Politics

Leading up to Australia Day, which is understandably known to many as Invasion Day, should we not at least be asking more questions? What model would be better? What do Australians as a people want to celebrate?

Chalmers has taken it to the opposition by demonstrating the dramatic budget and inflation turnarounds achieved ... while delivering significant cost-of-living relief in a non-inflationary way.

Irrespective of the election outcome, Australia’s major parties would do well to study the dynamics of the Pat Cummins-led cricket team … Unselfish, inclusive leadership is the foundation of that really good side … It’s about playing off the front foot rather than endlessly playing catch-up …

The community independents movement is motivated by a shared sense that our democracy is not delivering the benefits it could or should. The offer of this movement is for each and every one to be the change, to turn up, speak up and step up.

Community independents have already made a very significant contribution to better government in Australia. They have pushed for climate targets and policy responses to achieve them, campaign funding and lobbying reform, gambling advertising reform and improved integrity and accountability in government.

Only a foolhardy politician on the cusp of an election year would insert themselves into the summer holiday rituals of the Australian populace. Better to let the voters enjoy the beach, the barbecues and the cricket than bombard them with anything that looks like blatant electioneering.

It has been very rare for the Albanese cabinet to leak, but that changed this week. On Monday, December 9, a story emerged saying the prime minister had warned his senior colleagues that the Murdoch media was openly working to install Peter Dutton as prime minister.

It’s likely that financial markets will be the final arbiter of the Trump presidency. As the reality of unfolding economic numbers fails to match his promises, amid the constant disruption and uncertainty of his administration, financial markets will react, most likely with significant pressure on stocks, interest rates and exchange rates.

The prospect of the Dutton-led Coalition finishing a nose ahead of Labor raises fascinating possibilities on how it would get enough of the cross bench to support it in minority. Midweek, Dutton warned ‘a vote for the teal independents is a vote for Anthony Albanese’. More likely it would be a vote against Dutton and his policies, particularly on climate action. So far he has made no discernible effort to win back those voters who deserted the Liberals for the socially progressive independents.

Sources in Canberra say Albanese was looking for a big bang start to 2025, similar to his stage three tax cuts announcement this year. The idea was to provide a springboard into an early poll, but Trump’s economic policies are an added motivation.