These essays were produced during Australia’s 44th Parliament between 2013–2016 and offer insights into the performance of the Liberal–National Coalition, and the two Prime Ministers that presided during this time, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.

The book commences in the week before the 2013 election - Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is struggling to overcome three years of leadership turmoil in his party and the Liberal Party leader, Tony Abbott, is poised to win the election.

We travel through the bizarre nature of Tony Abbott’s prime ministership, and how he couldn’t make the transition from combative Leader of the Opposition to a Prime Minister with gravitas, where he could rise above petty ideological squabbles.

His replacement, Malcolm Turnbull, offered hope to the electorate, but ended up languishing in a position as poor as his predecessor’s.

We explore the 2016 election campaign, ending with the aftermath, and ponder how conservative politicians and their supporters in the media have taken Australian politics to a point where the electorate is wondering whether our political leaders have the skills or the desire to lead Australia through difficult times.

Negative Land