.
PM more at ease when she is abroad
Chris Johnson Prime Minister Julia Gillard has confessed she now enjoys representing Australia on the world stage.
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...
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.
Drift to Rudd, as MPs waver
Chris Johnson Labor backbenchers are again being sounded out about the possibility of a Kevin Rudd comeback, while their apparent drop in public appearances suggests a new level of government despondency.
Parliament overlooked cyclone Tracy hero Stretton
Chris Johnson The recent death of the man who led the recovery effort after cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin in 1974 was not noted in Federal Parliament, even though a condolence motion or ministerial statement was...
War Memorial rejects honour request for peacekeepers
Chris Johnson Peacekeepers will not be included for now on the Australian War Memorial's Roll of Honour despite a petition signed by more than 17,800 people calling for them to be remembered alongside other...
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...
Recent form a winner for PM
Chris Johnson Labor backbenchers are rallying behind Prime Minister Julia Gillard, after what some describe as outstanding examples of her leadership over the past weeks.
Israel alarmed at Iran summit
Chris Johnson Israel's ambassador to Australia, Yuval Rotem, has expressed dismay that Iran will next week host a major summit to be attended by more than 30 heads of state and United Nations secretary-general Ban...
Anything to declare? ACT's 4 get it down
Chris Johnson Canberra's federal politicians have accepted the occasional free flight upgrade, sporting and festival ticket, overseas junket or bottle of wine, but they appear to have quickly declared them all on...
Oakeshott gives Labor sharp reminder of focus
Chris Johnson Government MPs are today scurrying to convince the Australian electorate they are more focussed on policy than on the embattled Labor leadership after a wake-up call from key independent Rob...
Poor poll puts pressure on PM
Chris Johnson Senior Labor figures are discussing the possibility of a return to Kevin Rudd as prime minister in the wake of the government's latest disastrous polling results.
