from politicoz …..

Cabinet minister Craig Emerson said Prime Minister Julia Gillard was proving resilient.

Tax is much in the news of late. Treasurer Wayne Swan has been telling us the Minerals Resource Rent Tax is working precisely as it should - not raising any tax. The hospital in Yes Minister worked perfectly too - it didn't have any patients.

The Great Barrier Reef is dying...

WHO is really tainted?

doubtless another issue that bob will be keen to pursue at the UN security council …..

The Labor Party has exploded into open warfare at the highest levels following the defeat of the senior cabinet minister Penny Wong to the number one Senate ticket in favour of one of the lesser known faceless men who helped install Julia Gillard to the Prime Ministership in 2010.

John Howard's politics of conviction and principle are in stark contrast to Julia Gillard's lack of values, argues Robert Katsambis:

“If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.” - Margaret Thatcher

The opposition frontbencher Bronwyn Bishop has revealed that Tony Abbott would have called another election had he succeeded in negotiating with the independents in 2010 to form minority government.

Ms Bishop's revelation confirms the long-held suspicions of the independents, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor, who never trusted Mr Abbott's assurances he would govern for the full term.

Of all the weasel words available to politicians, one phrase appears to be particularly in vogue. The use of ''no plans'' is infecting the political discourse and the disease is especially bad in NSW. The rot began before last year's election, when in late 2010 the Herald ran a front page story revealing that the then opposition roads spokesman Andrew Stoner, who was in line to become deputy premier, favoured time-of-day tolling to reduce congestion.

Counter-terrorism laws have swung too far in favour of police power at the expense of civil liberties and should be repealed, according to legal experts and lawyers contributing to a government review of the legislation.