While Senator Conroy's comments to Lieutenant-General Angus Campbell were offensive, what is more significant is the context that forced a distinguished military commander into a politically charged exchange in the first place, writes Gavin Mount.
The Abbott government is lining itself up as a purist in the neoclassical economics camp and business and the unemployed alike won't be spared, writes Lindy Edwards.
The business community may try to get as much out of Tony Abbott as possible, but do they recognise the clear differences between a CEO and a prime minister, asks Mark Rolfe.
Both major parties have approached the complexities of NSW with piecemeal policies in constrained circumstances. Neither has an industry policy, argues Mark Rolfe.
As Rudd's popular support has dived over the past month, he's demonstrated he doesn't understand the importance of ideology in a democracy, writes Lindy Edwards.
Minority parties are good for our democracy, because parties forced into coalition do deals in the open. Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd are kidding themselves in their stand against them, argues Lindy Edwards.
Australia's coal exports have tripled in the past 25 years. It's our dirty secret that neither side of politics is willing to address, argues David McKnight.
Over the course of the 2013 federal election, we will experience a real time experiment into the degree of influence exerted by Rupert Murdoch on Australian political life, writes David McKnight.
The current political meltdown is not all about personality issues - the party is at war because there are traditions jostling for dominance, argues Lindy Edwards.
