Writer
Jack Waterford
John Waterford AM, better known as Jack Waterford, is an Australian journalist and commentator.
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JACK WATERFORD. The silence of public service lambs used by a panicking government. (Canberra Times 16.2.2019)
One can take it as read that public servants do not like being used and abused by ministers, and verballed for partisan political purposes. Particularly when an election is due and the indications are that a new lot of ministers will soon be in charge. But public service leaders of gumption and character are supposed Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Why do crime-busters need ASIO-type powers?
Any political cynic will see excellent reasons for giving the Australian Federal Police a lead role in the crusade against online child pornography, the grooming of children for sexual abuse, and other sexual abuse of children, matters which might ordinarily fall within the province of state police forces. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Frydenberg will pick up the election bill (Canberra Times 16.11.2018)
If I were a Labor warrior, thinking cautiously ahead about political warfare from mid-2019 – after Labor had taken government – I might be judging that no present preparation could repay the investment more than a very strong focus on Josh Frydenberg, Scott Morrison’s Treasurer. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Let’s hope independents take lead on corruption. (Canberra Times 10.11.2018)
Perhaps the greatest service the House of Representatives’ six independent MPs could do for themselves and the nation over the dying days of this Parliament is to take charge of progress with a federal anti-corruption commission. Good for them – indeed, all six have an excellent chance of being re-elected – and good for the Continue reading »
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Time to pull the curtain on memorial industry (Canberra Times 3.11.2018)
A fairly safe rule of public life is that the more flag lapels one wears, and the more one speaks of love of country or national greatness, the less likely the person has served in the nation’s armed forces and put himself in harm’s way, least of all in a time of national need. Two Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Morrison lacks whatever it takes.
Only about half the present population were around paying any sort of attention to politics when Graham Richardson was a great power in the Labor Party, in the Hawke and Keating governments and in the land. He had power and menace, and openly relished a reputation for ruthlessness, faithlessness and a complete lack of sentimentality Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Turnbull’s ABC chickens home to roost (Canberra Times 28.9.2018)
Malcolm Turnbull is a gift that keeps giving to the Labor opposition. Scott Morrison’s ongoing efforts to be all things to all people were again derailed this week by the ABC implosion, which saw the loss of its board chairman and its managing director, and a powerful smoky stench as Coalition jihadists ran for cover. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Trust Labor on national security? Sure can’t. (Canberra Times, 9 June 2018)
The looming five by-elections are giving the government an opportunity to polish and rehearse one of the centrepieces of its re-election strategy for the next election – the argument that the alternative government – Labor – is fundamentally unsound on national security policy, as on borders and boat people – and cannot be trusted with Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. We need a Catholic Yom Kippur, and a serious sacrifice.
The major intersection between the child abuse royal commission and the Catholic Church went into act four over the past week. The drama, plot and moral of the miracle play would be much enhanced if scene one, rather than scene four, of act five began with the resignations of each of Australia’s archbishops, along with Continue reading »
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Jack Waterford. It’s time: The Dismissal gave us knockout punch politics, now we should get rid of it.
One has to be of a certain (old) age to remember intimately, as I do, the tumultuous events of November 11, 1975. I knew then that I was being a witness to history and, sometimes, metaphorically pinched myself to be sure I remembered. Nearly 40 years on, it remains the most sensational event of Australian Continue reading »