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Joe Spagnolo

University of Western Australia would join forces with Curtin and Murdoch under the proposed merger.

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OPINIONPremium
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WA braces for chaos between universities over merger

The Cook Government is hoping the heads of UWA, Curtin and Murdoch will join hands, sing kumbaya and endorse a controversial plan to merge the three tertiary institutions into one. Good luck with that one.

JOE SPAGNOLO

Opinion: Anthony Albanese needs to take ownership for Australia’s economic woes.

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opinion
Joe SpagnoloPremium
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Albo must learn when to shut up

Sometimes there is nothing you can say that will make things better. Whether it’s in sport or, dare I say, politics, sometimes it’s best to shut up if you can’t say something constructive.

Joe Spagnolo

The election of One Nation candidate Luke Herdegen to the WA Parliament has changed the face of State politics forever.

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STATE POLITICS
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Welcome to an era in WA politics where new rules are written

Welcome to a new era in WA politics, where the old ‘how to win an election’ play book has been thrown out the window and new rules written.

Joe Spagnolo

Perdaman founding chairman Vikas Rambal, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Premier Roger Cook and Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King in Karratha.

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JOE SPAGNOLOPremium
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Cook must beware Albo’s best wishes

I am sure Roger Cook really appreciated this week’s pep talk from his old mate Albo as the WA Premier fights to hang on to Secret Harbour.

JOE SPAGNOLO

Will National Party MP Lachlan Hunter put on a blue cap and campaign for the Liberals in Secret Harbour?

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OpinionPremium
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Nats can’t be Coalition chumps in Secret Harbour fight

Aren’t the WA Nationals a different mob these days? If recent developments in the Secret Harbour by-election are anything to go by, gone are the days when they went to electoral war with their Liberal cousins.

Joe Spagnolo

The only reason Roger Cook, pictured with candidate Georgia Tree, wouldn’t want Anthony Albanese in Secret Harbour would be if a visit from Albo would harm Labor’s chances of retaining the seat.

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opinion
State PoliticsPremium
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Cook warming to an Albo by-election no-show

Don’t believe the garbage that Albo doesn’t do by-elections in WA. Anthony Albanese campaigns in by-elections when it suits.

Joe Spagnolo

Roger Cook (left) has a big decision to make on who replaces Paul Papalia in Cabinet - if, as expected, he quits politics.

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opinion
State PoliticsPremium
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Roger Cook’s cabinet headache as Papalia retirement looms

With speculation mounting Paul Papalia will call time on his career this week, Roger Cook could be announcing a new minister. Who will get the golden cannoli (Joe Spagnolo’s nickname for Cabinet promotions)?

Joe Spagnolo

He can twist it, he can turn it, he can backflip, he can do a forward somersault. But Anthony Albanese has a problem: his credibility is shot.

opinion
opinion
Federal PoliticsPremium
opinion
Wheels are off Albo’s trust bus

He can twist it, he can turn it, he can backflip, he can do a forward somersault. But Anthony Albanese has a problem: his credibility is shot.

Joe Spagnolo

I am sure Albanese knows full well that here in WA a person’s word is sacrosanct as he comes under pressure to rip up the 2018 GST deal, writes Joe Spagnolo.

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opinion
Joe SpagnoloVideoPremium
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Albo’s GST word must be his bond as pressure grows on deal

Albanese knows full well that here in WA a person’s word is sacrosanct as he comes under pressure to rip up the 2018 GST deal, Joe Spagnolo writes.

Joe Spagnolo

Basil Zempilas should speak to Colin Barnett about the dangers of doing a preference deal with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, writes Joe Spagnolo.

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opinion
Joe SpagnoloPremium
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Basil Zempilas must beware of risky bedfellows

If Zempilas does a preference deal with Hanson, you would think his set of principles and policies would have to marry up to those of One Nation.

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Don’t be surprised if Daniel Pastorelli is a minister by year’s end.

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Cabinet reshufflePremium
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Cabinet shakeup looms for Xmas

For mine, Pastorelli and D’Anna are probably the two most likely MPs to get promotions if Punch and McGurk are played Andrea Bocelli’s Time to Say Goodbye by Cook in a reshuffle.

Joe Spagnolo

Labor senior minister Sabine Winton broke the cardinal rule of politics: Never show your opponents they have gotten under your skin.

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Joe SpagnoloPremium
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A gaffe that suggests WA Labor could be overconfident

You don’t call an MP an ‘arsehole’ in Parliament – regardless of the circumstances. 

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Winning over WA will not be easy for new federal Liberal leader Angus Taylor.

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OpinionPremium
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WA’s Liberal beef tough for Angus

I had Ley down for two years as Federal Liberal leader before being replaced. She did nine months – sacked by her colleagues quicker than an English Premier League manager.

Joe Spagnolo

Roger Cook describes WA’s relationship with China ‘complex’. AUKUS will see that relationship become more complex.

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Joe SpagnoloPremium
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Our complex relationship with China is about to get harder

Roger Cook calls WA’s relationship with China complex. That relationship is set to become even more complex as WA becomes a nuclear submarine powerhouse and significant cog of AUKUS. 

Joe Spagnolo

Ah, new year resolutions — promises you make to yourself, but seldom keep. What about some of our political figures? Can I be so bold as to suggest a few resolutions for them?

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Joe SpagnoloPremium
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My bold New Year resolutions for Australia’s top politicians

Ah, new year resolutions — promises you make to yourself, but seldom keep. What about some of our political figures? Can I be so bold as to suggest a few resolutions for them?

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Will Andrew Hastie walk the walk if Sussan Ley is challenged in 2026?

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JOE SPAGNOLO
opinion
Should Andrew Hastie Ley it all on the line?

Does Hastie just talk the talk, or does he walk the walk if Ley is challenged for the leadership in 2026?

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Christmas at the beach is a reminder that the Aussie way of life still remains despite changing times.

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opinion
Merry ChristmasPremium
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Christmas has come when Australia needs it most

Celebrating Christmas reminds us that all is not lost and that the Australia we once knew – at least fragments of it – still remain.

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Should dining with Pauline Hanson become a permanent occurrence, then Barnaby Joyce’s credibility - as a man who for decades professed his undying love for the Nationals - will be in tatters.

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Barnaby’s Choice Premium
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A lot at steak at Pauline’s table for Joyce’s dwindling rep

Should dining with Pauline Hanson become a regular thing, Barnaby Joyce’s credibility - given that for decades he has professed his undying love for the Nationals - will be in tatters.

Joe Spagnolo

Minister Don Punch, pictured with Anthony Albanese in Bunbury, could be a victim of a Cabinet reshuffle next year.

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opinion
Joe Spagnolo
opinion
Political whispers as end of year looms

Unlike NSW and Victoria, where they’ve just got rid of their Liberal leaders, there will be no end-of-year killing season in politics in WA. 

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Basil Zempilas has done well in keeping Labor to account on health.

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Opinion
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Wheel has turned on Ley’s ‘unelectable’ Libs

Isn’t it funny how quickly things can change in politics.? Just a few short months ago the Federal Liberals believed their WA colleagues were a millstone around their necks. Now the shoe is on the other foot.

Joe Spagnolo

Speculation continues over whether Roger Cook will lead Labor to the next election.

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Joe SpagnoloPremium
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Will Roger Cook pull the pin before 2029 election?

In political circles — both Labor and Liberal — the question of whether Roger Cook will pull the pin before the 2029 election continues to be asked.

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Patrick Gorman’s opposition to Roger Cook’s Burswood racetrack has gone down like a lead balloon.

opinion
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Political Disharmony
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The September of discontent: WA infighting hits new high

So what’s going on? Lovers’ tiffs or something a little bit more serious?

JOE SPAGNOLO

Optus CEO Stephen Rue speaks to media following outage 7NEWS

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Opinion
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Optus outage: Sorry just isn’t good enough with four deaths

‘I am so sorry for your loss’ - Those were the words on Saturday from Optus CEO Stephen Rue to the families of four Australians, two from WA, who died after unsuccessful attempts to get through to 000.

Joe Spagnolo

Opinion: Sussan Ley will need to win over her WA colleagues if she is to keep the top job.

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Ley under pressurePremium
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The two WA MPs Sussan Ley will need to keep her job

Joe Spagnolo: If Sussan Ley is to keep her job as Federal Opposition Leader, she will need to win over two of her WA colleagues.

Joe Spagnolo