Michelle Grattan
Michelle Grattan is the political editor of The Age. In 2008, she shared the Melbourne Press Club Lifetime Achievement Award with Laurie Oakes. She edited the books 'Reconciliation' and 'Australian Prime Ministers' (2000), and wrote 'Back on the Wool Track' (2004).
Abbott digs himself a hole
Michelle Grattan It was Tony Abbott's very bad day. The belated costings of his election policies came back to bite him.
Anything goes in scramble for power
Michelle Grattan The 'whatever it takes' flavour of this desperate battle between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott is evident in the Opposition Leader's offer of $1 billion for the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Brown the winner in hard-ball game
Michelle Grattan This might be a very 'old paradigm' view of things, but Bob Brown seems to have had a comprehensive win over Julia Gillard.
The calm before the storm for the indies
Michelle Grattan The three country independents - the ''indies'', as they are becoming known - must be dreading emerging from their present cocoon of briefings and early negotiations.
Another election would just jangle the nerves of sour and jaded voters
Michelle Grattan The greatest opposition the main parties face at this point comes from within.
Tony Abbott's 'leak' argument hides real motives
Michelle Grattan Abbott's argument that he won't have opposition policies costed until an alleged Treasury campaign leak is dealt with is too small a fig leaf to cover hid real motives.
This tiptoe along the precipice has an awful lot of downsides
Michelle Grattan It's not a good sign when the best way out may be a fresh election.
They asked - and received
Michelle Grattan They just had to ask. The three country independents got all they wanted from the PM. Tony Abbott's response was a little more qualified but they did well out of him too.
Novel idea just makes independent look naive
Michelle Grattan Rob Oakeshott calls his bold model for consensus politics 'cheeky'. Others might describe it as naive.
Workings of democracy are not always democratic
Michelle Grattan Labor is blaming Kevin Rudd again, but what Julia Gillard must do is cut adrift the faceless men.
One extraordinary ride
Michelle Grattan There is the smell of desperation about Julia Gillard as this campaign winds up with any result possible.
What's next for the loser?
Michelle Grattan A Liberal loss would herald a generational change, but for Labor it would be devastation.
This is not the election to bet big money on
Michelle Grattan Labor figures are wandering around with worried faces, warning that the sky could fall.
Costings debate smoke and mirrors
Michelle Grattan What an accountants' picnic! Figures galore — billions in spending and savings, tumbling forth. Labor couldn't wait for the Coalition's release of its numbers late yesterday.
Tedious debate about a debate
Michelle Grattan The election seemed in danger of disappearing up its own entrails yesterday. First there was the debate about another Debate.
PM gets the job done at low-key launch
Michelle Grattan Julia Gillard's launch was a carefully packaged, narrowly focused product, designed with several strategic purposes in mind.
Showing disdain for honesty charter
Michelle Grattan Sometimes we are way too cynical about politicians. Other times, you legitimately wonder how they sleep at night.
All or nothing as Tony faces final hurdles
Michelle Grattan A respectable loss for Abbott is no more than a temporary psychological crutch and only a win will suffice.
Parties consider the shape of cabinets to come as they enter countdown week
Michelle Grattan IN THIS final frantic campaign week, the players will be trying to concentrate on the moment but they'll also be thinking about after polling day – the shape of government, in the event of a...
Coalition draws a long bow
Michelle Grattan The Opposition tax policy is thin, but not all bad. It does, however, have one downright silly measure.
