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How Labor can win in 2013

An article I wrote for New Matilda has been published. It examines what lessons Labor could learn from the Obama 2012 campaign to win this year’s Federal election. You can read the article here, and I’ve reproduced it below. This month’s Newspoll boosted Labor’s hopes about the next election. The commentators and Twitterati who got [...]

It’s global warming, stupid

We’re less than two weeks into 2013 and four of Australia’s ten hottest days in history have happened this year. On Monday, Australia’s average high temperature reached a scorching 40.33°C – our hottest day on record. Unreported in Australia, The Bureau of Meteorology said: “There’s little doubt that this is a very, very extreme heatwave event,” [...]

In defence of compulsory voting

Here’s an article I’ve written on compulsory voting which was published at New Matilda. For a dissenting view, see Peter Brent from Mumble. In defence of compulsory voting You wouldn’t know from its current premier, but Queensland was the first state in Australia to introduce compulsory voting. They did so in 1915 and nine years [...]

Why 2013 will be a bad year

If the broad “left” in Australia bemoaned the horrible year that was 2012, progressives should brace themselves for an ever worse one in 2013. While I hope I am wrong, here’s the top reasons why I hold little hope for 2013. Few bright spots for policy The hung parliament, although angst-ridden for the political commentary [...]