Britta Campion/AAPImage August 29, 2014 Abbott’s environment agenda is even harsher than he promised Before the 2013 election, Tony Abbott gave us fair warning that he would turn the clock back on the environment. As promised, his government has devoted itself to short-term economics and the sort of hardline…

AAP/Dan Peled August 28, 2014 Abbott government health policy needs a sharper focus The Coalition entered the 2013 federal election without a health policy. After a year in government, it remains without one. While there has been activity in the health arena, there’s been little coherent…

AAP/Jon Faulkner August 28, 2014 The boats may have stopped, but at what cost to Australia? In opposition, Tony Abbott and his alternative government set itself a three-word performance indicator for success in its refugee policy if and when it took office: stop the boats. With one recent exception…

AAP August 27, 2014 A year in, Pyne’s radical education changes have ignored evidence Education Minister Christopher Pyne was appointed at a time of innovation, contention and uncertainty at all levels of schooling and higher education. One year in, his distinctive agenda is becoming clearer…

AAP/Alan Porritt August 27, 2014 Science and the Coalition: two big policies, one year and no minister On science and technology, the Abbott government is somewhat of a paradox. On one hand, the government passionately believes that deregulating the university sector is essential. By taking caps off fees…

AAP/Nikki Short August 26, 2014 Coalition’s appointments are part of a bigger pattern in policy advice Since coming to office, the Abbott government has initiated a wide range of reviews into policy areas such as the national school curriculum and the Renewable Energy Target. Some commentators have argued…

AAP/Dan Peled August 26, 2014 Step by step, conservative forces move to silence NGOs’ voices The federal Liberal Party, government ministers, Coalition MPs, the Minerals Council of Australia and the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) are targeting the advocacy role of Australia’s environmental…

Nikki Short/AAP August 25, 2014 The Abbott economy at one: open for business, closed to real reform In his victory speech on election night last September, prime minister Tony Abbott declared Australia was “under new management and … once more open for business”. There were, of course, specific promises…

Dan Peled/AAP August 25, 2014 One year on, infrastructure prime minister still poised with a shovel When Australian prime minister Tony Abbott came into office last year his aim was to be remembered as the “infrastructure prime minister”. In the Coalition’s September 2013 policy to “Deliver the Infrastructure…