This forwarded commentary complements the one from FAIR yesterday. This is from the also excellent Institute for Public Accuracy, another US based commentary on current events that I think could be cloned for Australia: from www.ipa.org: The New York Times reports today: “The United States took a series of steps that emboldened Georgia: sending advisers […]

A balanced look it was not: the 4 Corners (ABC) program last Monday showed 3 sides of the figure, but left off a big corner. They did a good job of showing that a) the banks are predatory and irresponsible in their lending practices and b) the regulators are also not up to the task. […]

Liberal Campbell Newman used an ancient form of advertising when he successfully ran for Lord Mayor of Brisbane – the billboard. Large pictures of Newman declaring he wouldn’t stand for "gridlock" dominated Brisbane’s arterial roads. He was everywhere. He owned the place. Now it’s Kevin Rudd who appears to own the place, on some of […]

I’m delivering a presentation tomorrow to the Victorian Association of Teachers of English. This post is to make a point. If you want to know what…you’ll have to wait!

This email from James B turned up in my intray and I thought it deserved a wider audience: Congratulations on your election to the leadership of the Labor Party. One feels sorry for Kim Beasley, especially in the circumstances of his brother’s death. However, it is true that he would have handed a “historic” 5th […]

There’s been a frenzied reaction from some to the Interim Control Order that has been placed on Jack Thomas, the erstwhile Al Qaeda member dubbed “Jihad Jack” by the media. It seems out of all proportion to the restraints that have been placed on him. The controls are that he’s not allowed to stay-out after […]

I wrote: The Australian Historical Association is holding its 2006 Conference at the Australian National University on July 3-7. … One item of note is the session 11 am to 12:30 pm, Thursday “Comparing Menzies and Howard”, with: Professor Stuart Harris: The Differing Economic Policies of Menzies and Howard Government There are few similarities between […]

I wrote: The Australian Historical Association is holding its 2006 Conference at the Australian National University on July 3-7. … One item of note is the session 11 am to 12:30 pm, Thursday “Comparing Menzies and Howard”, with: Richard Broinowski, writer and Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney: Menzies had an embarrassing attachment to […]

The Australian Historical Association is holding its 2006 Conference at the Australian National University on July 3-7. One item of note is the session 11 am to 12:30 pm, Thursday “Comparing Menzies and Howard”: Frank Cain ADFA: Ninety years ago Billy Hughes introduced sophisticated political surveillance system in Australia. This used state police forces and […]

I wrote: The Australian Historical Association is holding its 2006 Conference at the Australian National University on July 3-7. … One item of note is the session 11 am to 12:30 pm, Thursday “Comparing Menzies and Howard”, with: MACKERRAS: Comparison of the Menzies and Howard Electoral Strategies … At the start Associate Professor Malcolm Mackerras […]