http://australianpolitics.com Resources, News & Commentary from Malcolm Farnsworth Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:23:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Resources, News & Commentary from Malcolm Farnsworth AustralianPolitics.com no Resources, News & Commentary from Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://australianpolitics.com/category/issues http://australianpolitics.com/2012/02/02/clarke-and-dawe-a-senior-editor.html http://australianpolitics.com/2012/02/02/clarke-and-dawe-a-senior-editor.html#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:33:45 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=5029 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/02/02/clarke-and-dawe-a-senior-editor.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/02/01/gillard-building-a-new-economy-speech.html http://australianpolitics.com/2012/02/01/gillard-building-a-new-economy-speech.html#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:24:14 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=5013 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/02/01/gillard-building-a-new-economy-speech.html/feed 2 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/31/abbott-npc-speech.html http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/31/abbott-npc-speech.html#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:00:12 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=5025 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/31/abbott-npc-speech.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/22/ministers-line-up-to-back-gillard-over-pokies-backdown.html http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/22/ministers-line-up-to-back-gillard-over-pokies-backdown.html#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:52:33 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=4974 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/22/ministers-line-up-to-back-gillard-over-pokies-backdown.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/21/wilkie-withdraws-support-for-gillard-government.html http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/21/wilkie-withdraws-support-for-gillard-government.html#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:21:03 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=4956 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/21/wilkie-withdraws-support-for-gillard-government.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/21/gillard-poker-machines-reforms.html http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/21/gillard-poker-machines-reforms.html#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:53:26 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=4949 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/21/gillard-poker-machines-reforms.html/feed 0 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/01/1982-1983-cabinet-papers.html http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/01/1982-1983-cabinet-papers.html#comments Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:33:04 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=4745 http://australianpolitics.com/2012/01/01/1982-1983-cabinet-papers.html/feed 0 Bob Hawke,Jim Stokes,Malcolm Fraser Cabinet papers from 1982, the final full year of the Fraser coalition government, and 1983, the first year of the Hawke Labor government, have been released. - The papers were formerly released under the thirty-year rule, Cabinet papers from 1982, the final full year of the Fraser coalition government, and 1983, the first year of the Hawke Labor government, have been released. The papers were formerly released under the thirty-year rule, but this has been reduced to twenty years. Until 2020, two years of Cabinet documents will be released each year. National Archives of Australia - Index to 1982 and 1983 Cabinet Papers 1982-1983: The historical context and issues of interest - Dr. Jim Stokes Listen to Dr. Stokes (22m) PLAY Listen to Bob Hawke discuss the events of 1983 (5m) PLAY Listen to Bob Hawke answer media questions about his government in 1983 (26m) PLAY AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/23/asylum-deadlock-remains.html http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/23/asylum-deadlock-remains.html#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:04:27 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=4716 http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/23/asylum-deadlock-remains.html/feed 0 Chris Bowen,Julie Bishop,Kevin Rudd,Scott Morrison,Tony Abbott No agreement was reached on the asylum seeker deadlock, following talks today between Labor and Liberal representatives. - Immigration Minister Chris Bowen and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd met with the Opposition's shadow immigration minister Scott Mor... No agreement was reached on the asylum seeker deadlock, following talks today between Labor and Liberal representatives. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd met with the Opposition's shadow immigration minister Scott Morrison and shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop. Both sides claimed the discussions were cordial and constructive. Further talks will take place in the coming weeks. Scott Morrison comments before meeting with government ministers (3m) PLAY Chris Bowen comments following talks with Opposition members (2m) PLAY Scott Morrison comments following talks with government ministers (2m) PLAY Tony Abbott comments on asylum seeker policy in Melbourne (13m) PLAY AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/22/swan-letter-to-abbott.html http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/22/swan-letter-to-abbott.html#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:49:16 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=4708 http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/22/swan-letter-to-abbott.html/feed 0 Bob Brown,Chris Bowen,Christine Milne,Tony Abbott,Wayne Swan The federal government has capitulated to Tony Abbott's demand for a specific proposal on breaking the deadlock over asylum-seeker processing. - For the past week, the Opposition Leader has refused to authorise Scott Morrison to meet with Chris Bowen ... The federal government has capitulated to Tony Abbott's demand for a specific proposal on breaking the deadlock over asylum-seeker processing. For the past week, the Opposition Leader has refused to authorise Scott Morrison to meet with Chris Bowen unless a proposal was put on the table. Tonight the government has written to Abbott offering to implement the Malaysia arrangement and offshore processing on Nauru and Papua New Guinea. The government's decision was announced by Immigration Minister Chris Bowen. Listen to Chris Bowen: PLAY Listen to Senators Bob Brown & Christine Milne: PLAY Download Wayne Swan's letter to Tony Abbott (PDF) Download the previous exchange of letters between Gillard/Swan and Abbott (PDF) Text of letter from Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott: ACTING PRIME MINISTER 22 DEC 2011 The Hon Tony Abbott MP Leader of the Opposition Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Mr Abbott Thank you for your response to the Government's further correspondence of 19 December 2011. As you know, the Government has attempted three times to secure your agreement for discussions between Mr Bowen and Mr Morrison to examine opportunities to identify a mutually agreeable outcome on offshore processing. Those offers were made in good faith and clearly demonstrated the Government's willingness to engage constructively with the Opposition on this matter. In response to these expressions of good faith, you have insisted on a written proposal before discussions could begin. I am writing therefore to advise you that the Prime Minister, with whom I have been in regular contact on this matter, has authorised Mr Bowen to discuss the following proposal with Mr Morrison: The Opposition will support the Government's offshore processing legislation, without the Opposition's proposed amendments, through the Parliament; The Government will fully implement its transfer arrangement with the Malaysian Government; The Government will work with the Governments of Nauru and Papua New Guinea to establish offshore processing facilities for Irregular Maritime Arrivals who make the journey to Australia. I should note that the Government will not implement Temporary Protection Visas. The clear experience and expert advice on their use under the Howard Government was that following their implementation, well over 9000 asylum seekers arrived by boat and that included an increase in the percentage of women and children making the dangerous boat journey to Australia. I trust that this correspondence satisfies the Opposition's demand for a proposal in writing. The Govermnent will come to the negotiation table in good faith, including a preparedness to discuss reasonable and effective ways to strengthen the package outlined above. Minister Bowen is available to meet Mr Morrison at his earliest possible convenience to discuss this matter. His office will be in contact to find an agreeable time. The Government has been very clear about the consequences of inaction on this issue. It is apparent that if this impasse continues, people will continue to undertake dangerous boat journeys and all of the risk that goes with that. That is not acceptable to the Government, nor do we believe that it is acceptable to the Australian public. The Government believes that politics should never trump the lives of men, women and children. And we are not prepared to let it. For this reason, we are willing to implement both the Malaysia Arrangement and offshore processing on Nauru (and Papua New Guinea). Such a compromise brings together the core element of the Government's preferred solution and the core element of the Opposition's preferred solution. The clear and consistent expert policy advice provided to the Government is that the Malaysia Arrangement is the most effective deterrent available because it removes any certainty of resettlement outcome in Australia. AustralianPolitics.com no http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/22/five-ways-to-prevent-asylum-tragedies.html http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/22/five-ways-to-prevent-asylum-tragedies.html#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:04:24 +0000 Malcolm Farnsworth http://australianpolitics.com/?p=4701 http://australianpolitics.com/2011/12/22/five-ways-to-prevent-asylum-tragedies.html/feed 0