Crispin's articles (21 total)
The lessons from 1914 and the great-power mistake we keep repeating
The build-up of deterrence, alliances and enemy thinking helped drive the catastrophe of 1914, and today’s great-power rivalry risks repeating the same dangerous cycle.
The Senate could leave Labor managing, not governing
One Nation’s rise may not stop Labor winning the House of Representatives, but it could reshape Senate preferences and leave a future Labor government unable to legislate.
Hanson offers whinges, not solutions
One Nation is feeding on real pressure from population growth, housing, health and infrastructure strain, but its politics offers no serious systemic reform – only the familiar scapegoating of outsiders.
Gotcha, or getting tax right?
As the government’s hearing on its tax changes enters its second day, tax reform will be harder to defend if capital tax changes are left standing alone, and Labor should link them directly to bigger income tax cuts for wage and salary earners struggling with the cost of living.
One Nation’s Trumpian threat
One Nation’s polling surge could create serious instability after the next federal election, with the party’s growing Senate prospects threatening to disrupt the balance of power and test Australia’s political institutions.
Why Trump should be indicted
The 2016 Iran nuclear agreement imposed strict, independently verified limits on Iran’s nuclear program. Its existence raises fundamental questions about the legality of the Trump administration’s 2026 attack on Iran.
Death to News Ltd’s propaganda
Let’s not mince words, the “death tax” campaign begun by The Australian and the rest of News Ltd stable is a pack of lies and manipulative misinformation. It is best met with facts and reassurance.
Labor should be worried about the Farrer result too
The Farrer by-election exposed not only the collapse of Coalition support, but signs that One Nation is also attracting disillusioned Labor voters.
Australia: don’t join the war crime
Australia is expected to consider this week a request from the US to join a coalition of allies in a military effort, the 'Maritime Freedom Construct', to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Australia should refuse, even in the unlikely event that others join.
Major parties must adapt or be left behind
Australian politics is shifting towards issue-based campaigning funded by small donors, leaving major parties struggling to adapt to a rapidly changing political environment.
The real budget problem is what we call “spending”
Debates about debt and deficits overlook a central issue – large amounts of “spending” are hidden in tax concessions, subsidies and underpriced public resources.
Private health insurance is a painfully bad deal – and a costly one
Australia’s private health insurance system is heavily subsidised, increasingly unaffordable and delivers poor value – especially for those on lower incomes.
Unwinding the capital gains tax folly
Tax concessions on property and capital gains have driven housing inequality and distorted the market, and fixing them requires structural reform – not Budget tinkering.
Fuel crisis exposes decades of policy failure
Australia’s fuel crisis may have been triggered by global conflict – but it reflects decades of political failure to reduce oil dependence and plan for transition.
The Budget needs real tax reform, not tinkering
Australia’s tax system increasingly favours capital and older wealth while leaving younger Australians with rising debts and shrinking opportunities.
Another poor US intelligence call?
As the US strikes Iran while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, questions grow about selective enforcement of international law and a long record of flawed intelligence assessments.
How John Howard reshaped Australia – and not for the better
Many of Australia’s most pressing social and economic problems can be traced to policy choices made during the Howard years, from housing and inequality to wages, tax and public services.
The Coalition decision that locks the Liberals out of the cities
By returning to Coalition with a declining National Party, the Liberals have doubled down on policies and demographics that alienate urban voters and younger Australians.
AUKUS from where we are – and why that’s the problem
Australia’s AUKUS submarine program is tied to struggling US and UK shipbuilding systems, escalating costs and political whim, raising questions about whether the right defence choices were ever properly debated.
Beginning of the end for the Nationals
The Nationals are likely doomed if they don’t go back into a coalition. And they are likely doomed if they do.
We've had 26 royal commissions. Their failures should caution us against a repeat
Calls for a royal commission after the Bondi shootings reflect public anger and distrust, but decades of experience suggest such inquiries rarely deliver lasting reform or accountability.