Michelle Grattan
Michelle Grattan is the political editor of The Age. In 2008, she shared the Melbourne Press Club Lifetime Achievement Award with Laurie Oakes. She edited the books 'Reconciliation' and 'Australian Prime Ministers' (2000), and wrote 'Back on the Wool Track' (2004).
Michelle Grattan
Kinder, gentler politics? Not a chance
Michelle Grattan CHRISTOPHER PYNE didn't exactly promise kinder, gentler politics in canvassing last week plans for parliamentary reform under an Abbott government.
James Ashby lost the battle but won the war
Michelle Grattan James Ashby has lost his court battle but he has won his wider war. In this dramatic case, the law and politics intersected.
Face it, Prime Minister: Slipper is not fit for high office
Michelle Grattan Gillard and her colleagues, women and men, should just say it. That Slipper is not a fit and proper person to hold this high office.
Michelle Grattan
Misogyny war has no winner
Michelle Grattan The PM may have made a hero of herself to some feminists but she did the wrong thing in trying to protect the sexist Peter Slipper.
Michelle Grattan
Barnaby scores a win with grace under pressure
Michelle Grattan The Nationals Senate leader is showing political poise.
Michelle Grattan
Barnaby is no longer the Joyce of old
Michelle Grattan A good test of a politician is how they handle thwarted ambition.
Michelle Grattan
Oakeshott's code of limited value
Michelle Grattan When Parliament returns, it will debate Rob Oakeshott's proposal for House of Representatives MPs to have a code of conduct.
Michelle Grattan
Greens are as stubborn as Abbott
Michelle Grattan Mostly it's the opposition that has been in the frame for stymieing efforts to get a more effective policy to combat people smuggling.
Michelle Grattan
PM wins votes but not voters
Michelle Grattan Julia Gillard receives little credit for getting major legislation through a difficult Parliament.
Michelle Grattan
Caught in the thick of it
Michelle Grattan Peta Credlin deserves a starring role in an Australian version of West Wing, or The Thick of It.
Michelle Grattan
Slipper was always a bad fit and should not be reinstalled
Michelle Grattan Speaker Peter Slipper is not an appropriate occupant of a position that carries all the symbolism of Parliament's role at the apex of our democratic system.
Michelle Grattan
Abbott close to finishing line but we still need two in the race
Michelle Grattan A healthy parliamentary majority is better than an overwhelming one.
Michelle Grattan
Draining it may be, but the Thomson fallout has its positives
Michelle Grattan On the bright side, debates on improving Parliament and unions have been spurred.
Michelle Grattan
Draining it may be, but the Thomson fallout has its positives
Michelle Grattan On the bright side, debates on improving Parliament and unions have been spurred.
Michelle Grattan
Labor facing battle to save the furniture
Michelle Grattan Behind the horror scenes, the ALP must now switch to election survival mode.
Michelle Grattan
Surprising stability in Canberra no guarantee of lasting calm
Michelle Grattan The hung parliament's enterprising crossbenchers keep both sides on high alert.
Michelle Grattan
Conscience vote PM's best option
Michelle Grattan Same-sex marriage may not be the biggest of the issues Gillard has to grapple with, but it's potentially very costly.
Michelle Grattan
Plenty of bark, any bite?
Michelle Grattan Leaders talking up their grand plans is all very well, but action needs to follow.
Michelle Grattan
All aboard the wild ride
Michelle Grattan Week one of the hung parliament has produced all the fun of the fair.
Michelle Grattan
This tiptoe along the precipice has an awful lot of downsides
Michelle Grattan It's not a good sign when the best way out may be a fresh election.
