Plots and Prayers

Author: Niki Savva
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781912854646
Category : Australia
Languages : en
Pages : 397

Book Description
In an enthralling sequel to her bestselling The Road to Ruin, Niki Savva reveals the inside story of a bungled coup that overthrew the Liberal prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and installed a surprise successor, Scott Morrison, who went on to take the party to a miraculous electoral victory. On 21 August 2018, 35 Liberal MPs cast their vote against Malcolm Turnbull, effectively signalling the end of his leadership. Three days later, the deed was done, and Scott Morrison was anointed prime minister. Tony Abbott's relentless campaign of destabilisation, helped along by his acolytes in the parliament and by his powerful media mates, the betrayals of colleagues, and the rise of the religious right -- climaxing in Peter Dutton's challenge -- all played a part in Turnbull's downfall. But so did Turnbull's own poor political judgement. He was a good prime minister and a terrible politician. The good bits of Malcolm were not enough to make up for the bad Malcolm. Nevertheless, the sheer brutality of his removal left many Liberals aghast. MPs were traumatised or humiliated by eight days of madness. Men and women cried from sheer anguish. They went through hell, and feared when it was over that they would not make it back -- and nor would the Liberal Party. As it turned out, redemption came with Morrison's unexpected single-handed 2019 election victory. Turnbull's road ended in ruins, as it was always bound to and as he always knew it would, as he predicted to Niki Savva less than three years before it happened. But when his end was imminent, he could not bear to let go. And when it was over, he was defiant, fragile -- and, yes -- vengeful. This is the inside story of what happened -- and what happened next.

The Road to Ruin

Author: Niki Savva
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781925322729
Category : Australia
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
'There will be no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping.' -Tony Abbott, 15 September 2015 Abbott's performances in the party-room debates on education and climate change had ranged between woeful and pathetic. He sounded desperate, he was inconsistent, and -- his colleagues thought -- slightly ridiculous. They knew he would never stop going after cheap headlines during soft interviews where he sucked up the oxygen, with revision and division as his calling cards. All they could hope was that people would soon grow tired of listening to him. Normal people might have, but the media grew more and more hysterical, as if a challenge were imminent. In the original edition of The Road to Ruin, prominent political commentator, author, and columnist for The AustralianNiki Savva revealed the ruinous behaviour of former prime minister Tony Abbott and his chief of staff, Peta Credlin. Based on her unrivalled access to their colleagues, and devastating first-person accounts of what went on behind the scenes, Savva painted an unforgettable picture of a unique duo who wielded power ruthlessly but not well. That edition became a major bestseller, and went on to win an Australian book industry award for the best general non-fiction book of the year. Now Savva continues where she left off. This updated edition contains a new, 13,500-word final chapter, in which Savva reveals the inner state of the Turnbull government -- and the behind-the-scenes jockeying of friends and foes alike. From Christopher Pyne's career-stalling own goal, to Peter Dutton's post-Turnbull leadership ambitions, to Tony Abbott's ramped-up destabilisation campaign, it is, as usual, an unputdownable and impeccably sourced account.

Morrison's Miracle

Author: Anika Gauja
Publisher: ANU Press
ISBN: 1760463620
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 533

Book Description
This book, the 17th in the federal election series and the ninth sponsored by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, provides a comprehensive account of the 2019 Australian election, which resulted in the surprise victory of the Coalition under Scott Morrison. It brings together 36 contributors who analyse voter behaviour, campaign strategies, regional variations, polling, ideology, media and the new importance of memes and digital campaigning. Morrison’s victory underlined the continuing trend toward the personalisation of politics and the loss of trust in political institutions, both in Australia and across western democracies. Morrison’s Miracle is indispensable for understanding the May 2019 Coalition victory, which surprised many observers and confounded pollsters and political pundits.

The Game

Author: Sean Kelly
Publisher: Black Inc.
ISBN: 1743821980
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 257

Book Description
What happens when the prime minister views politics only as a game? Australia wanted Scott Morrison. In a time of uncertainty, the country chose in 2019 to turn to a man with no obvious beliefs, no clear purpose and no famous talents. That we wanted Scott Morrison was the secret we did not know about ourselves. What precisely that secret is forms the subject of this book. In The Game, Sean Kelly gives us a portrait of a man, the shallow political culture that allowed him to succeed and the country that crowned him. Morrison understands – in a way that no other recent politician has – how politics has become a game. He also understands something essential about Australia – something many of us are unwilling to admit, even to ourselves. But there are things Scott Morrison does not understand. This is the story of those failures, too – and the way that, as his prime ministership continues, Morrison’s failure to think about politics as anything other than a game has become a dangerous liability, both to him and to us.

A Bigger Picture

Author: Malcolm Turnbull
Publisher: Hardie Grant Publishing
ISBN: 1743587988
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 886

Book Description
In A Bigger Picture, the bestselling political memoir of 2020, Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s 29th prime minister, tells the remarkable story of his life. Now in paperback, this edition is updated with an all-new foreword by the author that sheds light on the huge political and cultural changes happening today. When Malcolm Turnbull took over the nation’s top job there was a sense of excitement in Australia. Sky-high opinion polls followed as the political outsider with a successful business, legal and media career took charge. The infighting that had dogged politics for the best part of a decade looked to be over. But a right-wing insurgency brutally cut down Turnbull’s time in office after three years, leaving many Australians asking, ‘Why?’ Exceptionally candid and compelling, A Bigger Picture is the definitive narrative of Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership. He describes how he legalised same-sex marriage, established Snowy Hydro 2.0, stood up to Donald Trump, and many more achievements – remarkable in their pace and significance, and delivered in the teeth of so much opposition. But it’s far more than just politics. Turnbull’s life has been filled with colourful characters and controversies, success and failure. From his early years in Sydney, growing up with a single father, to defending 'Spycatcher' Peter Wright against the UK government; the years representing Kerry Packer, leading the Republican Movement and making millions in business; and finally toppling Tony Abbott to become prime minister of Australia. For the first time he tells it all – in his own words. With revelatory insights on the workings of Canberra and the contentious events of Turnbull’s life, A Bigger Picture explores the strengths and vulnerabilities of one of Australia’s best-known and most dynamic business and political leaders. Lyrically written in highly readable and entertaining prose, this is a genuine page-turner that’s not just for political junkies.

So Greek

Author: Niki Savva
Publisher: Scribe Publications
ISBN: 1921753560
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 353

Book Description
From one of the most senior correspondents in the Canberra Press Gallery comes a rare account of life as a political insider. Born in a small village in Cyprus, Niki Savva spent her childhood in Melbourne’s working-class suburbs — frontiers where locals were suspicious of olive oil, and Greek kids spoke Gringlish to their parents. Only a few decades later, despite all the challenges of being a migrant woman in Australia, Savva had risen through the ranks of political journalism at The Australian, and had gone on to head the Canberra bureaus of both the Melbourne Herald Sun and The Age. Then in 1997, family tragedy struck, and she was forced to reassess her career. In spite of her own Labor convictions, she became Liberal treasurer Peter Costello’s press secretary, a role that she kept for six years before moving on to join John Howard’s staff. This is one of the few books about Australian political life written by an insider with decades of exposure to its major players. Hilarious, moving, and endlessly fascinating, Savva’s is a story that moves between countries, cultures, careers and, ultimately, political convictions.

Hockey

Author: Madonna King
Publisher: Univ. of Queensland Press
ISBN: 0702252611
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 364

Book Description
While thousands of viewers watched Joe Hockey's approachable persona each week on Australia's Sunrise on Channel 7, there is a lot more to the Australian treasurer than meets the eye. This authorized biography of Hockey delves into how he embarked on his political career as a student and how he worked tirelessly to rise through the ranks of the Liberal Party, learning some pivotal lessons along the way and earning himself one of the nation's toughest jobs. Having held a raft of senior ministerial positions in the John Howard administration, he presides over some of the most controversial financial decisions of the decade. Already a household name in Australia, it is hard not to know about Hockey the politician, who has declared a "new age of opportunity" and whose budget has got the nation talking. But what about the man behind the politician? Drawing on hundreds of interviews, as well as full access to Joe Hockey, his family and friends, this biography explores the influences that have shaped his life, and provides an exclusive and unparalleled insight into the man who will play a pivotal role in Australia's future.

Storytellers

Author: Leigh Sales
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 176110697X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 313

Book Description
Highly respected ABC anchor, bestselling author and hit podcaster Leigh Sales interviews the cream of Australian journalists about their craft – how (and why) they bring us the stories that inform our lives. Leigh Sales is one of Australia’s most accomplished journalists, having anchored the ABC’s flagship 7.30 program for twelve years. She has been a foreign correspondent, hosted Lateline and anchored numerous elections for the ABC. In this book, she turns her interviewing skills onto her own profession, those usually asking the questions: the journalists. In ten sections – from News Reporting to Editing, via Investigative, Commentary and of course Interviewing – Sales takes us on a tour of the profession, letting the leaders in their field talk direct to us about how they get their leads, survive in war zones, write a profile, tell a story with pictures, and keep the show on the road. A who’s-who of Australian journalism – including Lisa Millar, Kate McClymont, Hedley Thomas, Trent Dalton, Benjamin Law, Tracy Grimshaw, Richard Fidler, David Speers, Stan Grant, Niki Savva, Waleed Aly, Annabel Crabb, Karl Stefanovic and Mia Freedman – talk candidly about their greatest lessons and their trade secrets. A fascinating insight into a vital and much-misunderstood profession, Storytellers is a book for anyone who’s ever wanted to be a journalist, or even just wondered how the news gets made.

Comparing Cabinets

Author: Patrick Weller
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198844948
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 277

Book Description
Why is cabinet government so resilient? Despite many obituaries, why does it continue to be the vehicle for governing across most parliamentary systems? Comparing Cabinets answers these questions by examining the structure and performance of cabinet government in five democracies: the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Australia. The book is organised around the dilemmas that cabinet governments must solve: how to develop the formal rules and practices that can bring predictability and consistency to decision making; how to balance good policy with good politics; how to ensure cohesion between the factions and parties that constitute the cabinet while allowing levels of self-interest to be advanced; how leaders can balance persuasion and command; and how to maintain support through accountability at the same time as being able to make unpopular decisions. All these dilemmas are continuing challenges to cabinet government, never solvable, and constantly reappearing in different forms. Comparing distinct parliamentary systems reveals how traditions, beliefs, and practices shape the answers. There is no single definition of cabinet government, but rather arenas and shared practices that provide some cohesion. Such a comparative approach allows greater insight into the process of cabinet government that cannot be achieved in the study of any single political system, and an understanding of the pressures on each system by appreciating the options that are elsewhere accepted as common beliefs.

Party Animals

Author: Samantha Maiden
Publisher: Random House Australia
ISBN: 1760893153
Category : Australia
Languages : en
Pages : 325

Book Description
The Labor Party was the unbeatable favourite to win the 2019 election right up until the polls closed and voters delivered the shock verdict. If the results surprised pundits, they also shocked Bill Shorten and his frontbench who had spent the final weeks of the campaign carefully planning for their first days in office. The cast of villains to blame was long: billionaire Clive Palmer's grotesque $60 million spend-a-thon, the death tax scare campaign, Bill Shorten's unpopularity, the Murdoch tabloids and Labor's tax-and-spend policy agenda that included a crackdown on franking credits that was too hard to explain but too easy for the Liberals to demonise. How did the Labor Party lose the unloseable election? Party Animals uncovers the secret history of a Labor fiasco, the untold story behind Scott Morrison's miracle.