Ley's by-election to test Coalition
The looming by-election in Farrer is shaping as a four-cornered contest that could reveal how vulnerable the Coalition has become.
Recent articles in Politics
17 February 2026
‘It’s my government’: Robert Reich's short note to Kristi Noem
To a current US cabinet secretary from a former one.
17 February 2026
A government without an effective opposition is a danger to democracy
The Coalition’s internal decay has left Australia without an effective opposition at a time when scrutiny, debate and accountability are more necessary than ever. The result is not just a party in trouble, but a democratic failure.
17 February 2026
UN defends Rapporteur after coordinated European pressure campaign
UN warns of attacks on independent experts after European states target rapporteur over disputed Gaza remarks and sanctions.
17 February 2026
Sobriety, friendship and the quiet power of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous has helped millions of people stop drinking. Drawing on his long friendship with Barry Humphries and the experience of Anthony Hopkins, Ross Fitzgerald reflects on sobriety, friendship and what sustained recovery makes possible.
17 February 2026
How Iran’s current unrest can be traced back to the 1979 revolution
Repeated waves of protest show Iranians have lost faith in the promises of the 1979 revolution. But history suggests ideology can fail long before a regime does.
17 February 2026
When both sides chant 'lower tax', the country pays in division
As the Coalition reasserts “lower tax” as political identity and Labor rushes to deny the high-tax label, Australian politics is losing the language needed to fund shared purpose, rebuild trust and sustain public life.
16 February 2026
Whose rights and liberties I respect
In the wake of the Bondi attack and the visit of Israel’s president, governments claimed to be defending social cohesion. What followed instead were expanded police powers, legislated language, and a narrowing of democratic rights – exposing how conditional Australia’s freedoms can be.
16 February 2026
Global growth in 2026 will be led overwhelmingly by Asia
China and India are set to account for more than 40 per cent of global GDP growth in 2026, with the Asia-Pacific region responsible for nearly 60 per cent. The data confirms a long-term shift in economic power that Australia’s politics and media remain slow to recognise.
16 February 2026
Playing deputy sheriff on Taiwan comes with costs Australia will wear
Calls for Australia to take a more forward-leaning stance on Taiwan repeat a familiar pattern – moral symbolism paired with strategic vagueness. Past experience suggests the applause is loud, but the economic consequences are real and largely borne alone.
16 February 2026
John Mitchell, David Lindenmayer and Bruce Chapman: Keeping the farm in the family can come at a high cost
As Australia’s farming population ages, poorly planned succession can destroy wealth, fracture families and leave no one better off.
16 February 2026
Handshake diplomacy with Prabowo won’t secure shared values
Australia’s new security treaty with Indonesia is heavy on symbolism but light on substance. As President Prabowo Subianto tightens his grip on power, warm rhetoric from Canberra risks obscuring growing democratic regression and human rights abuses.
16 February 2026
Bad Bunny, good neighbour
Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance was a cultural moment at the centre of American life that exposed a deeper political truth – while music celebrates belonging across borders, US foreign policy continues to enforce domination through sanctions, blockades and collective punishment.
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Capital gains tax reform could reshape Australia’s housing market
