THE inevitable failure of today’s referendum in Queensland is a classic example of innocent media distortion, with some federal lessons. Continue reading “Federal lessons in Qld fixed-terms referendum”
Month: March 2016
Charities decision shows Turnbull could do more Abbott reversals
IT MADE very little noise on the political and media radar. For once, new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stood up to the far-right of the Liberal Party. His government decided that the Australian Charities and Non-for-Profit Commission would not be abolished. When Tony Abbott was in charge, his agenda was to abolish the ACNC. The Catholic Church – a recipient of an enormous amount of charitable donation – did not want the scrutiny that was demanded by the legislation that set up by the ACNC legislation. Continue reading “Charities decision shows Turnbull could do more Abbott reversals”
Offensive test could offend the Constitution
THE 116-year-old Constitution hovers in the background. Every now and then in the day-to-day political argy-bargy it comes in to play. The past week has been a good example — senate voting; the marriage equality plebiscite; and recognition of indigenous first occupation. Continue reading “Offensive test could offend the Constitution”