DEAD TED: Victorian Liberal leader lucks out

Ted Baillieu hasn’t had the most festive of Christmas weeks so far. While many enjoyed seasonal cheer, Ted has faced an ugly set of poll numbers, the wrath of Kroges and this afternoon was even locked out of the office. Boo hoo. Are the Liberals finally ready to carve up their roasted turkey?

CURIOUSER: Militant Mighell looks for Liberal leadership on climate change

Looks like the colourful union boss Dean Mighell has ridden his one-trick Greens loving pony over to a Liberal field.

NOT COPING: CPRS made impossible to sell after Copenhagen farce

The Copenhagen conference has undermined the argument that Australia would be doing the wrong thing by not rushing through an emissions trading system. VEXNEWS columnist and master political analyst John Ironmonger reckons – on the subject of the CPRS – it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for Tony Abbott’s Liberals.

BIT RICH: ASIC a law unto itself

ASIC’s decision to pursue a High Court appeal against the damning NSW Court of Appeal decision in the One.Tel Jodee Rich case smacks of sour grapes and abuse of process.

The Commission is fully funded by public money and needs…

BATTER UP: Kristina fine but still very green say Labor insiders

The nation’s most attractive state Premier in recorded history Kristina Keneally has a huge challenge in front of her. Party insiders say she’s still finding her feet.

WINNABLE: Private polling shows Bennelong could be Liberal gain

The story of how John Alexander was persuaded to run for a marginal Labor seat after missing out on the safe Liberal seat of Bradfield is starting to come out. Private polling shows the Libs can win the seat back and it was used to encourage Alexander that he is in with a very real chance of victory.

WORLD GONE MAD: Israel bad bleat blind eye sheep

While villagers are forced to watch a man stoned to death in Somalia, and 75 year old women are being sentenced to the lash, in Saudi Arabia, isn’t it nice to know that there are people (being…

SLAMMED: John Alexander’s ugly spat with tennis club likely to hit his candidacy

A well-known former Australian tennis star is now the Liberal candidate in Bennelong after a win in straight sets last night. Liberal insiders say his candidacy could be a disaster because of John Alexander’s controversial dealings with a high-profile Sydney tennis club that claims the property developer has acted unlawfully and unethically.

TWITS: Labor Senator’s partner says no to Conroy’s “clean feed”

Labor’s plan to ban a variety of indefensible online content has some in its Left faction very hot and bothered. Including the partner of WA Labor Senator Louise Pratt.

RUDD’S CURSE: Tony Abbott threatens to make 2010 interesting

The Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times” appears to have hit our Mandarin speaking Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. After a year motoring along on cruise control, he’ll have to drive very carefully to avoid obstacles put in his way by a populist new Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. John Ironmonger – our newest contributor – assesses who’s up and who’s down as a result of the tumult.