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Jack Waterford

Jack Waterford

The Sydney Morning Herald

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YOUR SAY: If ensuring a fair justice system is not a priority, what is?

YOUR SAY: If ensuring a fair justice system is not a priority, what is?
previous day 10

The Examiner

Jack Waterford

Trump's tariffs show he sees Australia as a US freeloader

Trump's tariffs show he sees Australia as a US freeloader
previous day 3

The Examiner

Jack Waterford

Trump's tariffs show he sees Australia as a US freeloader

Trump's tariffs show he sees Australia as a US freeloader
previous day 3

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

The public is slow to believe the best of politicians

The public is slow to believe the best of politicians
03.03.2025 10

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Peter Dutton deserves a little sympathy. This time, I actually believe him

Peter Dutton deserves a little sympathy. This time, I actually believe him
28.02.2025 8

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Silence is golden for a smart independent

24.02.2025 10

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Whether Labor or Liberals, independents must put boot on neck of the next government

Whether Labor or Liberals, independents must put boot on neck of the next government
21.02.2025 2

The Examiner

Jack Waterford

Whether Labor or Liberals, independents must put boot on neck of the next government

21.02.2025 2

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Teals should hammer unfinished integrity agenda 

17.02.2025 5

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Teals have the perfect formula for giving Labor a great big kick in the bum

14.02.2025 6

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Yes, let’s have an inquiry into the smelly Dural caravan affair

10.02.2025 8

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Yes, let's have an inquiry into the smelly Dural caravan affair

07.02.2025 9

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Who’s tough enough not to pull the AUKUS trigger?

03.02.2025 8

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Dutton's desire for a vote on toughness is a well-laid trap

31.01.2025 5

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Will public servants become agents of the party rather than the state?

27.01.2025 5

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

The APS has never been in as parlous a state, and the problem is infectious

24.01.2025 10

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Laurel-less Biden limps for the exit. Will Albanese be next?

20.01.2025 7

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Biden limps to exit. He was unimpressive and unpersuasive like one of our contenders

17.01.2025 9

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

A clear and present danger to the peace of the world

13.01.2025 40

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

A clear and present danger to the peace of the world

10.01.2025 10

The Examiner

Jack Waterford

A clear and present danger to the peace of the world

10.01.2025 8

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Steering without a compass or a map

In 1971, Time magazine decided that it might do a friendly cover story on newly installed Liberal prime minister, Billy McMahon, and asked for co-...

06.01.2025 6

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

People want to be led, but they want to know where they're going

In 1971, Time magazine decided it might do a friendly cover story on newly installed Liberal prime minister Billy McMahon, and asked for...

03.01.2025 2

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Whipping up Aboriginal enthusiasm

Here’s a sad prediction for 2025. By the end of next year, more states and territories will have dropped the age of criminal responsibility to 10,...

30.12.2024 2

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Here's a sad prediction for 2025. It'll be very popular, but it simply won't work

Here's a sad prediction for 2025. By the end of next year, more states and territories will have dropped the age of criminal responsibility to 10...

27.12.2024 5

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Few voters think they have benefitted much from Labor in government

It goes almost without saying that much of the ordinary economic commentary ahead of the election, whether in the Murdoch media, the Fairfax media...

23.12.2024 3

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Achoo! The economy's caught a cold and splashing the cash can't fix it

During the recent presidential election, Donald Trump invited Americans to ask themselves whether they felt better off now, after four years of Joe...

20.12.2024 3

The Examiner

Jack Waterford

Achoo! The economy's caught a cold and splashing the cash can't fix it

During the recent presidential election, Donald Trump invited Americans to ask themselves whether they felt better off now, after four years of Joe...

20.12.2024 5

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

To defeat Dutton, Labor needs inspiration and leadership from its ‘mortal enemy’ – the Greens

Dutton’s nuclear plans provide an opportunity for a campaign Labor could win. But it won’t be won without girding for war. The need for some...

16.12.2024 3

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

We now have the election's defining issue. Here's how Labor will stuff it up

The release of some Opposition nuclear policy detail, such as it is, will define the federal election. It represents an opportunity for an...

13.12.2024 5

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Albo’s pre-emptive kowtow to an imagined Westminster

The Labor Party would like it to be understood that they would prefer that voters give their second preference to the Liberal Party or the National...

09.12.2024 10

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

This is a damn-fool idea and it puts Labor on the road to electoral suicide

The Labor Party would like it to be understood that it would prefer that voters give their second preference to the Liberal Party or the National...

06.12.2024 6

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Does Albo even deserve to win?

Not since Alaska has the US won a nation so cheaply. A friend joked to me recently that the best news Labor has had this week was being told that I...

02.12.2024 4

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

At this point, does Albo even deserve to win?

A friend joked to me recently that the best news Labor has had this week was being told that I was thinking that Anthony Albanese could very well...

29.11.2024 4

The Examiner

Jack Waterford

At this point, does Albo even deserve to win?

A friend joked to me recently that the best news Labor has had this week was being told that I was thinking that Anthony Albanese could very well...

29.11.2024 3

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Distorting elections: Australia’s professional politicians feather their own nests

The ALP is full of legends – of which many old party folk are defiantly proud – of political skullduggery. There have been stuffed ballot boxes,...

25.11.2024 2

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

We can't trust bipartisan hands in our pockets

The ALP is full of legends - of which many old party folk are defiantly proud - of political skullduggery. There have been stuffed ballot boxes,...

22.11.2024 4

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Labor, party of the comfortably housed, needs the Greens

Labor needs the Greens. It seems to calculate that the Greens have no choice about preferencing them. That might once have seemed logical, but it...

18.11.2024 2

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

What Albo could learn from the Greens as he drags his feet on next election

This week the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, let slip his last opportunity to call an election this year. With the statutory requirements of a...

15.11.2024 3

The Examiner

Jack Waterford

What Albo could learn from the Greens as he drags his feet on next election

This week the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, let slip his last opportunity to call an election this year. With the statutory requirements of a...

15.11.2024 3

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Like Kamala, Albanese doesn’t seem to get it

This was a mood election; It was not a referendum about Kamala Harris. Nor was it a referendum of Donald Trump’s character. Immediately after an...

11.11.2024 3

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

The big lesson for Albo if he doesn't want to suffer the same fate as Harris

Immediately after an election, journalists such as me write analysis and commentary explaining the result and what it says about the mood of the...

08.11.2024 4

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Albanese’s limp self-defence aggravated the damage of Qantas allegations

And the National Anti-Corruption Commission loses its appeal. Major General Paul Brereton would be doing well to plan a skilful retreat from utter...

04.11.2024 2

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Anti-corruption commission now so weak, pathetic that Dutton is its biggest fan

Major General Paul Brereton would be doing well to plan a skilful retreat from utter disaster rather than gallant holding actions pending the...

01.11.2024 3

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

Keeping the public in the dark: Is it time to scrap the NACC and start again?

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has recently issued its first substantial, if highly redacted report clearing a former Department of Home...

28.10.2024 3

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

I'm beginning to think we should just scrap the current NACC and start again

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has recently issued its first substantial, if highly redacted report clearing a former Department of Home...

25.10.2024 3

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

ACT Labor holds on, but are wheels coming off the Albanese re-election campaign?

Albanese once said his purpose in life was to “fight Tories.” In government he has done little more than surrender to them. The menu for Anthony...

21.10.2024 3

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

This series of elections will only bring bad news for Labor

The menu for Anthony Albanese over the next few weeks provides good examples of Labor's problems in controlling the agenda and sticking to the...

18.10.2024 2

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford

ACT’s Barr will struggle to overcome belief he has been in power too long

This ACT election is not an election about policies. Nor, by itself, about significant changes to the style of government. Andrew Barr,...

14.10.2024 3

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

Barr might lose this election simply because Labor's been in power so long

Andrew Barr, long-serving ACT Chief Minister is perfectly right in saying that it is not Labor's fault that Labor has been in power for such a long...

11.10.2024 2

Canberra Times

Jack Waterford