'I did nothing wrong' says Gillard

Phillip Coorey THE Coalition has accused Julia Gillard of breaking the law by lying to authorities about a union fund she helped establish 20 years ago, while the Prime Minster has dismissed a key witness against...

Caucus battle as Gillard urged to give Palestine UN status

Phillip Coorey JULIA Gillard is facing caucus revolt over the Middle East, with Left and Right factions urging the Prime Minister to adopt a more even-handed approach to the ongoing dispute between Israel and...

Phillip Coorey

No smoking gun but loaded words have already damaged Gillard

Phillip Coorey The gulf between the circumstantial case and anything actually linking Julia Gillard to knowingly having done something illegal as a lawyer 19 years ago is a cause of frustration among the Prime...

All smear but no evidence against Gillard, says Howes

Phillip Coorey THE national secretary of the Australian Workers Union, Paul Howes, has told those accusing Julia Gillard of wrongdoing as a lawyer almost 20 years ago to put up or shut up.

Abbott: put arrivals to work

Phillip Coorey, Judith Ireland TONY ABBOTT is promising to make the people soon to be released into the community work for their limited welfare payments.

Lib plan for dole work for refugees

Phillip Coorey TONY Abbott is set to up the ante on asylum seeker policy by promising to make the thousands of people soon to be released into the community work for their limited welfare payments.

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Phillip Coorey

Boats policy comes full circle

Phillip Coorey There is now barely a difference between Labor and Coalition policy on asylum seekers.

The limbo solution: free, but not to work

Phillip Coorey, Bianca Hall THE Pacific solution is collapsing under sheer weight of numbers, forcing the government to release into the community thousands of arrivals who will be stripped of the right to work and other...

'Unsustainable' mining tax must be fixed - Oakeshott

Phillip Coorey THE federal independent MP Rob Oakeshott has declared the mining tax ''unsustainable'' and said unless federal and state governments sort out the dispute over royalties, the tax must be brought back...

Western Sydney is Labor's blackspot, says internal poll

Phillip Coorey NSW has become federal Labor's worst blackspot, and the government would lose more than 10 seats - predominantly in western Sydney and some held by ministers - if an election was held soon.

Turnbull plays up his frontbench role in TV joust with Rudd

Phillip Coorey Malcolm Turnbull has told voters who want him to take over the Liberal leadership that he won't – but he assured them he would be an influential voice in a Tony Abbott cabinet.

Abuse commission to alert police

Phillip Coorey The Royal Commission into child sexual abuse is prepared to hear testimony from anybody who has ever been abused and will pass information onto police along the way, rather than than wait ''years''...

Gillard takes business on board and plans to establish an accord

Phillip Coorey JULIA GILLARD has heeded the call of business for a return to the spirit of the Hawke government's accord and will establish a new forum to enable opposing groups to come together for the common...

Phillip Coorey

Gillard has Howard's view on juggling US and China

Phillip Coorey Blessed with the thickest of political hides, John Howard has never been one to react to every criticism made of him.

Majority oppose carbon tax, but say they are no worse off

Phillip Coorey A CLEAR majority of voters believes the carbon tax has made no difference to their lives but the same majority still agrees the tax should be abolished.

We will give no more free rides to car makers, vows Hockey

Phillip Coorey THE Coalition has ruled out protection for car manufacturers if elected, prompting government claims it would wreck the industry and cost more than 200,000 jobs.

Protection not the answer for car industry: Coalition

Phillip Coorey The opposition has stepped up its attacks on taxpayer-funded subsidies for the domestic car industry, saying today's sackings by Ford show the handouts do not work.

Business group leader calls for return to days of Accord

Phillip Coorey THE nation's peak business group has called for a return to 1980s-style accords in a bid to unite warring political parties, unions and other interest groups for the common economic good.

How the Grinch stole Christmas in Canberra

Phillip Coorey So rancorous are relations between the government and the opposition that even the humble Christmas party invitation is being used as a political weapon. At least in Labor's case.

Abbott in trouble again after 'urban Aboriginal' remark

Phillip Coorey TONY ABBOTT has moved to build bridges with one of his own MPs, Ken Wyatt, after a falling out caused by Mr Abbott labelling him an ''urban Aboriginal''.