The Australian Parliament and Women
To understand how power and misogyny and democracy all flow from the one stinking head, one need look no further than the Australian Parliament right now.
julia gillard
Australia, New Zealand, and Climate Change Politics
What are the implications for New Zealand’s climate change policies of Australia’s change of Prime Minister?
Rudd v Clark
Helen Clark is considered to be to be a front runner for the position of next United Nations Secretary General. But Kevin Rudd is also being talked about as a candidate. And if his previous behaviour is repeated it could be an interesting contest.
Is Tony’s tenure terminal?
Over in Australia a spill motion scheduled for tomorrow may end Tony Abbott’s reign. Former PM Julia Gillard who famously lectured Abbott on his misogyny must be grinning from ear to ear. Update: Abbott has survived with the vote reported to be 61-39 against a spill. I suspect the left will be pleased …
The Failed Estate – An Australian Blog to follow
With Australian elections just around the corner quality Australian political blogs will be in demand. If you want to read a refreshingly progressive and sophisticated analysis of Australian Politics I recommend Jim Parker’s blog Failed Estate. He writes with precision on issues such as the state of Australia’s media, the undermining of Julia Gillard, and the festering sore that is the boat people issue.
Rudd ousts Gillard
Kevin Rudd is PM of Australia again after defeating Julia Gillard 57 votes to 45.
‘The Asian Century’: Aus, NZ
Gillard’s ‘Asian Century’ white paper, and negotiations of the ASEAN trade agreement (RCEP) are significant developments in US-China struggle for dominance in the region. Aussie wants to be a major player. How should NZ respond?
Tony Abbot: misogynist and hypocrite
It really was a pleasure last night watching the most obnoxious weasel in aussie politics, Tony Abbott, getting done over by a fired up Julia Gillard. She was pointing out that his sudden calls against sexism and misogyny could be better applied to himself. Then she spent glorious minutes detailing exactly why Tony Abbott was the last politician in Austrailia who could throw dirt using these charges.
Labour’s diminishing vision
Our Labour activist guest poster asks where the coherence is in Labour’s communications strategy. Having a look at the lack of narrative across the Labour parties here, in Australia, and in the UK; he points to a place where narrative is done well in left politics – it is in the USA.
Caption contest
Go Gillard!
I’ve been impressed with Labour on both sides of the ditch lately. Here of course Phil Goff’s Labour party has moved very boldly on the CGT. But across the ditch in Oz, Labor leader and PM Julia Gillard is fighting an even tougher battle on carbon pricing. Go Gillard!
Greens right on Gillard
It seems odd at first, blocking our closest friend’s leader from speaking in our Parliament, but the Greens were right to look at the higher principle. The debating chamber is where our sovereign assembly meets, it is not a place for foreigners to come, at the government of the day’s invitation, and lecture our elected representatives. I think the NBR put it best..
Assange voluntarily goes to British court on extradition
Now that the Swedish prosecutors have finally given the British police a document that they can work with, Assange turned himself in, and […]
Gillard gives Key the finger
It’s highly unusual for a new PM to meet a foreign leader of the opposition before she meets her fellow leader. But Julia Gillard’s direct snub of John Key is a fair payback for the leaks by the Key Government to try to help his mate Tony Abbott win the Australian election. Key didn’t set up the Gillard-Goff meeting. But his actions certainly cleared the way.
It’s Gillard
Independent MP Tony Windsor has decided to support the Labor Party into government, with fellow independent Rob Oakeschott expected to follow suit. The country independents say the best bet for rural regions is to remain independent and stick up for themselves – lessons for NZ?
Aussie election: Gillard holds the advantage
A week after Australia went to the polls the outcome is still unclear. However, with the last seat (Brisbane) pretty much decided, I’d put my money on Julia Gillard remaining Prime Minister and Labor retaining power. Take a look at the numbers…
Australian election
Our cousins on the West Island are winding up their election day soon, culminating a dramatic couple of months for Australian politics. It may be that Kevin Rudd gets the last laugh…
New Australian PM
Kevin Rudd is gone, and Australia has its first female PM.
It’s been a dramatic fall for Rudd, who was so incredibly popular for his first two years in office.
Rudd for the chop, Gillard to take the reins
Kevin Rudd has lost the support of the powerful Australian Workers’ Union and an array of the ALP’s factions to Julia Gillard. It’s been a dramatic fall for Rudd, who was so incredibly popular for his first two year’s as PM (if it can happen there…). Gillard will make a stark contrast to the strange conservative leader of the Liberals, Tony Abbott, but has a lot of work to do.