Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Bill Shorten’s becoming opposition leader gives Tony Abbott greater reason for concern than an Anthony Albanese victory would have done.

Liberal frontbencher Bronwyn Bishop has accepted the job of Speaker in the House of Representatives – despite making it known to colleagues earlier this year that she did not want the position.

The hapless Sophie Mirabella has brought double trouble for her friend Tony Abbott.

As Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese had their final face off in the battle to lead Labor out of the Rudd-Gillard era, the former PM received a rapturous response tonight from a 2600-strong audience at Sydney’s Opera House.

Bill Shorten had little practical alternative but to name himself as the person police had been investigating in relation to an alleged rape in the 1980s.

Tony Abbott promised a government of no surprises but has delivered a year chock-full of them.

Kevin Rudd has bowed out of politics in a tearful farewell to Parliament that drew a heartfelt tribute from Tony Abbott and a highly emotional one from former opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull.

Once again Julie Bishop has demonstrated she can lay claim to be currently the best performing minister in cabinet.

Governor-General designate Peter Cosgrove wants to visit “stressed” indigenous communities in tandem with Australian of the Year Adam Goodes to see what their conditions are like.

Tony Abbott’s office took quite a while to respond to Sky News’ Wednesday report that a group of backbenchers from across the parliament planned to bring forward a same-sex marriage bill on August 11, with the party room considering a week later whether Liberals should get a conscience vote.

In his statement on Labor’s Victorian election win, Tony Abbott referred to just one policy issue: the East West Link, which was a central Liberal promise.

Some barnacles are not, it seems, able to be removed – certainly not in time for Christmas.