In Brief: Labor Party in ACT to Hold Annual Conference

The Labor Party in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is holding its Annual Conference today just months before elections for the Legislative Assembly, reports the Austrlian Broadcasting Corporation. 
Criticism of various government policies, initiatives and forced changes suggests that the election will be a very close affair.  Amongst such contentious issues include key policy areas of [...]

In Brief: ABC Reports Minister’s Praise for Return of Indigenous Remains

The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, USA, has been praised by Australia’s Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin after it agreed to return the remains of 33 Indigenous Australians that were removed in the 1940’s. 
“These are remains from 33 Indigenous Australians that were taken to the United States and the traditional owners who are going to collect [...]

NEWS FLASH: Australian Combat Troops to Leave Iraq

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has reported that, in accordance with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s election promise, Australian combat troops are to be withdrawn from Iraq by “mid-2008″.  Around 1000 personnel will remain on non-combat duties.
Here is a link to the ABC’s article online: (Copy and paste link into your browser)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/01/2261770.htm
This links to a story [...]

News Flash: Tory Victory in By-election

The previously ’safe’ New Labour seat of Crewe and Nantwich is now in the hands of the Conservatives in another sign from the electorate that Prime Minister Gordon Brown is in some deep, deep trouble.  He is, in effect, up that political creek without a mandate. 
The new MP is Edward Timpson who secured a swing [...]

Australia’s Political and Economic Forecast According to The Economist

Below is an interesting link to the Economist magazine website.  The article comments on Australia’s current economic and political state-of-play. 
http://www.economist.com/countries/Australia/profile.cfm?folder=Profile-Forecast

ABC Unleashed

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) website has a wonderful section called ‘Unleashed’.  It contains (among other things) satirical videos related to politics and current affairs, not just in Australia, but also around the world.  In particular, Hugh Atkin’s posts deserve a special mention including his parody of ‘change’ as a major theme in the US [...]

Australian Labor Gov’t surge ahead in poll (with analysis)

After eleven-and-a-half years in government the recently deposed Liberal/National Party (LIB/NAT) Coalition is experiencing post-election blues of the worst kind.  Not only were the conservatives subjected to a crushing defeat in late 2007 by a resurgent Australian Labor Party (ALP) which included Prime Minister John Howard losing his seat to Maxine McKew (only the second [...]