Michelle Grattan

The view from the back

Michelle Grattan Gillard's marginal-seat members fear for their political lives.

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Mike Carlton

Glory days beckon as Gina digs in

Mike Carlton Gina Rinehart's descent upon Fairfax will be welcomed by all right-thinking Australians. As everyone knows, great wealth automatically confers great wisdom, a clarity of vision light years beyond the...

Shaun Carney

Groping for leadership in an hour of darkness

Shaun Carney Has there been a bigger lost opportunity in modern Australian politics than Kevin Rudd's decision not to go to an election in early 2010?

Peter Hartcher

Regrets for Coalition as Labor buys an extra life

Peter Hartcher HARRY JENKINS has given the Gillard government new life and liberty, but only by making a startlingly large personal sacrifice.

Wounded Abbott may need to revisit strategy

Lenore Taylor LABOR'S Speaker surprise is another sign that Tony Abbott's strategy to bludgeon the minority government into an election is falling just short.

The best entitlement of all - for a man who knows the system

Tony Wright He is considered by political watchers to be tricky as a ferret and slick as a weasel - except when he needed to make a quick getaway from a Parliament House lavatory some years ago.

Mark McGinness

Her majesty's milestone a testament to our model monarch

Mark McGinness Ever judicious yet quietly wry, the Queen deserves all of Australia's praise, writes Mark McGinness.

Michael Gordon

Numbers buy Gillard momentary breathing space

Michael Gordon Don't panic yet. That is the message of today's Age/Nielsen poll to Labor MPs grappling with the decision of if - and when - to switch leaders (again).

Peter Hartcher

Round two to faceless foes

Peter Hartcher The head of the Australian Workers Union, Paul Howes, spoke to the Treasurer shortly before Wayne Swan launched his bitter personal attack on Kevin Rudd last week. "Go hard," he urged Swan.

Bruce Guthrie

Out of the frying pan, into the garbage heap

Bruce Guthrie Far from settling things, Monday's ballot has robbed Labor of the last of its dignity.

Clive Palmer

Wayne Swan knows nothing about me, or our democracy

Clive Palmer The Treasurer attacks business leaders, but ignores his own failings.

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Paddy Gourley

He's not the Messiah, he's a Ruddy mess

Paddy Gourley There's nothing quite like a tussle for the leadership of an Australian political party to bring out the worst in people.

Tim Colebatch

Australia gambling big on hopes high mineral prices will last

Tim Colebatch Recession is a risk in the slow lane of the two-speed economy.

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Tony Wright

Daylight robery as grand new Speaker sinks the slipper

Tony Wright The Honourable Peter Slipper seemed awfully keen to impress as he swept to the majesty of his new throne as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Katharine Murphy

The ghost of Howard hovers over Gillard's marriage vow

Katharine Murphy Odd perhaps to note this, given all the eulogising that Labor conferences deliver about Curtin, Chifley, Whitlam and the rest, but an interloper ghost hovers over this weekend's federal ALP...

Katharine Murphy

A policy jackpot for wily leaders

Katharine Murphy Tony Abbott is perched daily on the edge of his seat, a heartbeat away from stealing The Lodge.

Andrew Darby

Lines on a map don't tell the whole story of marine reserves

Andrew Darby The journey has taken so long, you could be forgiven for not knowing when we started.

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Stephen Bartos

Federal takeovers are toxic, not a tonic

Stephen Bartos Recent weeks have seen leaks and speculation about an issue of crucial importance to the public sector.

David Day

Miners might not dig a coal delay, but it makes sense

David Day Greenpeace's suggestion of a mining slowdown should be welcomed, not decried.

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