Writer
Mungo McCallum
Mungo MacCallum is a veteran political journalist and commentator. His books include Run Johnny Run, Poll Dancing, and Punch and Judy. mungomccallum@staging-johnmenadue.kinsta.cloud
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MUNGO MacCALLUM. A treaty with indigenous Australians.
The idea of a country negotiating a treaty with its indigenous inhabitants is hardly novel. Three of our closest friends and allies (New Zealand, Canada and the United States) have all done so successfully, and none of their nations fallen into terminal division and chaos. And of course even in Australia, a treaty has Continue reading »
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MUNGO MacCALLUM. A jaded slogan: economic plan for jobs and growth.
Malcolm Turnbull’s supporters have been praising him for keeping on his message, which at least has the virtue of simplicity: my government has a national economic plan for jobs and growth. Beauty is truth, truth beauty, and this is all ye know on earth and all ye need to know, as John Keats more elegantly Continue reading »
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MUNGO McCALLUM. Malcolm Turnbull and NBN leaks.
Malcolm Turnbull is all very holy about the independence of the Federal Police following last week’s raid on ALP offices and homes over embarrassing (to him) NBN leaks. Why, the government had absolutely nothing to do with the cops, the Prime Minister asserted virtuously. Bill Shorten should be ashamed of even thinking such a thing. Continue reading »
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MUNGO MacCALLUM: Rituals of irrelevance and distraction.
So we have at last reached a marker along the long trek to the election. The Pre-election economic and fiscal outlook (PEFO) was announced at the end of the second week, which is supposed to mean just where we and our political masters see the state of the nation. PEFO was, like all its predecessors, Continue reading »
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MUNGO MacCALLUM: Tax – in the eye of the beholder.
The dementors of Newscorps couldn’t believe their luck. When the hapless Duncan Storrer rose to ask why rich people were to receive tax cuts while the poor, like himself, did not, the man ticked all the boxes. He was obviously a victim, and presumably a whinger. And he was not only an invited guest of Continue reading »
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Mungo MacCallum. Turnbull/Morrison mantra: jobs and growth.
Our economic plan for jobs and growth … jobs and growth…jobs and growth… jobs and growth … sobs of mirth … Hobson’s Choice … blobs and froth .. … The trouble with endlessly repeating slogans is that they become meaningless babble. Just what the Turnbull/Morrison mantra will sound like in another eight weeks beggars Continue reading »
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Mungo MacCallum. So that was the week that wasn’t.
We were promised drama and suspense, the start of a massive showdown in the senate over the Building and Construction Commission bill, a clash of egos leaving us wondering how and when it would end. And we were hoping for some action in the House of Representatives, too – the session might be rudely Continue reading »
