Tony Abbott's role model in developing his style as Opposition Leader was Barnstorming Barnaby Joyce. But this week something changed between the two men. It was an important moment for Australia.

It was Barnaby Joyce who led in developing what's become the Abbott trademark - the angry, populist, fear-mongering attack on the carbon tax.

When Tony Abbott lost the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council presidency, he allegedly approached the woman who beat him and, leaning into her face, punched the wall on each side of her head.

The undertone that homosexuality will lead you to an early grave is not something that sits easily on the restless mind of a teenager, writes Brendan Maclean.

It was upon a rocket-powered crucifix that the Australian Christian Lobby and Jim Wallace jumped the Gay Marriage Shark and landed with a thud on the sands of extremism.

China built Australia last year — 1.9 billion square metres of residential floor space. Actually, that's not quite true — the total floor space of all of Australia's housing isn't quite that big.

From ComPost at the Washington Post

from politicoz ….

Qantas has inked an alliance agreement with Middle Eastern rival Emirates aimed at stemming the Australian airline's losses on the highly competitive route between Australia and Europe.

After months of negotiations and endless speculation, Qantas today unveiled the terms of a 10-year alliance with Emirates on routes to Europe via Dubai, due to begin next April.

British democracy is in crisis. We cannot wish this away. The cause is a precipitous decline in respect for Members of Parliament and for the governments they form. Trust in our rulers has never been lower; faith in their competence is approaching nil. Democratic states cannot function properly in such circumstances. To see what is happening, look at what the polling organisations report.

from politicoz ….

Chinese consortium Shandong Ruyi is seeking to buy Australia's largest cotton farm, Cubbie Station, and the purchase now has the approval of the government.