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
It's show time now shadow boxing is over
Michelle Grattan Kevin Rudd is appealing to his desperate and dysfunctional party as its best vote-getter, but he is confronting a seething hatred from his many critics determined to block his resurrection.
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
Coalition in another tangle thanks to Hockey
Michelle Grattan LAST year the opposition got into a complete tangle over its position on the surplus, finally committing itself to delivering one in each of its first three budgets.
Michelle Grattan
Opposition gets itself in a tangle again over budget surpluses
Michelle Grattan Last year the opposition got itself into a complete tangle over its position on the surplus.
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.
It's time now to track the money
Michelle Grattan AT THE time of year when we look back and gaze forward, let's just cast an eye over one success and one failure (so far) of this remarkable Parliament, which still has time to do a few more things.
Michelle Grattan
Abbott's casual approach to Ashby issue indicative
Michelle Grattan Tony Abbott has scored a notable own goal by admitting that he's been vigorously defending Mal Brough without having read the court judgment in the Ashby sexual harassment case that strongly...
Michelle Grattan
Headaches for Abbott as tactics falter
Michelle Grattan Stressing the need for unity during his address to his troops on Tuesday, Tony Abbott told the MPs that if they ever needed to get a message to him, they should just call direct - he would always...
Michelle Grattan
Figures frenzy turns spotlight on Canberra's bureaucracy
Michelle Grattan IT WAS a government sting, and then an opposition counter-sting, which left the public servants in the federal Treasury feeling the pain.
Michelle Grattan
US poll gives Labor audacity of hope
Michelle Grattan Good heavens - now Barack Obama is getting in on the misogyny act.
Michelle Grattan
PM, Abbott on a steep foreign learning curve
Michelle Grattan Gillard is a quick study in foreign affairs, but Abbott has a way to go.
Michellle Grattan
Once again Abbott looks over-scripted, over-loyal
Michelle Grattan Bernardi’s extraordinary contribution to the same sex marriage debate demanded that Abbott quickly tell his errant senator — who made anti-Muslim remarks a few months ago — he was getting no more...
Michelle Grattan
Bestiality comment claims unlikely victim
Michelle Grattan It's surely one of the weirdest falls in federal politics - a shadow parliamentary secretary forced to quit a job for suggesting we could be on the slippery slope towards condoning bestiality.
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.
Michelle Grattan
Is Abbott on thin ice? Absolutely
Michelle Grattan The Opposition Leader's greatest strength may turn into his Achilles heel as the parliamentary term goes into its last year.
Michelle Grattan
Working bee just the start for Abbott
Michelle Grattan In just over a week, federal MPs will be back in Canberra for Parliament's spring session. It will be a doozy.
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.
Michelle Grattan
Second best, but it's not worthless
Michelle Grattan Julia Gillard put in a strong and feisty performance in announcing her health deal, pushing back when questions were critical.
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
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.
