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
Thomson charged, but Abbott less than arresting
Michelle Grattan With Julia Gillard on the back foot, Tony Abbott makes a foolish ministry pledge.
Michelle Grattan
Timing, PM, is crucial
Michelle Grattan Julia Gillard's problems with her reshuffle will be how it is perceived. Her danger is it will be seen as ministers deserting a sinking ship and that it adds to an impression of chaos, which can be...
Michelle Grattan
Playing cat and mouse on inquiry
Michelle Grattan Investigations into the Slipper and AWU affairs would be bad for both sides of politics and a complete waste of money.
Abbott, be careful what you wish for
Michelle Grattan OPPOSITIONS have a standard tool in their kit bag: it's the call for an inquiry. So there was no surprise when Tony Abbott said the government should set one up into that old, smelly AWU affair.
Abbott's plan puts politics over good policy
Michelle Grattan Oppositions have a standard tool in their kitbag: it’s the call for an inquiry. Any sniff of scandal triggers a demand for a judicial investigation, or even the full monty, a royal commission.
Michelle Grattan
Wrapped in polls, Gillard defies the 'killing season'
Michelle Grattan This will be a bruising parliamentary week, the last of an extraordinary and draining year that has strained voters' tolerance of politicians to the max.
Michelle Grattan
Gillard stonewalls opponents
Michelle Grattan It looks like being a happier Christmas for the Prime Minister than either Rudd or Abbott might have expected.
Michelle Grattan
As standards decline into talking points
Michelle Grattan In the Canberra blame game, no one comes out smelling like roses.
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
Another day, another crisis ... or two
Michelle Grattan The Prime Minister has a set of new crises that will make for a tense and testing week.
Michelle Grattan
Canberra capers fail screen test
Michelle Grattan Paul Keating strongly opposed the televising of Parliament. On Wednesday, Tony Abbott might have agreed with him.
Michelle Grattan
Vindicated after the agony of a lifetime
Michelle Grattan Tim Flannery did a gutsy and honourable thing when he wrote his mea culpa over the Azaria Chamberlain case, which appeared in Friday's Sydney Morning Herald.
The Year of Living Dangerously
Michelle Grattan The allegation that News Ltd was actively involved in the intrigue against Speaker Peter Slipper is not just giving Labor ammunition against its bete noire media company but feeding into the debate...
Michelle Grattan
Tough times ahead over IR and media
Michelle Grattan Political stakes are high and vested interests powerful, vociferous.
Michelle Grattan
Gillard's credibility slips away
Michelle Grattan With time running out, the PM must lift Labor's primary vote above the 30 per cent mark.
Michelle Grattan
Polls and Kama Sutra aside, air of exhaustion pervades Labor
Michelle Grattan In politics hype can quickly become reality. Or reality can fall short of the build-up, which is what happened on Parliament's first day of 2012.
Michelle Grattan
The waiting game goes on
Michelle Grattan Kevin Rudd was active on the Syrian crisis this week, reporting to Parliament and calling in that country's senior diplomat.
Michelle Grattan
When air of mystery favours Abbott
Michelle Grattan It is now clear the government is at no risk of losing Craig Thomson before the election, but the ongoing mystery is good for the Coalition.
ACTU turns up heat on Gillard
Michelle Grattan The ACTU's decision to consider suspending the badly-behaving Health Services Union, of which embattled Labor MP Craig Thomson was secretary, is absolutely appropriate — on grounds of both principle...
Michelle Grattan
Fair Work's hospital handball leaves a mess for the DPP
Michelle Grattan What a total farce! Fair Work Australia, after its investigation of allegations of rorting by Craig Thomson and others has now presented the DPP with a load of unusable material.
