REFORM IN THE AGE OF POPULISM – THE NEW BATTLELINES Wherever the Abbott government didn’t need to pass legislation through an intractable senate, decisions were made and decisions were put into practice: the boats were stopped; national security was strengthened; and a big project in limbo for decades, the Western Sydney airport, got underway. Right…
Published in the Daily Telegraph, 1 June 2017 The coroner’s report into the Lindt Café siege should be the wake-up call that Australia desperately needs. There was a litany of errors that ultimately led to the deaths of two innocent people at the hands of an Islamist fanatic: he should never have been granted refugee…
Published in The Australian, 22 May 2017 We read and reread great speeches not just for what they say about other times, but for what they say about ours. Great speeches don’t just speak to their own day, but to all days. Even if not all their facts are relevant, their values most certainly are….
The advantage of being on the backbench is that you have the time to reflect, and the freedom to speak. The advantage of being a former frontbencher, party leader and prime minister on the backbench is that your reflections are informed, perhaps uniquely informed, by the good and the bad of a long public life. …
Pulbished in The Daily Telegraph, 17 April, 2017 For the past 20 years, I’ve done an annual long distance charity bike ride, the Pollie Pedal. It’s raised more than $5 million for numerous good causes (Soldier On, this year) as well as raising awareness of cycling as a good way to see the country and…
Published in the Herald Sun, 24 March 2017 If we are serious about tackling Australia’s looming energy crisis, the last thing we should be doing is closing 20 per cent plus of Victoria’s (and 5 per cent of Australia’s) base load power supply. Yet that’s what’s scheduled to happen next week unless there is an…
Shiela thank you so much, it’s wonderful to be here. I am conscious as I gaze around this room and I see an extremely distinguished audience but I also see that the ghosts of great men inhabit this club and hopefully inspire those that come after them to greater deeds. If I may say so…
This is an important book because of what it says about our collective state of mind. Many of the people who normally support Coalition governments aren’t happy. They are publishing their own ways to “make Australia right” because, they think, the government is not up to it. It’s a heartfelt plea from people who think…
The past year has shown us what happens when mainstream parties lose touch with their supporters. That was the big lesson of 2016. And heed it we must if we are to make a success of the coming year. The British electorate rejected their prime minister’s advice – and that of the political class generally…
New South Wales is losing a great premier and Mike can be proud of what he has achieved. Those who see politics as a calling might be disappointed that he’s going after just over two and a half years and lament more turnover in our public life. As his friend and colleague, I have a…