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National Times

Politics

Self-interest at heart of super industry gripe

Ross Gittins

ROSS GITTINS Opinion Politicians must steel themselves to fix a mess that will keep growing.

Sunshine House becomes lost in the sleazy shadows

Peter-Costello-opinion

PETER COSTELLO Opinion A minority government protects conduct that should not be tolerated.

The fair go has fairly gone

Chris Middendorp

Chris Middendorp Opinion We are a scandalously divided nation, and a little class warfare is very welcome.

Comments 5

Bitter tears hide super self interest

Ross Gittins dinkus

ROSS GITTINS Opinion Have you noticed? Our guardians in the superannuation industry have come out swinging to defend us against the changes to superannuation announced in the budget. Mark Payne, a partner in the legal firm Hall & Wilcox, says ''anyone that has turned 50 can feel dudded''.

Comments 14

Origin of the species: what a state we're in

Debra-Jopson

Debra Jopson Opinion It's a clunky name, but the people of NSW should be grateful that the very colonial moniker given their state makes it almost impossible to herd them into one descriptor, such as ''Territorians'' or ''Queenslanders''.

Why changing drug laws is a political problem, not a scientific one

Don Weatherburn dinkus

Don Weatherburn Opinion The overarching goal of Australian drug policy is harm minimisation. One obvious way to minimise drug related harm is to prohibit its use.

This inquiry is a nonsense

grattan-analysis

Michelle Grattan Opinion In political terms, Labor is sensible to agree without a fight to the privileges committee looking at whether Craig Thomson has told the truth - but the inquiry itself is surely a bit of a nonsense.

China throws book, but Carr parries with chapter and verse

Peter Hartcher dinkus

PETER HARTCHER Opinion China's leaders are notorious for giving foreign visitors lectures in history to explain current realities. Last week Bob Carr turned the tables on them.

Comments 55

Time to put to rest claims of Abbott's DLP tendencies

Gerard Henderson dinkus

GERARD HENDERSON Opinion In politics it does not take long for throwaway lines to become established mythology and later perceived truth. The possibility that Tony Abbott might become prime minister is focusing attention on his political background and how this might influence his current attitudes.

Indonesia's radical shift

Michael Bachelard

Michael Bachelard Opinion Extremists have swapped bombs for martial arts in a brand of arrogant Islam that is asserting itself - not even Lady Gaga is safe.

Literary classics are not a trash and treasure mix

Peter-Craven-opinion

Peter Craven Opinion Text Publishing may just cheapen the brand with its definition of a masterpiece.

Comments 10

The world holds its breath as Europe struggles in the quicksand

Tim-Colebatch-opinion

TIM COLEBATCH Opinion The consequences of the EU's austerity drive look increasingly dangerous.

Comments 68

Thomson: A tale full of sound and fury

Daniel-Flitton-opinion

DANIEL FLITTON Opinion At least this nasty mess has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of our system.

An extraordinary spectacle

Michelle Grattan

MICHELLE GRATTAN Opinion Well, what happens now? Craig Thomson has done the thing everyone demanded.

MP ticked the right boxes

Peter Hartcher dinkus

PETER HARTCHER Opinion IT LOOKS like the government has got away with it. That's what the Craig Thomson excitement was all about yesterday - can the Gillard government, with its wafer-thin advantage, survive his statement to Parliament?

Comments 166

Hardly Atticus Finch, but demanded attention

Jacqueline Maley dinkus

JACQUELINE MALEY Opinion ''YOU have unleashed the lynch mob,'' the member for Dobell told the Coalition.

Thomson believed what he was saying: body language expert

Craig Thomson

Glenda Kwek Opinion Federal MP Craig Thomson was nervous and appeared uncomfortable during his parliamentary address - but he believed what he was saying, body language experts say.

Craig's list: the greatest conspiracy of them all

tony-wright-news

TONY WRIGHT Opinion If you were to believe him, Craig Thomson is the victim of the greatest conspiracy in modern Australian public life. Enemies within the Health Services Union, an incompetent and possibly malicious Fair Work Australia, large sections of the media, a federal Opposition unfit to govern...all have conspired to ruin his life and his mental health.

Believe him or not, Thomson rises to occasion

Jacqueline Maley.

JACQUELINE MALEY Opinion It’s not often you can sit in Parliament for an hour, listening, and be totally captivated.

Mud, splat and tears on 'judgment day'

Craig Thomson: 'You've damaged democracy' (Thumbnail)

LENORE TAYLOR Opinion It was supposed to be Craig Thomson's ''judgment day''. Instead he told the parliament and the media they had no right to pass final judgment on anyone. And the parliament? It just continued to throw mud.

Thomson's feisty pitch stretches belief

Craig Thomson addressed Parliament

MICHELLE GRATTAN Opinion Craig Thomson did not give an inch in his parliamentary statement replying to Fair Work Australia's forensic indictment of him.

Judgment day here for Labor's life of shame

Paul Sheehan

PAUL SHEEHAN Opinion In the months leading up to the 2007 federal election that ended the Howard era, the NSW central coast was alive with a political blitzkrieg.

Alert, but not alarmed: enemy not at the gates

AFR Generic picture of Australian Troops bound for Iraq parade prior to departure, ADF, Army, defense, soldiers, diggers.  Pic Glenn Campbell

David Day Opinion Australia needs to reassess its old fears of invasion and defend accordingly.

Comments 106

Katherine Murphy

Team Abbott embraces Asia

Katharine-Murphy-opinion

KATHARINE MURPHY Opinion There's more to the political debate than white noise about Thomson and Slipper.

Comments 67

Thomson has no words to lance boil that will ache until election day

Phillip Coorey dinkus

PHILLIP COOREY Opinion The question that will be left hanging after Craig Thomson makes his statement to Parliament today is how did the whole saga get this far?

Strange bedfellows in the quest for a head on White House pillows

Obama Romney

Peter Baker Opinion It's not undemocratic but it is un-Democratic, and the Republicans are at it too.

Should the government decriminalise drugs?

The Loaded Dog

Opinion We have joined the WikiCurve debating forum with the question: should the government decriminalise drugs?

US exit creates army ripe for recruitment

Paul McGeough dinkus

Paul McGeough Opinion Numbers coming out of Afghanistan often are scary but try wrapping your head around this one - 123,500.

Bush or bust

Farrah Tomazin.

FARRAH TOMAZIN Opinion The coalition government should be wary of neglecting country Victoria.

It's not just Big Brother: even his toys are watching

Guy Rundle

Guy Rundle Opinion Total surveillance is just another nail in the coffin of civil society.

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