Forgive, but don't forget - posted by Graham

Bruce Flegg's decision to leave Tim Nicholls on the front-bench after his abortive leadership coup is either an attempt to break the system of factional pay-back in the Queensland Libs, or a sign that every player in this party wins... More

Press bears the responsibility for Santoro - posted by Graham

One moment Alexander Downer is ringing newspapers suggesting that Santo Santoro is suicidal. The next moment Santoro is proving that whilst he is "cidal" it is not "sui" but rather "Fleggi", judging by this article inThe Courier Mail. Bruce Flegg,... More

Not fast food afterall - posted by Graham

If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know I have doubts that fast food is the major villain behind the rise in obesity. A new study says that the culprit is fruit juice. This claim should also... More

Santoro throws his dearest overboard - posted by Graham

When you want to escape with your skin intact you need to sacrifice something which is most dear to you, and to those who pursue you. That's the solution adopted by Medea when fleeing Colchis with her lover Jason (and... More

What would a deliberative poll show on Greenhouse? - posted by Graham

Two weeks ago a deliberative poll held in Canberra persuaded a significant number of participants to soften their attitudes towards muslims - 14 percent, according to Mike Steketee in The Australian. Jennifer Marohasy draws attention to a slightly different deliberation... More

Santoro - from Kleen Kut to Klose Shave - posted by Graham

Bruce Flegg, Parliamentary Leader of the Queensland Liberal Party, obviously believes that there is a larger dimension to the Santoro scandal. "However, what's been revealed subsequently was no oversight and I think it needs to be investigated further," he told... More

Day for outrageous confessions - posted by Graham

Not only has Khalid Shaikh Mohammed admitted to being behind every terrorist act of the 20th Century, apart from the assisination of the Archduke Ferdinand where he merely carried the drinks, but now Santo Santoro admits to not just one,... More

"Hobson's choice" is Green or Independent in NSW - posted by Graham

We completed our first focus group on the NSW election last night. You can download the transcript from here. They were all people who indicated that they would vote against their traditional habits in this election, or had yet to... More

Santoro donates profit to Costello too. - posted by Graham

It's good to see that The Courier Mail is not as cosy with Santo as it used to be - two front page stories (one here) criticising him over his breach of the ministerial code of conduct. Time was when... More

Santoro's misdemeanor a flea compared to the real elephant in the room - posted by Graham

It's a pretty open secret that Santo Santoro and I aren't the best of mates, and that I think the Queensland Liberal Party would be best off without him. But, try as I may, I can't see too much in... More

Debnam reads our play book - posted by Graham

The Australian reports that Peter Debnam is going for the protest vote. Perhaps he has been reading the "speech" that I drafted for John Brogden last election. Or it might be die to NSW Liberal State Director Graham Jaeschke, who... More

Dusting-off the 1980s agendas - posted by Graham

Brian Burdekin, author of the 1989 Our Homeless Children, Report of the National Inquiry into Homeless Children, claimed yesterday on AM that youth homelessness leads to an increase in mental breakdown and substance abuse. This assertion was not questioned by... More

Brisbane Times - posted by Graham

Fairfax Digital Media has launched a new online newspaper in Brisbane, the Brisbane Times - that's the sort of exciting name that you get when you poach most of your staff from the Queensland Times. In fact, that's not all... More

Putting the "story" into history - posted by Graham

I wasn't so much shocked by Manning Clark's exaggeration of his experience of Kristallnacht by claiming to be there when he wasn't, as his biographer's view that you don't go to Clark for facts. So the question is, what do... More

Howard springs trap - posted by Graham

Not often I do a post and events over-take it immediately, but that's what happened to the previous one. Ian Campbell has resigned from cabinet. Howard's not noted for sacking ministers, and this is probably a record for the speed... More

Oops he did it again - posted by Graham

Kevin Rudd is my local member. He ought to drop in for coffee with me sometime - the advice would be a lot better than he's getting at the moment. Ian Campbell having a meeting with a number of people,... More

Harry Potter does lunch with Voldemort - posted by Graham

Rudd's fall to earth couldn't have been more sudden than if he'd lost his broom while over-reaching for the snitch in the Quidditch stadium. And rather than Gryffindore he's looking at worst Slytherin, and at best Huff and Puff. If... More