Paddy Gourley

When it comes to keeping a tight rein on information, the Albanese Government does a great job of practising what it preaches. (more…)

The editorial authorities at The Australian newspaper have splendid senses of humour if their indulgence of the laugh-a-line contributions of Peter Jennings, Greg Sheridan and Henry Ergas are anything to go by. (more…)

When a review of Commonwealth funding of “strategic policy work”, together with the government’s response, was released just before Christmas, the howls from associates of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute were probably audible on the Moon. (more…)

The Iron Ore Lady, Gina Rinehart, wants to reduce taxes and government spending to help the less fortunate. As part of her Grand Program, she’d like to get rid of the ABC. No matter it’s the most trusted news source in the country – sacrifices must be made if Gina’s compassion is to be given a fuller voice. And with one swing of her axe on the ABC’s neck, she’d save a billion dollars a year which, as it isn’t hers, she’d palm off to those more in need than she is, apparently.
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“The first thing we’ll do is sack those 36000 public servants in Canberra” – David Littleproud, leader of Australia’s National Party. (more…)

Senior political office is a hazardous place where job security can be fortuitous. (more…)

It’s hard to imagine how the government could have made a bigger mess of questions about gender identity and sexual orientation for the 2026 Census. (more…)

Collecting, sifting and presenting information on national security is not the toughest job in the world although it can be tricky. (more…)

Attempts have been made to tidy things up but too much reliance has been place on administrative measures rather than the solidity of new or amended primary legislation. While some commendable things have been done, the overall program has been short on ambition and imagination, and progress has been oh so slow. (more…)

The experience of recent injuries to the pro-integrity culture in the federal public service are rather like sensations, in dream or reality, of rodents scurrying up the legs of one’s pyjama pants. Disconcerting, unwelcome and potentially eye-watering. (more…)

Primary school students learn in their early days that accountability is a keystone of democracy. Not far into secondary school that reassuring notion is tempered as schoolies get to appreciate that for governments accountability equals political risk. It’s a pain in ministerial necks and should be kept within bounds sufficient to minimise electoral discomfort. (more…)

In the oceanic commentary on the Bruce Lehrmann cases, little attention seems to have been given as to how he got into Minister Linda Reynolds office in the first place. If he hadn’t all could have been spared the terrible things that have happened as a consequence of his admission – the catastrophic ignominies he brought upon himself, the agonies of Ms Higgins and the reputational injuries to many who’ve got within a bull’s roar of the saga – Minister Reynolds and her chief of staff, the ACT public prosecutor Drumgold, Judge Sofronoff and Channel 7 and some of its unadmirable staff and on and on it goes. (more…)

Under the Morrison and Albanese governments it may well be that the FoI Act has been more restrictively administered than at any time since it came into effect in 1982. (more…)

A recent Essential Poll published in The Guardian proves yet again that silly questions often get silly answers. (more…)