We were told this would be the week when the Government put its full $80 billion handout to big business to a vote in the Senate. But I won’t tell you how the vote went because like most predictions from the Government, it never happened.
Read More
Parliament is back again next week for the final session before the winter break.
Read More
The Reps only sat for three days this week and Senate Estimates went for four. Here’s my summary of the best and worst of the week in Parliament.
Read More
The debate started on the Budget and it was one of the most effective weeks of Senate Estimates I’ve ever seen. Here’s my summary of the week in Parliament.
Read More
There’s a rhythm to Budget week each year. Here’s the 5and5.
Read More
A lot of people have approached me over the past few weeks saying they read the email but noticed I haven’t been quite as upbeat lately.
Read More
One of the longest-serving MPs in the Caucus told me on Wednesday that this is the worst he’s ever seen the Parliament.
Read More
Yes, there was a lot this week about the crisis in the Government between the PM and his Deputy Barnaby Joyce. But that’s not all that happened. Here’s the #5and5:
Read More
I can’t remember a week like the one we’ve just had. It was even angrier than usual. It was deeply personal.
Read More
The week started with the Government two Members down. That meant we had a minority Government. We didn’t have the 76 required to choose what issues would be debated. But on any issue that was before us, if all the crossbench voted with us, then the Government would be a vote behind.
Read More
Sometimes you can pinpoint the precise moment that everything shifts. We had started the week pursuing the Government’s handling of the NBN, but at 2pm on Tuesday Bill Shorten rose to ask the Prime Minister about resources for the Australian Federal Police.
Read More
Big week. Let’s get straight into the #5and5.
Read More
Malcolm Turnbull was angry. Then Scott Morrison was angry. Barnaby Joyce was next to be angry. Josh Frydenberg then became very angry.
Read More
It was a big week so let's get straight into it. Here's the #5and5
Read More
This was the week we discovered the Government might not have a majority after all. For the first time ever, the Parliament has voted to ask the High Court whether or not we have a majority Government.
Read More
This week the Turnbull Government were in a total shambles. Here is the 5and5
Read More
As everyone heads home at the end of the parliamentary session the changes that are going to be hitting Australians are real. This was the final week to stop the cuts to penalty rates and the last chance to stop the tax cuts to millionaires. Here is the 5 and 5.
Read More
You don’t need inside information from me to know how this week was marked by division within the Government over how to respond to climate change. Remember they used to argue we couldn’t act on climate change because prices would go up and energy would be less secure? Well the Finkel report, which the Government asked the Chief Scientist to write, came back recommending a Clean Energy Target saying it will put downward pressure on prices and increase energy security.
But the hard right of the Liberal and National Parties weren’t going to let evidence get in the way of an internal brawl. Here’s the #5and5:
Read More
It was tax, health and education this week. Well all that, plus infrastructure, climate, One Nation and finally a strange tale involving a giraffe. Let me have a go at explaining the five best and worst things of this week in Parliament.
Read More
Understandably the news focussed on international events and responses. So you won't have heard much about the other issues we pursued in Parliament this week. Here's the #5and5
Read More