President Barack Obama ridiculed House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Thursday for refusing to allow a vote on a funding bill that would end a three-day government shutdown, saying the top Republican in Washington is in the grip of conservative "extremists".

from The Monthly ….

what Labor hasn’t learned …..

NSW senator-elect David Leyonhjelm, who admits he benefited from voters mistaking him for a Liberal Party candidate on the ballot paper, will receive more than $1 million from taxpayers as a result of his hefty primary vote.

from politicoz ….

sugar on the table ….

from Antony Loewenstein …

Well, that’s one way to see.

It should come as no surprise that here in Canberra ACT Labor Party Chief Minister Katy Gallagher supports an increase in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and broadening its base.  It was Labor ‘Messiah,’ the neoliberal Paul Keating, who first proposed a broad based consumption tax for Australia in 1985 and only backed down when the unions got cold feet at the last minute.

from Crikey ….

Macfarlane swallows spin from gas industry on drilling ….

Shock. Awe. Magician unable to find Abbott

Now you see him, now you don't. A month ago you couldn't switch on your TV without Tony Abbott leaping out at you in a hi-vis vest or crotch-grabbing bike shorts, making that strangled braying noise that passes for laughter. HA HA HA HA.

from Crikey ….

from Crikey ….

sovereign risk at last? WA Premier threatens Browse venture

from politicoz ….

"Could it have been a case of lost in translation when Julie Bishop met with her Indonesian counterpart Dr Marty Natalegawa in New York on Monday – or simply falling on deaf ears? Ms Bishop described her meeting earlier this week as 'very cordial', 'positive and very productive'.