How an unhinged Aussie media drives political extremes

Why is Australian politics so poisonous? A lot of the blame can be laid at the feet of the right-wing media, which has given a megaphone to reactionary forces within the Liberal Party, writes the University of Melbourne’s Denis Muller. Note: This article was originally published on Thursday 23 August, before the second spill that … Read more

The ’Straya spills prove that MMP was one of the best decisions NZ ever made

Green MP Gareth Hughes reports from Australia, where the seemingly neverending political upheaval is getting in the way of big decisions – like what to do about climate change. Political spills are as quintessentially Australian as that image of the dingo eating the washed-up shark on the beach while two snakes mate in the foreground. … Read more

The Bulletin: The politics of more police

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Distribution of extra police officers announced, MPs put on a pay freeze, and the price of milk is in the spotlight at Stuff. The distribution of new police officers has been announced, at a delicate time for justice and crime prevention politics. During the election campaign, Labour … Read more