Laurie Oakes
Laurie Oakes, one of Australia’s foremost political commentators, has had a distinguished career in journalism that spans more than 30 years.
Oakes is renowned for his probing interviews and Canberra-shaking scoops, including the travel rorts saga, the Evans and Kernot affair and breaking stories on the Kevin Rudd-Julia Gillard leadership fight that changed the course of the 2010 election campaign.
By the age of 25, he was The Melbourne Sun-Pictorial’s Canberra bureau chief. While reporting for this paper, Oakes also provided political commentaries for the Seven Network’s Willesee At Seven program.
In 1978 he started his own political journal, The Laurie Oakes Report. The following year he joined Channel 10, where he stayed for five years before moving to the Nine Network.
For several years Oakes wrote about politics in The Age in Melbourne and The Sunday Telegraph in Sydney as well as the Bulletin magazine.
Oakes is Channel Nine’s Political Editor at the Canberra Press Gallery and News Limited columnist.
In 2010 he won the Gold Walkley Award for stories he broke during the 2010 election.
Articles by Laurie Oakes
Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics
When North Queensland Liberal MP George Christensen got the idea of launching a new political organisation to counter what he…... Read more
Spoof sagas consume an “honourable” profession
Breakfast television viewers must have fallen out of their chairs in shock at Joe Hockey’s words last Sunday. “It is…... Read more
Saints and sinners, whores and lost souls
When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that…... Read more
Everyone is wrong: Gillard will lead Labor to the election
Here’s a novel thought. Julia Gillard might be right when she says she’ll lead Labor to the next election. It’s…... Read more
Gillard’s hypocrisy on the presumption of innocence
Journalists who report on politics for a living see plenty of hypocrisy. We’re seeing plenty now from Julia Gillard. She…... Read more
Gillard rallies her troops for the final round
Every time Julia Gillard’s desperate Government looks at some policy or event as a potential circuit-breaker, things seem to get…... Read more
Love him or loathe him, a rare man of conviction
With Bob Brown’s resignation as leader of the Greens, Australia has lost its most important left-wing politician. There was a…... Read more
Wanted: Local champions for Queensland Labor
The photographs and the TV images should have brought home to those running the Labor Party the seriousness of the…... Read more
The Labor brand is damaged - and so is the product
“When the tide goes out in Queensland,” a senior Labor figure said yesterday, “it goes out more quickly and more…... Read more
Abbott listens to Costello only when it suits him
Nick Minchin is spot on. Making Peter Costello chairman of the Future Fund would have been a very bad decision.…... Read more
There’s no need for Stephen Smith to apologise
The gallant defenders of Fort Fumble, AKA Defence HQ in Canberra, have heard the bugle call and trained their guns…... Read more
Brand new Carr adds razzle dazzle to Gillard front bench
That’s one for the books. Julia Gillard unbotches something. Turns failure into success instead of the other way around. Bob…... Read more
The World According to Rudd: an insider’s guide
Early last year, a former Rudd Government insider sat down to write about the experience. The resulting document - he…... Read more
This parliament’s found the art of trouble in spades
Wayne Swan has a lot of fun in parliament comparing the opposition’s economic team to The Three Stooges. He casts…... Read more
Hockey is pucking around with dollars and sense
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey has been whacked around the head this week for denying he ever admitted a Coalition government…... Read more
Gillard’s mapping a route but will probably still be routed
Julia Gillard and her advisers believe they can see a narrow path to victory for Labor at the next federal…... Read more
We need smarter security, not beefed up security
Let’s not make any excuses for the morons associated with the Aboriginal tent embassy who sparked Thursday’s ugly events in…... Read more
Political pygmies could learn from giants of the past
Most Australians couldn’t give two hoots who runs the Australia Network. It is of no importance to them whether the…... Read more
Is the party over for Labor?
When Gough Whitlam set out to reform the Labor Party and its structure in the 1960s, he was prepared to…... Read more
Exterminate! Exterminate! Slipper has target on his back
The ghost of Mal Colston is wandering the corridors of Federal Parliament, and some Labor people with long memories fear…... Read more
When Barack ‘Rockstar’ Obama came to town
When Barack Obama met the Australian Cabinet on Thursday morning, Julia Gillard introduced Peter Garrett as “a former rock star”.…... Read more
Obama will help Gillard look positively prime ministerial
Mixing with the great and powerful on the international stage does not always give Australian prime ministers a boost in…... Read more
Who’s feral now, Tony?
It was an extraordinary complaint from Tony Abbott. “It’s very difficult to have a sensible debate,” he said, “when you…... Read more
Big guns down weapons for UN Security Council seat
Despite what Tony Abbott would have us believe, the striking thing about the build-up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government…... Read more
The Australian economy is going well. For now.
The noises coming out of Europe are ominous. Australians should sit up and take notice. “If there isn’t a solution…... Read more
Tony Abbott is just as trustworthy as Julia Gillard
A government goes to the polls, wins, and then within months breaks one of its core election promises. How does…... Read more
Gillard’s political tin-ear to get the Scottish treatment
Julia Gillard had a pretty good week, for a change. Thanks to the tax forum and the jobs summit, political…... Read more
Big pollies get big payrises that you didn’t vote for
Did you see the news during the week that the Tax Commissioner, the Defence Force chief, the Auditor-General and a…... Read more
Gillard’s dreaming and Abbott’s scheming
Don’t laugh - but Julia Gillard is staking her leadership on her abilities as a salesperson. The prime minister is…... Read more
Is Wayne Swan the greatest Treasurer in the world?
In a week’s time, as Finance Ministers and Treasurers from around the world gather in Washington to discuss the economic…... Read more
Gillard’s hanging out at the Last Chance Saloon
It should be possible to sell Julia Gillard’s climate change package to voters. Despite Tony Abbott’s alarmist claims, it can…... Read more
We officially don’t know what happens post-bin Laden
It’s unlikely John Howard will apologise, but he should at least feel deeply embarrassed. Al Qaeda would be praying that…... Read more
Super Swan ready to hang tough on Budget
Wayne Swan could be forgiven if he puffed out his chest a little during a TV interview in New York…... Read more
Carbon tax, climate change, credibility and a cynical con
Julia Gillard has staked the future of her government on winning the political battle over a carbon tax. She claims…... Read more
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