Michelle Grattan on Nationals - National Times

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

Nationals success complicates their long-term ambitions

Michelle Grattan Falling numbers make the Nats' power seem disproportionate.

Comments 34

Michelle Grattan

Bowen policy to deter boats laden with risks

Michelle Grattan Chris Bowen was guest speaker at the federal parliamentary press gallery dinner last night. He had been asked to address the function when it was set for early in the year, but it had to be deferred.

Comments 171

Rudd talks up more Chinese opportunities

Michelle Grattan Kevin Rudd yesterday predicted the Chinese market would hold 'vast' opportunities for Australia's service industries as the resources boom cooled, in another high-profile appearance by the former...

Carbon tax could still cause damage

Michelle Grattan First three months an anti-climax but Labor will continue to struggle with its political damage.

Michelle Grattan

Abbott finds that a taut Coalition is not that easily taught

Michelle Grattan In his Quarterly Essay, David Marr writes that Tony Abbott is in a contest with his own body.

Comments 149

Michelle Grattan

Barnaby's rise hits bump in the road

Michelle Grattan Barnaby Joyce has fallen on testing times after his dummy spit over Cubbie Station.

Comments 132

Michelle Grattan

Asian century's opportunities could be lost in translation

Michelle Grattan Australia has lessons to learn in how to engage with the region.

Comments 85

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

A flawed Malaysia deal would surely be a lesser evil than losing more lives

Michelle Grattan I strongly opposed the Pacific Solution, and aspects of the Malaysia swap plan are also abhorrent, but so many people are dying we have to act now.

Comments 244

Michelle Grattan

Labor playing with fire in its rush to burn the Green witch

Michelle Grattan Suddenly Labor, or at least many in it, have decided they must burn the Green witch. Prominent players have been stoking the fire all week, tossing the vitriol like kindling onto the pyre.

Comments 182

Michelle Grattan

Latest intrigues are Oscar material

Michelle Grattan To have one scandal is bad for a government. To have two running simultaneously looks just too careless.

Michelle Grattan

Nats mobilise cannon against Windsor

Michelle Grattan Gratitude is not a common commodity in politics right now.

Michelle Grattan

A quick hit, or it would get ugly

Michelle Grattan An early reshuffle may have saved Abbott days of uncertainty at the hands of a resurgent Turnbull and defensive Joyce.

Comments 24

Michelle Grattan

Malcolm in the middle

Michelle Grattan Who'd be Malcolm Turnbull right now? Turnbull is preparing to give one of the most notable speeches of his political career.

Comments 28

Michelle Grattan

Bump on the head is least of Barnaby's problems

Michelle Grattan The new Opposition finance spokesman will have to fight his instincts and tread softly in his new role.

Comments 4

Michelle Grattan

Leader courts the revived and the survived

Michelle Grattan Tony Abbott's front bench is kind to Howard refugees, the new leader's right-wing power base, the cockies and a few lucky dip winners, but up to attack as backward looking.

Comments 15

Michelle Grattan

Weekend poll results give Abbott a running start

Michelle Grattan In politics nothing can be taken for granted. If Kevin Rudd had been thinking of a March-April election - which he probably wasn't - he won't be now.

Comments 11