Right now, politics feels noisy. At times, it can seem as though the political ground is shifting dramatically. But when you step back from the noise and look at Queensland’s polling, a calmer and far more revealing picture comes into focus. It is a picture that fits squarely within the spirit of Queensland’s motto: “Bold but Faithful”. The […]

In February 2026, volatility in Australian politics rose to new levels. An interest rate hike nobody wanted, a defence estate shake-up, a leadership spill that reshapes the Opposition, the architecture of a new national disability support system, and an unstable geopolitical backdrop — all compressed into a few short weeks. The SAS Group was on […]

No country does a political scandal like the UK. The latest, involving former Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson, surely ranks as one of the worst. For those unaware, Mandelson was forced to resign as the UK’s chief diplomat in Washington over the fact that he had maintained a relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey […]

Queensland’s Gold Coast has always been home to great beaches, plenty of sunshine and good times for locals, along with many visitors from interstate and abroad. So much so that it’s easy to overlook this sunny economic power-house for everything else it offers. The Gold Coast is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, which is […]

It’s fitting that we are on the verge of the Winter Olympics as I write this column. Why? Because we might be witnessing the political equivalent of ‘Doing a Bradbury’ – the great sporting moment that became a classic Aussie expression. Just as quintessential Queensland battler Steven Bradbury won a Gold Medal as the ‘Last […]

The legendary Queensland politician, Ron Boswell, was laid to rest in Brisbane on 16 January at a state funeral attended by key identities from all sides of parliament, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and former Prime Minister, John Howard. Known simply as ‘Bozzie’, the Hon Ron Boswell AO was a good man who served as […]

The Australian Labor Party has released its internal review of the 2025 federal election campaign. For a document reflecting on an historic win of 94 seats, it is notably focused on what comes next. It offers a useful window into how the party reads its mandate and, more importantly, how seriously it takes the gap […]

In the last Inside Word, I wrote about the resignation of Kevin Rudd as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, and who might be his replacement. I got it wrong; Prime Minister Albanese has gone for a career public servant not a political appointment. Greg Moriarty has been named the next Ambassador currently Australia’s Secretary […]

The Australian bond market is jittery. The 10-year yield hit 4.83% (at the time of writing) – its highest since November 2023 – as investors braced for the RBA to tighten the screws. Rising yields mean investors are demanding more compensation to lend money. Faith now comes at a premium. It’s almost poetic. Bonds are […]