A tipple, a trek and a very dark cloud

by James Allan

May 4, 2013

The cork may be an endangered species in Australian wine bottles, but Americans just can't seem to get used to screw tops. The idea that Islamic butchers might want to blow people up is, in some quarters, even harder to assimilate

What I left in San Francisco

March 31, 2013

Our US correspondent rides a bicycle without helmet and lives to tell. Despite a reverence for regulation that would gladden any Australian bureaucrat, Californians still know how to do a cost-benefit analysis

It doesn't rain in Southern California

by James Allan

February 13, 2013

The Golden State's economy is in a tailspin, but a sunny cheerfulness continues to animate my new neighbours. Mine, too, as news from home confirms that demise of Julia Gillard's petulant and incompetent government draws closer

Where the wife and I get our kicks

by James Allan

January 24, 2013

With a song in his heart and a borrowed Volvo, our newly arrived US correspondent takes in the wonders of America, from big cars to a big hole and, in California, one heck of a big mess

Gillard's greatest sin of all

January 21, 2013

Lies and incompetence are enough in themselves to warrant this government being turfed out. Its vile war on free speech should seal the deal

Spigelman's gag reflex

by James Allan

December 17, 2012

When it comes to championing free speech, the former Chief Justice of NSW makes at best a limp and hollow-chested contender. To stand for something, you need to understand what is it, and Spigelman has barely a clue

The very model of a modern journalist

by James Allan

November 29, 2012

So you think you could make a career in the media. It is isn't difficult, truth be told, if you can master the essential qualities of eltism, myopia, selective outrage, moral inconsistency and groupthink

Ted Baillieu's general uselessness

by James Allan

November 9, 2012

The Victorian Premier may be driven by a greater ambition than a desire to warm the government benches until Labor is returned to power. If so, Coalition supporters would appreciate a demonstration

Humpty Dumpty's dictionary

October 25, 2012

Words can now be made to mean whatever our Prime Minister and supporters want them to mean. And their former definitions? Down the memory hole with them!

To lie, slander, or both?

by James Allan

September 28, 2012

A government cannot face the electorate on a platform of proven incompetence, so how does Julia Gillard propose to save her party's bacon? With a little help from the ABC, for starters

Tolerance? That's a gag!

by James Allan

September 21, 2012

The response to other people’s disagreeable opinions was once the firmly stated refutation. These days, the first step is to state for the record that you are neither racist nor homophobe. After that, prepare to be slimed, slurred and shouted down

Julia's Olympics

by James Allan

August 8, 2012

Julia Gillard: "We still have one secret weapon up our sleeves. I refer to this government’s unsurpassed ability to spin, spin, spin in a way that would make a gold medal figure skater green with envy."

To do or not to do

by James Allan

July 25, 2012

I want to ask Quadrant Online readers for a moment to do something the polls tell us that well over half of Australians will find tough, and probably a bit distasteful. I want you to imagine that you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Labor Party supporter.

Sick of paying my taxes for the ABC

by James Allan

July 11, 2012

Name the TV current affairs host on the ABC who isn’t from the left. Go out and show me one single episode of Q & A, just one, where the panel is lop-sided in favour of the right (and heck I’ll count Malcolm Turnbull as a righty to make it easy for you).

Conscience vote subterfuge

by James Allan

July 3, 2012

A ‘conscience vote’ sounds so reasonable, so measured, so above all the partisan politicking. That’s the subtle suggestion the emotively appealing phrase throws up, and it’s garbage.

Labor's total mess

by James Allan

June 27, 2012

Where we are is the result of Labor listening to the Greens, full stop. Mr. Abbott bears no responsibility for this mess or the many deaths we are witnessing. Labor does.

Anything but the truth

by James Allan

June 7, 2012

Any readers unlucky enough to have watched last week’s Q&A program on the ABC probably will have had uncontrollable urges to yell ‘you pompous, sanctimonious, self-satisfied twits’ at the panellists on the TV.

Declaration of Lack of Independence

by James Allan

May 10, 2012

Here’s a Declaration our two independent MPs might find they could sign up to.

Legal standards & other standards

by James Allan

April 27, 2012

When it comes to our Prime Minister and this government having an MP in their political party who refuses to help the police it is a patent exercise in sophistry and sleight-of-hand to pretend that she and it can rely on legal safeguards in refusing to condemn him or throw him out of the party.

Keep your eyes on Alberta

by James Allan

April 12, 2012

Since 2006 things have gone all wonky for the Conservatives. You see they flirted with the idea of a red Tory or Malcolm Turnbull-type leader.