Stalled EU-US talks offer a reality check for our own post-Brexit trade hopes
Should we care two hoots whether negotiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP, pronounced ‘Tee-tip’ by cognoscenti) has…
Dear God, am I going to start liking Ed Balls?
What the hell is going on with Ed Balls? Back in the horrible doldrums of the last Labour government, he…
My fascist moment on the ship of failures
There are no roads from the Peruvian river port of Iquitos, but the rich take aeroplanes. Those who cannot pay…
Theresa May’s Brexit minefield
When David Cameron resigned, the Conservative Party Board pushed back the planned date for the election of a new leader…
Pussy galore
I think I might be turning into Alf Garnett. When I was growing up I saw him as an obnoxious,…
Diary
As I was leaving the sweaty Q&A set at the Docklands Studios in Melbourne, a lefty dweeb in the audience…
Why don’t black lives matter at the carnival?
I do not get out very much these days, but the glorious weekend weather persuaded me that I should spend…
Why aren’t there more women in politics? Simple!
As women, we are constantly being reminded that there are not enough of us in parliament. We are being looked down on and…
The poor unloved, ignored Grauniad Austria
The poor old Grauniad Austria — The Guardian Australia, to non-media types. Not only did its parent, the Guardian Media Group,…
The great 18c pigeonholing
There’s a caricature for opponents of section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act. They’re supposed to be racists who are…
Show that you really do believe in free speech
Free speech is being destroyed in this country, thanks to the odious section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which…
Fracking usless policy in Victoria
The Andrews Government in Victoria has set in motion regulatory arrangements that will permanently prevent hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and other…
ScoMo’s super self-imposed dilemma
The Prime Minister and the Treasurer must rue the day they allowed their public service advisers to talk them into…
Back to school with James McGrath
Daunted by wading through the acres of newsprint about today’s first sitting of parliament since the election? Afraid of eye…
Modest mantillas and bashful burqinis: same difference
New tripe on the burqini ban, this time from Jennifer Oriel: “When the Syrian city of Manbij was liberated from Islamic State, women burned…
O brave new political world…
So here we are again. Federal parliament finally is reconvening, a mere four months since it last met and eight…
Calling time on Turnbull
With our pollies going back to Canberra this week for the first time since the election Labor Senator Sam Dastyari…
Ah yes. About that plan, Prime Minister…
“Our plan is clear”, the Prime Minister Facebooked after his appearance on ABC Television’s Insiders yesterday ahead of the return…
Free speech is too important to be trusted to lawyers
On last week’s Q&A, comedian turned mature age law student Corinne Grant shed light on perhaps the most compelling reason…
Time for Barnett to stop being a prat on the plebiscite
The WA Premier, Colin Barnett, needs to smarten himself up. He has every right to remind PM Malcolm Turnbull that…
Time to lead, conservatively
The list of unresolved and vexed issues that confront the new parliament this week would be enough to give even…
We’re all Huguenots now
I’m not one of those Christians who go in for high days and holy days. Truth be told, I find…
Barometer
Golden years How many Olympic events would Team GB have to win before we could earn back the gold reserves…
The yawn supremacy
The BBC has published a list of the 100 best films of the 21st century, compiled after consulting academics, cinema…
Nero’s scandalous spads
Theresa May has brought her own advisers with her into No. 10, and as usual the knives are out for…
