Author: Alex Mitchell

  • The Weekly Notebook – White Armband history

    Scott Morrison’s plan for a White Armband history of Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the Federal MP for Cook in southern Sydney, is planning to elevate James Cook to a status beyond the wildest dreams of the humble 18th century Royal Navy lieutenant. Morrison wants to turn Cook into the “Father of Australia” with the…

  • The Weekly Notebook – happy clapper in the Lodge

    Scott Morrison: happy clapper in The Lodge On entering Federal Parliament in 2008, Scott Morrison, the newly-elected Member for Cook in southern Sydney, delivered his inaugural speech on February 14 (St Valentine’s Day). He chose to discuss at length his deep devotion to his Christian religion and paid tribute to his mentors in the born-again…

  • The overthrow of Malcolm Turnbull

    Liberal MPs overthrow Malcolm Turnbull and replace him with a lightweight happy-clappy In 36 consecutive opinion polls, Malcolm Turnbull was preferred Prime Minister over Labor’s Bill Shorten. In mid-July, for example, Turnbull extended his lead over Shorten to 19%; Turnbull was 48% with Shorten dropping 2% to 29%. At the same time, Labor continued to lead…

  • When Scott Morrison was public enemy No.1

    Before “ScoMo” became Australia’s 30th PM, Scott Morrison was public enemy No 1 In 2014 I was asked to write a profile of “the Left’s pin-up boy” and its “chief bogeyman”. The offer came from Tom Switzer, then editor of the right-wing Spectator Australia, before it fell into the demented hands of the Sky News host…

  • Yuan as world currency

    China and its allies plan to launch yuan as new world currency … Don Chipp’s Democrats failed but his opinions still linger … Barnaby Joyce wants the Deputy Prime Minister’s job again … How Labor senators sank euthanasia Bill … Plan to launch yuan as new world currency China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Venezuela and Brazil…

  • James Cook under scrutiny

    Why Captain Cook is lionised in London and on the nose in Australia … Magnetic Island revisited … Joe Hockey’s “US mateship” stupidity … NSW drought goes from tragedy to farce … Regime change becomes US domestic policy … Cricket as a history lesson … When schools taught manners … Over in London members of…

  • The Trump stories not covered in Australia

    Donald Trump’s latest madness goes unreported in Oz media … NSW voters deluged by Coalition drought scam … Police “God Squad” unmasked … Liberals bring back greyhound racing (we pay for it) … It’s a divided world: Saying “Thank you, driver” is good manners on the bus; saying nothing is selfishly bad mannered. Two of the…

  • The end of Fairfax

    What’s behind the end of Fairfax Media … When will Rupert Murdoch make his play? … Arts Minister Don Harwin caught pink-handed … Women’s prison reform goes backwards … Apartheid laws passed in Israel. The end of Fairfax The name Fairfax has been eliminated from Australia’s media landscape. After 177 years as a major player in…

  • Rupert the upskirter

    Rupert Murdoch the Upskirter Billionaire mogul Rupert Murdoch has privately explained on many occasions that his media empire is built on “tits and bums”. People around the world are familiar with News Group’s culture of phone-hacking of celebrities, sports personalities, politicians, police and army officers to obtain intimate revelations about their marriages and sex lives.…

  • Neoliberalism and feminism

    Beware the arrival of neoliberal feminism … What do feminists have in common with Gina Rinehart? Nothing … Water mining wars erupt in the Tweed Valley … Luke Foley dog whistles again … Euthanasia debate reborn … NSW aborigines crash State of Origin selection barrier … and more Thanks largely to Donald Trump, recruitment to…