http://www.thepunch.com.au/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2010 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:12:37 +0000 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:12:37 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/obama-stands-up-australia/ As excuses go, “I’m sorry I’m undertaking one of the biggest policy reforms in American history” it’s a pretty good one. In contrast to “I’m washing my hair” or “I’ve got a bit of a headache” it has the added benefit of being checkable. Look at any US news website or TV station and there’s our date for next Friday in the fight of his life. It’s OK, Barack. We can reschedule. Meet you at the same place, next to New Zealand. Hey, maybe now we get to spend more than 24 hours together. Australian politicians can stop worrying about what they were going to wear and rehearsing what they were going to say to make a good first impression. And now that it’s likely the US President will visit in June instead, he might be able to bring the family. His daughters Malia and Sasha will be on school holidays. colganp@thepunch.com.au (Paul Colgan) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/obama-stands-up-australia/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/obama-stands-up-australia/#item2659 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:12:37 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/signs-you-may-have-a-political-ideology-disorder/ The first draft of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders was released last month by the American Psychiatric Association, adding a range of controversial new disorders. If you hoard too much you may have hoarding disorder, moody teens may have a psychosis disorder, if your maths is rotten you may have a maths disorder and frisky people may have hypersexuality disorder. However, one disorder surprisingly didn’t make the manual but has a depressing effect on the political discourse: ideology disorder. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Brendan Brown ) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/signs-you-may-have-a-political-ideology-disorder/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/signs-you-may-have-a-political-ideology-disorder/#item2656 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:33 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-R18-classification-is-not-about-children/ Last week the Australia Christian Lobby issued a media release suggesting that the video games industry was akin to the tobacco industry questioning the link between smoking and lung cancer, because we have questioned the validity of research conducted by Professor Craig Anderson. Today, Anderson will present at a conference in Sydney that has been organised by lobby group Young Media Australia and the timing of the event in light of the public consultation for an R18+ classification for games and the internet filtering discussion is not lost. This seemed to be as good a time as any to question the core thesis of those opposing an R18+ classification for computer and video games. The Australian Christian Lobby has clearly got the knack of creating good spin. It doesn’t get more controversial than accusing our industry of being akin to the tobacco industry; it also doesn’t get more counterproductive. It’s worth recapping the basic arguments of the ACL and the other organisations such as Young Media Australia. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Ron Curry) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-R18-classification-is-not-about-children/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-R18-classification-is-not-about-children/#item2658 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:57:24 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Who-wants-a-hot-date-with-a-State-Treasurer/ If you missed yesterday’s excellent interview with South Australian Treasurer Kevin Foley on Adelaidenow here’s the potted version – he doesn’t want the top job, he just wants a girl. For the uninitiated, Foley is the man who last year went public about the collapse of his marriage, his subsequent failed relationships with a raft of women, his battle with depression, his late-night ruminations about whether his political career has been worth the sacrifice. Late last year to his eternal credit he was filmed at an Adelaide karaoke venue singing the above rendition of The Gambler. The serious takeout from the Foley interview was that he appears to have put his leadership aspirations on hold and will serve as a loyal deputy until such time as Mike Rann goes of his own volition. Not that he was being that presumptuous – he admitted to being really worried about whether Labor would get home tomorrow at all. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Who-wants-a-hot-date-with-a-State-Treasurer/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Who-wants-a-hot-date-with-a-State-Treasurer/#item2635 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:56:34 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/mid-age-weight-baloney/ Damn it’s tough to lose weight in mid-age. I think back to my 20s and 30s when see sawing weight meant gaining just a few kilos and the top end of my weight spectrum was 12 kilos lighter than I am now. I tried a personal trainer but having to drive across the city to exercise in the dark was a drag. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Kate Southam) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/mid-age-weight-baloney/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/mid-age-weight-baloney/#item2654 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:55:24 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/old-age-starts-at-59.-what/ Questions about ageing are usually left to philosophers, surgeons and casting agents.  But this week, the people had their say. According to research from the esteemed European Social Survey, the average Briton thinks middle age starts at 36 and old age begins at 59.  It’s a big slap in the face for all those in their 30s and 40s who thought that because they still listened to Triple J, went to tapas bars and had a current gym membership, they still qualified as young.  feedback@thepunch.com.au (Judith Ireland) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/old-age-starts-at-59.-what/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/old-age-starts-at-59.-what/#item2657 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:50:16 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/imagine-not-being-able-to-visit-the-places-you-wanted-to-see/ The American architect, Philip Johnson, once said “all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space.” A trip to the State Library in Melbourne bears testament to that. The glorious reading room, which at the time of its construction boasted one of the largest domes in Christendom, manages to exalt the entranced tourist while cuddle the engrossed researcher all at once. Yet it is hard to feel cuddled by a building if you cannot get into it. And for millions of Australians with a disability the state of our public built environment prevents them entering or using the bathroom let alone feel stimulated or exalted by the wonder of the architecture. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Marles) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/imagine-not-being-able-to-visit-the-places-you-wanted-to-see/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/imagine-not-being-able-to-visit-the-places-you-wanted-to-see/#item2655 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:40:33 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-19-03-10/ Welcome to Friday @ The Punch The Sydney Harbour Bridge first opened today in 1932. kippistl@news.com.au (Lucy Kippist) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-19-03-10/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-19-03-10/#item2615 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:59:46 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/transparency-policy-not-so-candid-in-practice/ Transparency’s all the rage these days. And accountability. Politicians and public servants promise lots of both. “Our commitment to transparency is evidenced by our actions,” Kristina Keneally declared in parliament in November 2009. With Kristina’s words ringing in my ears I approach a NSW government department with a request for an interview. “We value transparency”, its website declares, “the exchange of current and relevant information.” This will be easy, I think to myself. feedback@thepunch.com.au (James Ricketson) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/transparency-policy-not-so-candid-in-practice/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/transparency-policy-not-so-candid-in-practice/#item2653 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:45:53 +0000 Obama stands up Australia http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/question-time-live-18-03-2010/ The Opposition is likely to continue hammering Kevin Rudd over the SIEV 36 explosion, demanding he revoke the visas of three men accused of deliberately setting fire to the boat. Join us here from 2pm for House of Representatives Question Time. Question Time Live: 18/03/10 tors@thepunch.com.au (Tory Maguire) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/question-time-live-18-03-2010/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/question-time-live-18-03-2010/#item2652 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:45:36 +0000 Obama stands up Australia