Political Chronicles – The Commonwealth, January – June 2002

Abstract

In contrast to the previous six months, Australian politics between January and June,2002, appeared comparatively tame. Like the previous period, debate maintained anexternal affairs focus, particularly mandatory detention for asylum seekers and the“children overboard” affair. It was in this context the Liberal-National (LNP) CoalitionGovernment retained an upper hand over an Australian Labor Party (ALP) stillsmarting from its defeat at the November federal election. The LNP did not emergefrom the period unscathed, however, and discord surfaced over the previous inaction ofthe Governor-General, unfounded allegations against a High Court Judge, and a seriesof tough budgetary measures. Such events, though, did little to dent the Government’spublic opinion lead: one that owed more to the inefficacy of the ALP Opposition thanto any specific Coalition achievement.