Judith Ireland

It's that Sound of Music time of year

Judith Ireland Budget time always reminds one of The Sound of Music.

Opposition pays the penalty for baby gaffe

Judith Ireland With the baby bonus to be scrapped from next March, there are plenty of Australians wondering what it means for them.

On the QT

Indiana Gillard gets out of tight spot

Judith Ireland You don't need a PhD in political genius to know federal Labor is in a special kind of trouble right now.

Ending of political thriller is shrouded in mystery

Judith Ireland Look one way and cabinet members are denying or not commenting on reports they are rethinking their support for the Prime Minister.

Subtle spark of life for Kev's cool crew up the back

Judith Ireland The long, low groan you can hear across the country is Australia asking: ''Are we there yet?''

Judith Ireland

Dud dress, hot proposal and asylum insanity mark FDD

Judith Ireland The Festival of Dubious Decisions is an ad hoc affair. It's not tied to any particular date, season or location.

Judith Ireland

Polls apart: Gillard gets taste of good, bad, ugly

Judith Ireland You can picture the scene. A new day has just dawned in the national capital. The Prime Minister has barely opened an eye - not even had time for a cup of tea - as an adviser hovers nervously: ''PM,...

On the QT

Gillard is not likely to be going anywhere soon

Judith Ireland If you're a political leader in a precarious position, it can be hard to know what to do.

Measuring hot air in degrees

Judith Ireland A hot air balloon crashes into the side of Wayne Swan's department, Canberrans look around, befuddled.

Parliament's little games so taxing for the PM

Judith Ireland Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step away from the Popemobile was met with surprise as well as understanding around the world. If one can't retire at 85, how could there possibly be a God?

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Judith Ireland

When tweets go wrong

Judith Ireland Coalition MP Andrew Laming has shaken and stirred controversy with his recent tweet, asking if rioters in Logan had done a "day's work".

Judith Ireland

Abbott baby remarks hit barren political ground

Judith Ireland YOU would think that in the current climate, MPs would vigorously avoid saying anything that could possibly be construed as criticism of Julia Gillard's private life.

Judith Ireland

The storm passes but Tony still dives in

Judith Ireland Yesterday, Julia Gillard was crowned a political ''badass'' by the international media - a leader who could teach the world a lesson or two about misogyny.

Judith Ireland

Turnbull's plaintive cry not all that questionable

Judith Ireland Just how much power does Malcolm Turnbull wield over the wild world of Australia's Parliament?

Judith Ireland

Holy mackerel! It's a fishy, but familiar business

Judith Ireland Nothing can stop HMAS Rudd trawling. Even if he has been banned for two years.

Judith Ireland

Sporting chance of success for asylum-seeker solution

Judith Ireland There is a spirit of peace and fresh starts in the air, no? Not only did the Spice Girls reunite for the sake of the Olympic Games, they have also resolved their 15-year feud with rock band Oasis.

Judith Ireland

How well does Gillard really know Canberra?

Judith Ireland Prime Minister Julia Gillard is rousing on the big bad states of Victoria and New South Wales today for not coming to the party on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Grumpy pollies more than one can bear

Judith Ireland National Simultaneous Storytime may sound like a parent's worst nightmare, but it is actually an initiative to promote literacy.

On the QT

House of insults drives Gillard to distraction

Judith Ireland It would be fair to say that politics is an insult-heavy game.