If Denis Napthine had an extra $20 billion to spend he might have fared a little better over the weekend in the Victorian election. That's the size of the war-chest mooted by the NSW Liberal government as they head to the polls early next year, pledging to privatise the state's electricity networks.

The Federal Government has announced backdowns on its university overhaul and defence force pay, after what Prime Minister Tony Abbott has described as a "ragged week" for his government.

In a wide-ranging press conference this morning, Mr Abbott said he wanted to address "head on" some of the recent criticism of his government.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says nuclear energy remains an option for Australia, describing it as an "obvious direction" as it considers how to cut carbon dioxide emissions after 2020.

Ms Bishop called for a an open discussion about the feasibility of nuclear power, given Australia's abundance of uranium, but accused Labor of resorting to a scare campaign when the issue was raised during the Howard government years.

Jobs are being reclassified onto lower bands on lower wages. The new jobs, which are about bringing in digital skills, are in lower bands than the journalists that are being let go, aren't they?

The week didn't start well for federal MP Clive Palmer and it's ended badly too with a family home suffering a partially collapsed roof in Brisbane's wild storm.

"If you dress police officers up as soldiers and you put them in military vehicles and you give them military weapons, they adopt a warrior mentality. We fight wars against enemies, and the enemies are the people who live in our cities—particularly in communities of colour." —Thomas Nolan, criminology professor and former police officer

The entire Australian political establishment seized on the tragic deaths of 298 people in the crash of MH17 in Ukraine to ratchet up the escalating US led provocations against Russia.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has accused the Opposition of sabotaging sensible reform after the Government abandoned its planned GP co-payment.

The $7 co-payment was one of the Coalition's key budget measures, but the Government has walked away from its proposal, knowing it did not have enough support in the Senate.

The power to provoke, stir, enlighten, amuse or simply provide a different perspective in a single picture is unique to cartoonists, who have a range of weapons photographers do not.

But the editor of a collection of the top Australian political cartoons for 2014 has warned the art form's influence is facing an inevitable decline.

Defence Minister David Johnston has backtracked on his criticism of the Government's ship-building company, telling the Senate he did not intend to cause any offence.

As our pseudo-idiots in charge are planning to spend more and more debt money on roads, tunnels and bridges while selling power stations to pay for some of this extravagance, one has to ponder about the real purpose of this undesirable destruction, reconstruction and ribbon cutting on a rainy day, while some goose with a sword beats you to it...

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