Was it racism? - posted by Graham

Stephen Hagan says that it was racism that saw Aboriginal elder Aunty Delmae "left for dead for five hours" after she collapsed at a Brisbane bus stop. Apparently hundreds of commuters passed her by and finally it was a group... More

GetUp changes tactics - posted by Graham

So far online campaigning organisation GetUp! has concentrated on encouraging people to send emails and online advertisements to members of parliament lobbying them on various issues. This might have won them some new friends, but probably not many converts. It... More

Last word on South Australia - posted by Graham

There is a standard script for party leaders who are expected to lose. Embrace that expectation, predict a wipe-out and say you're doing your best to hang on, but you are afraid things will be worse than any of the... More

South Australian losers - posted by Graham

The South Australian election has been more about losers than winners, and those will be the Liberals and the Democrats. One of them is likely to go into terminal decline, while the other will be banished from office for quite... More

Two-thirds of three-fifths? - posted by Graham

Question: What do you get when you pay a post-materialist doctor 50% more? The answer, if you're Peter Beattie would appear to be: Two-thirds the person-hours for the same money. In a move designed to encourage more doctors into the... More

Memo to Rann - accentuate the positive! - posted by Graham

The ALP election campaign has misfired badly. It is tending to lower the standing of Premier Rann, leaves Rob Kerin almost unscathed and is guaranteeing a good vote for independents and minor parties in the Legislative Council. At the same... More

Beattie privatises hospital emergency ward - posted by Graham

In the 1995 state election one of the issues that brought the Goss government undone was their false claim that the Coalition was going to privatise the hospital system. The blatant untruthfulness of the accusation led to the Courier Mail... More

Has Howard made us more left-wing? - posted by Graham

University of Sydney researchers Gabrielle Meagher and Shaun Wilson have found that as a society Australia has become more left-wing. Comment seems to assume that this has happened despite Howard, but could it be because of him? My thesis isn't... More

Gaven it away - posted by Graham

Polling in The Sunday Mail today shows the sort of problem that the Queensland coalition has in winning seats from Peter Beattie. It was done in the seat of Gaven where the sitting member, Robert Poole, has been forced to... More

More can be less - Rann's popularity his only weakness - posted by Graham

Most Australians completely despise their leaders, but not South Australians. They mightn't love them, but they'll give them a pat in passing. Rann and Kerin are two blokes who are seen as decent, even honest. One is a capable leader,... More