Keywords: John Warhurst Is Professor Of Political Science At The Australian National University And A Canberra
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 24 June 2009
10 Comments
The Utegate affair has revealed once again that Australian politics at the
federal level is not squeaky clean. Some interests and individuals do
better out of the system than others. But neither is it deeply flawed
and corrupt.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 16 June 2009
6 Comments
What can Malcolm Turnbull's place among Australia's richest 200 people tell us about wealth and politics? First and most obviously, that the extremely wealthy almost always get involved on the conservative side.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 12 May 2009
1 Comment
Catholic Social Teaching promotes the common good, distributive justice and a preferential option for the poor as key principles to underpin any budget. If might is right then the preferences of the strong will overpower those of the vulnerable.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 14 April 2009
3 Comments
The undeclared acceptance by Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, while he was in Opposition, of two free trips to China, has raised eyebrows. In politics, such 'free lunches' bring dangers of bias and corruption, but also legitimate benefits.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 13 March 2009
9 Comments
Governors-General are appointed under a system that
freezes out the Parliament, the Opposition and the people. The controversy over Quentin Bryce's trip to Africa has again revealed the office's vulnerability to partisan politics.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 30 January 2009
7 Comments
Obama's inauguration included official ceremonies, public speeches, street parties and ten presidential balls. Such pomp and ceremony is underrated. If he had been sworn in, Australian-style, it would have been a much duller affair.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 14 November 2008
Qantas' new chief lobbyist is the Prime Minister's recent former chief of staff. The appointment mocks the spirit of the Government's new Lobbying Code of Conduct, demonstrating that corporate money can buy special access to government.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 21 October 2008
1 Comment
Kevin Rudd has a patchy record of bipartisanship. Although Rudd and Turnbull together offer the best chance yet for the republican movement, they have traded blows over bipartisan approaches to this and to the the economic crisis.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 15 September 2008
6 Comments
Independents were once seen as utterly unsuited to parliaments dominated by big parties. The apparent weakness of Independents in being outside the mainstream is their strength: they represent an alternative way of thinking about politics.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 20 August 2008
2 Comments
The lure of leadership seems to have Peter Costello reconsidering his decision to walk away from the Liberals. Whether motivated by serving the community or by personal advancement, once politics is in your blood it is hard to shake off.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 06 June 2008
12 Comments
The Governor-General, Major-General Michael Jeffery, is mounting a defence of the place of the British monarchy in the Australian Constitution. On several occasions recently Jeffery has proclaimed a very conservative view of Australian constitutional arrangements.
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AUSTRALIA
- John Warhurst
- 13 May 2008
1 Comment
This evening's Budget may be the most significant political event of the year. A budget is a particular challenge for a Labor government, given popular skepticism about the party's economic credentials. If Labor wins general acclaim it will have cemented its hold on government.
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