Canberra politicians have known about dual citizenship breaches for 30 years Federal Parliament and the main political parties, Labor, Liberal, National and Australian Democrats, have known about the disqualification facing MPs with dual nationality for 30 years. George V Turner, a barrister with pedantic knowledge of constitutional law, sounded the warning in individual letters to Prime…
Roll up, roll up and see the world’s fastest disappearing Prime Minister In Washington DC at the end of October, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told journalists: “I have never had more fun in my life.” Turnbull’s extraordinary remark bewildered his supporters as well as his opponents. I wonder whether he was still “having fun” this week…
Remembering Martin Luther – rebel priest who led the Reformation It is 500 years since Martin Luther, a professor in moral philosophy and an ordained monk, nailed his Ninety-Five Theses or Disputation on the Power of Indulgences, to the door of the Castle Church in the German town of Wittenberg. His dissertation, written in Latin, was…
Psst! China’s President Xi just became the leader of the world If you had been reading the mainstream press in Australia or listening to the radio or watching television, you may be excused for missing the story that China’s President Xi Jinping has just been elevated to world leadership. By a unanimous vote, the 2,200 delegates…
Beware politicians who inflict referendums on voters Elected politicians across the world have invented two devices to avoid taking their own decision: they send any controversial subject off to outside consultants, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers…
US at the crossroads: it means we are too Americans, all 323 million of them, are living on the brink of major decisions. Do they make war on North Korea or Iran? Do they overthrow the government in Cuba or Venezuela? Do they declare China and Russia are “enemies of freedom” or keep talking to them?…
Two Aussie high achievers take low road to ignominy I’ve been having the gravest doubts about two celebrated Australians whom I have previously admired – former High Court judge Michael Kirby and millionaire entrepreneur Dick Smith. In recent months both have been shown in their truer colours and it has been ugly. Kirby has always been a…
Exploring Australia-China history Canberra writer and journalist Rob Macklin has written a highly relevant, timely and utterly riveting book on the intricate relationship between Australia and China. Over the years, I’ve read most of Macklin’s 28 books but this is his best. It’s a cracker. With China established as Australia’s major trading partner, and the Beijing…
A conga-line of visiting US militarists simply confirms Australia’s client status … The ABC is no longer “Our ABC” … Trump declares Qatar is a Terror Central … Would Hillary Clinton stop making up excuses … Trump is the real issue … US publicity-seeker unleashed Another week and yet another Washington cold warrior has been…
At home, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian takes backflip which turns into belly flop … Will someone deport unwanted US Republican warmonger Senator John McCain? … And away, after Manchester bombing Prime Minister Theresa May manages to drop in polls … Now Putin is accused of ballot-rigging in Malta (!!) … Our Gladys in belly flop…
