Michael Danby
Re-elected for the 4th time, Michael Danby is not a Minister, and no longer Chairs the Government’s Migration Committee or Whips for the Government. He is Special Advisor to the Treasurer on Corporate Philanthropy and the Not For Profit Sector.
As a backbencher he is a little freer to express views. He is slated to takeover Parliament’s heavyweight Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade. On issues from China to the Middle East to the topic of where our diplomatic posts ought to be situated, his views will make an interesting juxtaposition with our legendary Foreign Minister.
Last term he disagreed with Arts Minister Peter Garrett, over the proposed closure of the highly successful Australian National Academy of Music. His paper ‘Logrolling the ALP’ contributed to the rethink by the Government of a plan for taxpayers to exclusively fund all political parties. The Greens political party and Fairfax liked the plan, but Danby figured the punters would rather spend $500 million on hospitals, schools or the defence forces.
He is very unpopular with the Malaysian Government as the initiator of a petition signed by 61 Australian MPs and Senators calling on them to drop the renewed charges against the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Articles by Michael Danby
Cautious hope for the world’s newest nation
A little over two months ago, on 9 July 2011, the world celebrated in unison at the birth of the…... Read more
Whether she likes it or nyet, Lee Rhiannon was a Stalinist
It is customary for new Members and Senators to use part of their first speech to give some account of…... Read more
Syria: the dictator fights back
The Presidents of Tunisia and Egypt have gone, the President of Yemen is going. The dictator of Libya has lost…... Read more
Julian Assange: Lord Byron of the internets?
Few people, apparently, support the jailing of Julian Assange - Australia’s very own electronic Lord Byron, the “romantic” hero of…... Read more
Christians under attack in the Middle East and Australia
Clad in his spectacular Bishop’s regalia, Greek Orthodox Bishop Ezekiel throws a cross in the water at the annual “Thefeonia”…... Read more
Sanctions the best way to crush Ahmedinijad - for now
We have all met “truthers”. You know, the kind of conspiracy theorist who believes that every evil event was concocted…... Read more
In Tibet they’d die for a hung parliament
While we in peaceful democratic Australia have been conducting our political battles at public meetings and settling our disputes at…... Read more
Why MPs protested over the Anwar trial
Last week saw an unusual event in Australian politics: backbench members of Parliament from both sides took a foreign affairs…... Read more
Clean up our election laws now
Coalition Senator Michael Ronaldson decries the current mixed funding system of elections in his post on the Punch last week.…... Read more
On terrorism, we need to tell Pakistan enough is enough
As a new year begins we should look at where we are with the struggle against Jihadi terrorism. Retrospectively, we…... Read more
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choice ringside rantings
From: Punch on: Open thread 09/02/2012
marley says:
I'm one of the older ones, so I've certainly seen a few changes in my time. When I started school I learned to write with a nib pen, dipped in an inkwell (no, I'm not kidding). My mother became a dab hand at getting inkstains out of my clothes. Flicking ink at one another in the classroom was an essential… [read more]From: I’d rather have a piece of toast than listen to crap lyrics
Erick says:
Led Zeppelin are responsible for my all-time favourite mixed metaphor: "There you sit, sit and stare, like a book on a shelf rusting." (Misty Mountain Hop) I laugh every time I hear it. Hmmm, I believe I've decided what to play on the way to work today. [read more]Gentle jabs to the ribs
No wuckin forries. These nuckin futs are tuckin fops
Well, puck me with a fitchfork. The F-word is apparently an acceptable part of Australian speech. That’s… Read more
