Author: Alex Mitchell
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – Abbott’s Budget heralds an early federal election
This week’s Federal Budget was not about Australia’s economic future. And it wasn’t about the future of the country either. Its overriding purpose was to rescue Prime Minister Tony Abbott. It was the “Save Abbott” budget. It sets the stage for a snap federal election between now and the end of the year. He has…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – Oz Greens step into the mainstream
“The fix was in” when Dr Richard Di Natale was elected unanimously as the new Greens leader. The resignation of Christine Milne was sprung on the party’s Canberra representatives this week. It succeeded in sidelining deputy leader Adam Bandt, the Melbourne MHR who had been expected to succeed Milne. But to the Tasmanian Greens, i.e.…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – Only a Royal Commission will tell who’s got Bali blood on their hands
A royal commission remains the only way to establish the facts about the complicity of John Howard’s security committee, the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and ASIS in the arrest the Bali Nine drug smugglers and this week’s execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. Senator Nick Xenophon’s well-meaning parliamentary committee inquiry should not become an…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – ANZAC spirit tainted by Abbott and greed
Politicians, the media, the RSL and the military lobby have kicked an own goal. Incredibly, they have managed to tarnish the Anzac legend and turn off a large number of Australians. How did they do it? By crassly politicising the event and grossly commercialising it. The Abbott Government invested some $200 million in the 100th…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – Mad Monk remains toxic with electors
Two polls published this week came to conflicting conclusions. One said Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his scabrous federal government were clawing their way back while the other said Abbott remained unpopular and Labor would easily win an election if held now. The first conclusion to draw is that the polls are rubbish. Their modelling…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – Abbott starts multi wars to save his skin
Under Prime Minister Tony Abbott we now have three wars in progress – a war on “the ISIS death cult”, a war on domestic violence and a war on ice. The wars are being fought on international and domestic fronts and they embrace three of the great evils of our time. If they were driven…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – Why “star” MPs can be unpredictable disaster
NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley is rarely photographed without Jodi McKay at his side. She is the ex-TV host who has just won the seat of Strathfield after being parachuted into Sydney’s inner-west by Foley himself. Ms McKay is channelling the role which Cheryl Kernot once played for federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley. He would…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – The generals and governors who plotted against Whitlam
During the politically tumultuous days in Australia in late 1975, some top army officers and businessmen held weekly after-work “drinkies” at the exclusive Queensland Club in George Street, Brisbane. While whiskies, G&Ts, brandies and ports were being served, discussion turned to who should run the nation in the event of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam being…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – How the old aged pension became a rich bastard’s rort
Out to lunch in the Tweed Valley last year I was astonished to learn from my fellow lunchers that everyone at the table, except me, was receiving the old age pension. All were of a mature age, over 65, and had completed their full-time working lives. But all had swish homes or apartments, gleaming upmarket…
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Alex Mitchell’s WEEKLY NOTEBOOK – Abbott’s military mission in Iraq becomes nightmare
Objectives of the mission by Australian Defence Forces in Iraq/Syria, masterminded by Field Marshal Tony Abbott, change from week to week. Amid the release of bloodthirsty and homicidal ISIS videos late last year, Abbott wrapped himself in the flag and ordered Special Forces and RAAF warplanes to “destroy the death cult”. Instead, Australian aircraft became…