Category: socialdemocracy

Mr Tudge breached the ministerial standards and Mr Porter has had, at the very least, long-term misogynistic behaviour incompatible with the role of Attorney-General revealed for the world to see. In light of the allegations which are undisputed with regards to Tudge, and apparently well corroborated with regard to those against Porter, presented in last night’s episode of Four Corners, both should resign immediately.

Continue reading “Tudge and Porter must resign; Porter must be struck off if he sues Four Corners” →

The Liberal-National coalition is the only major Australian party that seems to openly invite homophobes into their ranks. They do not nearly enough to openly condemn homophobia among their members and supporters and even have homophobes in public office.

Continue reading “Reflections on the campaign so far: Liberals and homophobia” →

Kirralie Smith is an outrage merchant who peddles conspiracy theories about people who are either from non-white or non-straight backgrounds for attention.

Continue reading “Interstate transphobe who can’t read intervenes in ACT election” →

On Sunday, Bridget McKenzie finally resigned from the ministry – setting off a leadership battle in the National Party in the process – but not for stealing $100 million dollars of Sports Australia’s money to run a re-election slush fund. It was a technicality, her membership of a clay target shooting club to whom she gave a grant constituted an conflict of interest in breach of the ministerial code.

Continue reading “You can break the law. Just don’t break my rules.” →

Last night, Daniel Wild, the Director of Research at conservative think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, published an article on Sky News in which he argues that Senator McKenzie is the victim of a “political hit-job” carried out by the ANAO at the request of shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus.

Mr Wild is wrong and his article shows an incredible lack of research and a lack understanding of how the ANAO, the public service and Australian democracy work. This post will explain why he is wrong by annotating the entire article.

Continue reading “IPA researcher Wild doesn’t understand the ANAO. Or democracy. Or much of anything, really.” →

When a public servant appropriates $100 million in government money for dishonest purposes contrary to law, we call it theft; a criminal offence which carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. When the public servant’s boss – the Minister – does it, however, it seems we’re not supposed to care.

Continue reading “Lock Her Up!” →

Whenever an incident of wage theft is publicised, we always hear the business lobby screech that the union movement’s proposed criminalisation of wage theft will “discourage entrepreneurship” or some other nonse argument. Of course, this ignores that businesses are required to exercise due diligence when doing basically any other transaction – so why not wages?

Continue reading ““Mistakes” not an excuse for wage theft” →

Mina Zaki, Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Canberra, may or may not be an Afghani dual citizen. We don’t know for sure because Zaki left a key piece of documentation off of her disclosure with the AEC. Here’s why she should, despite her objections, tell us more.

Continue reading “Why we can’t take Mina Zaki at her word on her dual citizenship” →

No one realised at the time but Malcolm Turnbull forcing his detractors to sign the infamous letter against his leadership last August has proven to be one of the best tools of the election for those fighting from all directions but the right.

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Continue reading “Without realising, Turnbull made the best move of the election” →

Clive Palmer, for whatever reason, has been trying to resurrect his abortive political career even though the electorate said good riddance more than three years ago.

Continue reading “Countering Clive Palmer’s unwanted Comeback” →