New pillars of wisdom

Shane Green In 1996, the Victorian Liberal government almost decriminalised marijuana. Could that happen today?

Australia full steam ahead: OECD

Peter Martin Real estate prices are under threat from the high Australian dollar, but the OECD says Australia is set to grow at just about the fastest pace in the developed world for decades to come.

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Australian companies get first shot at green energy cash

David Wroe Australian companies will be guaranteed the chance to pitch for business flowing from the Gillard government's $10 billion clean energy fund that Labor will announce today.

PM's Afghan funding leaves NATO behind

Nick O'Malley AUSTRALIA'S $300 million commitment to the long-term funding of Afghanistan's defence force is beginning to look generous as far larger key NATO allies leave a Chicago summit having made smaller pledges, or none at all.

MPs urge review for indefinite detainees

Daniel Flitton Labor backbenchers are agitating for Immigration Minister Chris Bowen to resolve the fate of refugees branded a threat by intelligence agencies and locked in indefinite detention.

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NT laws 'need rights testing'

Dan Harrison A UN official has called on the government to subject its proposals for an extension of the federal intervention in the NT to scrutiny by a new parliamentary committee on human rights.

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Pyne reaches into the gloom to deepen government's misery

TONY WRIGHT You might have imagined that after the long panting pursuit of Craig Thomson that the federal opposition would afford him a rest, just for a day.

Wilkie to back pokies reforms

RICHARD WILLINGHAM Key independent Andrew Wilkie will 'reluctantly' back the Gillard government's watered-down poker machine reforms, ending months of speculation and negotiation.

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MPs prefer to sling mud than clean it up

LENORE TAYLOR THE Parliament is united in its professed concern at the toll the Thomson and Slipper scandals are taking on its reputation, but far less enthusiastic about permanent moves for tougher rules or increased scrutiny.

'Realistic' Wilkie backs weakened pokie reforms

RICHARD WILLINGHAM THE independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie will ''reluctantly'' back the Gillard government's watered-down poker machine reforms, ending months of speculation and negotiation.

Rambling Rudd, not-so-garrulous Gillard

JACQUELINE MALEY THE flash of silver hair. The near-constant spectacle-readjustment. The folksy humour and the pigeon-toed swagger.

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Time for Labor to extend olive branch to Latham, says AWU chief

PHILLIP COOREY THE national secretary of the Australian Workers Union, Paul Howes, has declared it time Labor and Mark Latham bury the hatchet and the former opposition leader be welcomed back to the fold.

Email shows MP misled caucus

KATE MCCLYMONT CRAIG THOMSON not only misled a Fair Work Australia inquiry when he claimed to have favourably settled a defamation action, an email reveals the federal MP misrepresented it to the Labor caucus.

Hearings keep Thomson in the spotlight

PHILLIP COOREY THE damage being inflicted on the government by the Craig Thomson affair shows no sign of abating with the MP referred to Parliament's privileges committee again yesterday - this time for allegedly misleading Parliament during his one-hour statement on Monday.

Public education to lose millions, report reveals

Bianca Hall, Kim Arlington PUBLIC schools would lose $673 million and private school coffers would be boosted by $1.3 billion by 2015-16 unless the government introduces urgent legislative reform, new research shows.

Thomson's defence to rort claim will face further scrutiny

MICHELLE GRATTAN The House of Representatives' powerful privileges committee will examine whether beleaguered MP Craig Thomson has misled Parliament in rejecting Fair Work Australia's finding that he rorted nearly $500,000 of Health Services Union funds.

Oakeshott vents anger over Thomson

JUDITH IRELAND 5:18pm Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has told Parliament he is ''frankly angry'' at Craig Thomson for taking so long to make an explanation about allegations he misused union funds, adding that he would recommend a censure motion against the member for Dobell and support debate on suspending Mr Thomson for 14 days.

Oakeshott's carbon push shaky

David Wroe 3:21pm Independent MP Rob Oakeshott's push to scrap the carbon floor price of $15 - a move that would likely cut the cost of the scheme to Australian businesses - looks shaky after fellow crossbencher Andrew Wilkie took a dim view of the idea.

Labor must extend olive branch to Rudd, Latham: Howes

JESSICA WRIGHT 3:15pm Prominent union leader Paul Howes believes the Labor Party must extend the olive branch to former leaders Kevin Rudd and Mark Latham in order to heal the divisions that have stymied the Labour movement and hamstrung its electoral prospects.

Coalition accuses Thomson of misleading Parliament

JUDITH IRELAND 4:22pm The Coalition has referred Craig Thomson to a parliamentary privileges committee, accusing the suspended Labor MP of misleading Parliament.