© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY
Read more about the article Icing on a badly made political cake
A wry comment from my former Newcastle Herald colleague Peter Lewis. Used with permission.

Icing on a badly made political cake

Sometimes what seems to be the cleverest solution to one problem can prove to be the dumbest when other factors are considered. I have a feeling that Attorney-General Christian Porter’s defamation actions against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan may become a case in point. The move must seem irresistibly clever to Coalition strategists. It provides a piece of cover for the Government’s already strenuous efforts to shut down discussion of the historical rape allegations against the Attorney-General. It involves putting massive pressure – including more financial pressure – on the Government’s hated ABC. It shows…

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Read more about the article Sweden’s shocking Covid-19 mistakes
Sweden's flag, and Anders Tegnell. Photo by Frankie Fouganthin

Sweden’s shocking Covid-19 mistakes

Living in Australia, and with loved ones in Sweden, it’s hard not to be confronted by the extraordinary differences in the approach of the two nations’ governments to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Australia, after a wobbly start and a period during which I thought our government was giving up without a fight (unmonitored airport arrivals, the cruise ship stuff-up, the happy clapper conference that got the nod), knuckled down to take advantage of its island status and keep infections low – so far. Frankly, I still credit the political nous of state premiers…

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Australia’s year of the skidmark

This was the year that started with a bushfire crisis that sent the prime minister scuttling to Hawaii - telling his staff to lie about it if anybody asked. This was the year of the bushfire recovery fund that didn't seem to help too many people, but provided a handy $10million to cardboard squillionaire and Trump buddy Anthony Pratt. It was the year of the awful drought, which brought to light the appalling destruction of our inland river systems, aided and abetted by the National Party and its friends and donors. Thanks to Barnaby and Angus…

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