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Family matters cause cricket bingle

Michael Clarke has come under fire for leaving the tour in New Zealand to be with fiancee Lara Bingle.

Some say it should count against him when the ledger is balanced to choose the next Test captain.

But he has only done what any decent husband or boyfriend should do. He's put family ahead of work. More

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Tags: community-and-society, family-and-children, sport, cricket, work

Tony Abbott has a lot to learn from his colleagues who are after all, on his side. Listen and learn

Tony Abbott still has a lot to learn from his colleagues. More

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There seems to be some confusion about recent health spending. Bang for buck

There seems to be some confusion about recent health spending. More

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Abbott's paid parental leave plan is very far from progressive. Labour pains

Abbott's paid parental leave plan is very far from progressive. More

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ABC Columnists

  1. Striking a chord

    Kevin Rudd's comments as a father, on bullying, have struck a chord with voters. More

  2. Having it all

    When a mother works she does have it all ... all the burdens of home that is. More

  3. Cranky creatives

    Who decided all of a sudden that our creative people had to be nice anyway? More

  4. Old world struggles

    Two of the world's oldest civilisations are facing serious financial troubles. More

  5. The real deal

    Why are fewer songwriters telling uniquely Australian tales? More

  6. Worth its weight

    It wasn't that long ago gold was on the nose, especially in Australia, but now, everyone wants it. More

  7. All apologies

    Kevin Rudd has moved to recapture lost ground. More

  8. Balance or bias?

    What defines balance or bias in coverage of the climate change debate? More

  9. 'Minister for Everything'

    When in the mood, Julia Gillard is far and away the Government's best salesperson. More

Business Analysis

Demolishing the entire superannuation system

Is it worth having workers' retirement savings put at risk, and traded at the mercy of the market? More

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Financial struggles in the 'old world'

Two of the world's oldest civilisations are facing serious financial troubles. More

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More

Infectious misery of a Greek tragedy

However you look at the emerging crisis in southern Europe, it doesn't look good. More

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You Said It

Abbott can learn from his colleagues! Which ones, if I may ask? He's supposed to be their best, Malcolm is a backbencher now, who is there to ask...

Helvi, on Abbott still has lots to learn (via story comment)

I cannot see Tony Abbott's maternity plan working when a woman gets $70/hr for staying at home and nursing her baby and another woman gets $10/hr. She might be worth $70/hr at work however at home she is worth no more than the waitress.

Glen Sheather, on Labour pains dog Abbott's maternity plan (via story comment)

Rudd Labor's claim that Howard's Coalition decreased spending on health is a fairy tale. It seems to me that to get more bang for our bucks requires an audit of health areas of spending, and one in particular would be the number of administration personnel and what they do or don't contribute in return for their cost to taxpayers.

DT, Healthcare: bang for buck (via story comment)

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Cars are inundated by floodwaters on a North Melbourne street outside The Lost Dogs Home during a storm on March 6, 2010.

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Opinion Poll - Have your vote

Which parental leave plan do you prefer, Tony Abbott’s or Kevin Rudd’s?

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Provoking comment on the web

The perfectionist PM

The government throws prudence - and billions - to the wind, writes Malcolm Turnbull in the National Times.
"It looks as if Kevin Rudd is not the bureaucratic messiah after all, but just another headline-hunting politician."

Woo mums and big end of town

The Coalition should offer parental leave as part of a reform of family benefits, says Jessica Brown in The Australian.
"A plan for reform, rather than an election year handout, could be the policy that Abbott needs to win support from the big end of town and young mums."

Fat kids

Daniel Engber, in Slate, says get ready for a new front in the war on obesity.
"Since we don't expect kids to make their own decisions, we're free to indulge in all sorts of nanny-state shenanigans, like mandatory gym classes and bans on cafeteria vending machines."

The zombies of Westminster

Cameron's team sees itself as the good guys but the whole system is decomposing, writes Rafael Behr in the NewStatesman.
"It is as if, having come back from so many disasters - the economic meltdown, the coups, the Prime Minister's violent rage - Labour had developed a weird immunity to bad news. How do you kill a government of the undead?"

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