Politics

Turnbull spoke for many in the party room when he pointed out that rather than taking marriage equality off the agenda, Abbott has ensured it will be an issue up to the election and beyond.

We have reached the point where all the key roles in both chambers of parliament are occupied by former student politicians. These are people who have had almost no job but politics.

Labor has begun to show a political adroitness many thought beyond it. And maybe Shorten’s political luck has returned.

Taxpayers are being set up to pay, literally, for Abbott’s lack of skill or sophistication to manage anything beyond government by diktat.

The valley-wide bioregional assessment process has been butchered by minister Greg Hunt and replaced with a box-ticking exercise of little more than a localised environmental impact statement.

This ability to deny reality or redefine it to suit your convenience is, for some, the art of politics. For most sane people, it is simply incredible.

Establishing a royal commission into governance would be a way for the prime minister and the opposition leader to show some dedication to the public interest.

Dragging the Labor leader through this expensive demolition exercise could be Abbott’s last throw of the dice.

Both major parties should be acting to ensure Australia plays by the rules and lets the international umpire have the final say on our maritime boundary disputes.

Asylum seekers must always be seen as threats, queue jumpers and illegals, and never as desperate human beings, men, women and children.