A Matter of Opinion: Informed, Insightful, Unafraid...from over Two Decades of Political Writing for the Sydney Morning Herald - Tapa blanda

For more than two decades no one has had greater access to Parliament House and the politicians inside it than Alan Ramsey. Informed, insightful, and unafraid, his columns have been the first port of call for many thousands of readers, not least leading politicians. Collected here are Ramsey's unique and unflinching views of major political events here and overseas: East Timor, Indonesia, Iraq; the cozy and complacent attachment to the Bush and other USA administrations; the insidiousness channeling of Hansonism; the children overboard and Tampa incidents; and a litany of major scandals, factionalism, and conspiracies from all political parties. But at the same time Ramsey's keen eye examines and observes with affection many of the players, major and minor, who help turn the wheels of government. Close to several of them, he is always as quick to give credit when credit due as to lay bare faults, pomposity, and ignorance.