Politicians and journalists have drunk the Grand Prix Kool-Aid. They continue to spruik the economic benefits of hosting the Grand Prix in Melbourne. In a recent media release, Steve Dimopoulos, the Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, claimed: “The event is an epic boost for local jobs, visitation and…
Sarah RussellMarch 23, 2024
Donald Trump’s off-the-cuff insults against Kevin Rudd are a media storm in a tea cup. I am much more worried about Trump's plans for a jailing opponents and banning abortion than his views about Rudd. When Nigel Farage asked Trump a leading question about Rudd, it was clear he had…
Sarah RussellMarch 22, 2024
During question time in Federal Parliament recently, Liberal MP for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie, claimed that a fuel efficiency standard would increase the price of top-selling cars. It was a demonstrably untrue statement. When her claims were fact-checked, they could not be authenticated. During the two decades in which fuel efficiency standards were…
Sarah RussellMarch 19, 2024
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has a track record of failing to consult ratepayers about important decisions. First, it came for older people who use aged care services. Then it came for our beloved wildlife sanctuary at The Briars. In 2022, councillors voted to outsource aged care services to corporate providers, a…
Sarah RussellFebruary 13, 2024
Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors are being shown as Jekyll and Hyde. On the one hand, local residents were kept in the dark about Warner Brothers’ plans to stage Harry Potter light shows in our beloved wildlife sanctuary at The Briars because councillors signed non-disclosure agreements (NDA). There was a complete…
Sarah RussellJanuary 16, 2024
MEMBERS of the Progressives of the Peninsula group have launched their Just Ask campaign as a way to “engage the disengaged, the undecideds and the No voters” before the 14 October Voice to Parliament referendum. “Our democracy relies on informed voters. Rather than push a Yes or No position, we…
Sarah RussellOctober 3, 2023
This post is a collection of letters and opinion pieces that I have written April - October 2023 1. Letter published in The Age on 22 April 2023 2. Letter published in The Age on 29 April 2023 3. Opinion Piece published in MP News on…
Sarah RussellSeptember 5, 2023
At its heart, the proposal to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to parliament in our constitution is about a desire to improve the social, health and economic outcomes of Indigenous Australians. The Australian government has a long history of making laws, policies and decisions that directly impact the lives of Indigenous…
Sarah RussellAugust 5, 2023