State Of The Nation

The state of the nation

Paul Ramadge, Editor-in-Chief, The Age These are the strangest of times: climate change, and its associated consequences, is the issue of our lifetime. But can we get coherent, visionary policies and targets from our elected representatives? No, certainly not during an election campaign.

A fine balance

Michelle Grattan To survive and win, politicians must respond to public opinion. This can make for bland leaders who seemingly stand for very little.

Remembering history

Tania Major Why has indigenous policy in this country failed? The federal government must realise that what looks good in Canberra looks very different in Kowanyama or the Kimberley.

Engaging with the contest

Glyn Davis Beneath the veneer of an electoral battle lies the fact that Australian parliamentary politics is dominated by consensus on most policy matters.

The end of the affair

Shaun Carney The Labor Party has reached a critical point in its history, with its leadership under attack from its own members and its support base being eroded by the Greens.

Saving the bush

Tim Flannery The Australian countryside is a huge national opportunity. But to maximise that opportunity, governments need to become more engaged.

The unseen art

Daniel Flitton Unless the foreign service is properly funded and given more authority, Australian diplomats abroad can do little more than raise the flag.

Crossing the schools divide

Steven Schwartz Australia may think of itself as an egalitarian society, but children from wealthier backgrounds still get a better education. This needs to change.

Same same but different

Tim Colebatch On the face of it it there is little to distinguish Labor from the Liberals. But if you look hard enough the policy differences are there, especially when it comes to managing the economy.

The way to go

Merrilyn Walton We need more discussion on how we die and how we care for those approaching death. And is the goal of medical treatment to relieve suffering or extend life?