big day

The big news around the traps, apart from Gary Coleman from Different Strokes getting married, seems to be about the big apology up at Canberra. It was enormous news where I work. They had big screens set up in the lobby, which was choked with so many people you couldn’t even make it into the [...]

stalled in committee

I note with interest our political lords and masters up in Canberra have come up with a brilliant idea for solving the world’s problems: they’ll ask people.
Kevin Rudd expects policy ideas in focus by year’s end
What a stroke of genius! Seeing as I’m generally sympathetic to that side of politics I’ll conveniently ignore that, for [...]

carla bruni

Melbourne’s running spots seem infested with AFL teams at the moment. Yesterday morning it was Carlton loitering on the Anderson Street hill, today North Melbourne were at Princes Park.
The thought did cross my mind that they’re following me.
That’s not a comforting thought. Imagine that: every time I go for a run, there’ll be a mob [...]

honorable member

Here in Australia our politicians have a habit of bleating about their “years of loyal service” and how they need a pay raise to reward their “high performance”.
Next time your local honorable member starts off on that track, remind them of this:
Bhutto assassinated
The member for Deakin or Eden-Monaro should think themselves lucky they’re not running [...]

grump

Oh man, was I in an almighty grump yesterday or what?
Funny really, all should have been well. John Howard got shafted on Saturday night and a few hours later Charlton Athletic won for the fourth time in a row.
So you’d think I’d be a happy little bunny. But no, I was running around tearing up [...]

eggs

I tell you what - it’s lucky I’m not a gambling man.
That makes three times this year I’ve used this blog to make a bold prediction and ended up with egg on my face. From memory, I thought Geelong would lose the AFL grand final by 35 points (wrong), some useless three legged-horse would win [...]

final stretch

This time tomorrow, we good people of Orstraya will be exercising our democratic rights as per usual. By the end of the day this whole ghastly exhibition we call an election will be over.
Thank god. It’s been a bit of a strain.
If I hear the words “working families” again, I’m going to scream. Ditto those [...]

score one for the good guys

You might have noticed I try to avoid writing about politics too often in this forum. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as big a fan of the cut and thrust of political debate as anyone. Just call me Michelle Grattan. Hmm, no, perhaps Laurie Oaks.
Anyway, I keep the political commentary to a minimum here. My [...]