Edited by Lee Duffield
Freedom and Truth
Friday, May 17, 2019, 3:16 pm
The din of the election season winding up with polls raising the possibility of a close result has been testing whether news media have a place in politics any more. Lee Duffield says old-style bias and shock revelations have created the most noise approaching decision-day – but many voters haven’t even waited for the day to arrive.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019, 3:01 pm
Both party leaders held rallies in Melbourne on Sunday to kick off the last week of their election campaigns. In this commentary Lee Duffield says they are turning up the language and emotion but also making the choices look very clear.The Liberals’ event appropriately took place on a Sunday.
Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 11:50 pm
The lead-up to the federal poll on 18 May has many journalists worked-up but the outcome has to be decided by real people among the general public.
Lee Duffield reports from the reputed “mad-lands” of right-wing backwoods politics in North Queensland, asking if the vote really might turn on provincial passions and demands of the coal lobby.
Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 10:49 pm
What difference does $600000 a day in political advertising make in deciding who wins the federal election?
Lee Duffield picks up this question in the first of his articles about campaigning in 2019 – and also he checks out the far right-wing in mainstream news.
Friday, March 29, 2019, 3:34 pm
The shooting outrage in New Zealand on Friday put a focus on anti-immigration, anti-Moslem ethno-nationalist movements in many Western countries – but it’s a question whether it will break their support.
Lee Duffield joins in the drive to find explanations for a surge of barbarism this century reaching even into the peaceful streets of Christchurch.
Wednesday, March 13, 2019, 11:37 am
Cardinal George Pell has been sentenced to six years gaol with a non-parole period of three years and eight months on his conviction for a paedophilic attack on two children.
Lee Duffield provides a wrap on the case and notes that in the fall-out there are fresh calls for reforms to try and end such abuses.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019, 11:53 pm
Most electors rejected Donald Trump, by 2.8 million votes, before losing to him through the electoral college system – and there’s now a push to mobilise that majority against him.
Lee Duffield says Trump’s surprise 2016 victory stirred up a new left-wing movement alongside or within the opposition Democratic Party, amongst other things thinking of the Presidential election next year.
He profiles the newly-arrived politician, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and takes a comparative look at a sometimes very similar, and also different American figure, Michelle Obama.
Thursday, February 14, 2019, 2:12 am
Things have come to a push-and-shove stage in talks between Europe and Australia over trade – with the EU’s head man in agriculture taking a tough position in Australia this week.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019, 1:48 pm
Lee Duffield wonders about the dumping of the Matildas’ team coach just ahead of their World Cup campaign.
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Election 2019: Post mortems say what-happened is no mystery
Wednesday, May 22, 2019, 3:40 pm
Reported by Lee Duffield
Big swings where they happen speak loud and clear. For a grass-roots perspective Lee Duffield checked out the queues of voters in the Northern swing-seat of Herbert. He rounds up the national outcome and its reasons, says polls were not all that wrong, considers growing power of digital media, and sees some pointers to what happens next.