Critical Reviews of Australian Political News and Readings

This assignment comprises five short-answer critical reviews of Australian political news items, spanning from week 2 to week 7, each approximately 200 words in length. The reviews analyze speeches and statements by prominent figures like Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison, and Julia Gillard, juxtaposing their viewpoints with corresponding scholarly articles. The structure of each review includes an overview of the news item's main topic, the speaker's position, the author's argument from the required reading, supporting evidence and examples, and the author's conclusion. The topics covered include economic development, Australia Day debates, parliamentary issues, free trade deals, and Australia's engagement with Asia. The assignment adheres to APA referencing style and does not exceed 1000 words, demonstrating critical reading and analytical skills.

Assessment Task 2
Short Answer Critical Reviews
You are required to complete five short answer critical reviews of the news items provided from week 2 to
week 7. An example for week 3 has been provided as a guide. Each short answer critical review should
relate to the news item and required reading for the appropriate week and should consist of around 200 words.
The total words for the completed task should not exceed 1000 words.
The recommended structure is:
 The main topic - what is this news article about?
 The speaker’s thesis - what is the public figure’s position on the main topic?
 The author’s argument - what is the author of this week’s required reading’s main point on this topic?
 Evidence and examples provided to support the author’s argument
 Author’s conclusion on the topic.
You are required to include a reference list and cite in the text of the short answer critical reviews the author,
year and page number/s where your information and ideas come from using the APA (in-text) referencing
system
Week 2 Critical Review
Abbott, T. (2014) Address to the Sydney Institute, 14 November 2014.
Gammage, B. (2011). Fire in 1788: The closest ally. Australian Historical Studies 42(2), 277-288.
In the address to the Sydney institute Abbott (2014), focusses on the economic growth and the
importance of the same on the issues that are highlighted in the creation and the maintenance of the
sustainable development of the areas. The Australian prime minister highlights the fact that the proper
maintenance of the economy of the country helps in the overall development of the various issues that
are highlighted in terms of the sustainability of the concerned area as well as the practices that are
maintained within the area regarding the development of the environment. Gammage (2011) in their
article highlights the aboriginal Australians had been taking huge measures in order to prevent the
spread of the bush fires that have been taking place in the country. The author further argues on the fact
that the given indigenous population within the country is known to have been aligning the vegetation
within the area with the pattern of the fires that have been breaking within the area as well. The author
concluded the fact that in order to maintain the sustainability within the given area, the residents as
well as the governmental bodies within the area should maintain the proper economic conditions as
well.
Week 4 Critical Review
Morrison, S. (2018) On The Australia Day Debate, Sunrise, Channel 7, 24 September 2018.
Grehan, H. (2018) First Nations Politics in a Climate of Refusal, Performance Research, 23:3, pp. 7-12.
In addressing the issues of the Australia Day Debate, Morrison (2018) stated the fact that the
Australian citizens should take measures in order to celebrate as well as maintain the rich cultural
heritage of the country. The speeches and debates as have been undertaken by Morrison highlights that
Australians lack in the proper understanding of their own culture that is highly demonstrated in the
issues dealing with the celebrations on just one single day. Grehan (2018) opine that the Australia Day
celebrations tend to highlight the contributions of the colonisers within the country. The arguments that
have been placed by Morrison state that they need to celebrate as well as acknowledge the
contributions of the aboriginal and indigenous Australians in the matters that are highlighted regarding
the cultural as well as the societal issues that are highlighted within the organisation. The arguments
that have been highlighted within the speeches by Morrison tend to highlight that there need not be
terminations of the Australian Day celebrations in order to acknowledge the contributions of the
indigenous and the aboriginal cultures to the overall development of an unique identity of the people
who have been residing within the premises of Australia.
Week 5 Critical Review
Morrison, S. (2018) Response to Richard Di Natale question without notice, Question Time, Parliament of Australia, 26
November 2018.
Carson, L. (2011) Dilemmas, disasters and deliberative democracy, Griffith Review Edition 32: Wicked Problems, Exquisite

Dilemmas, May 2011
Morrison (2018) in response to the question raised by Richard Di Natale highlights that the Australian
government has been going through issues in the matters that are related to the election of the various
leaders within the country. The eminent leader states that there had been an uproar within the
parliament regarding the use of the unparliamentary words and speech fragments within the parliament.
The eminent politician Scott Morrison, stated that the concerned residents of the country tend to be
made aware of the various issues that are faced by the country in the present times. The article by
Carson (2011) highlighted the fact that the residents of the country should be made aware of the issues
that are faced by the country. This in turn would help in the overall creation of the national stability
within the country as well as put forth an enhancement of the engagement of the residents within the
governance of the country. The increase in the engagement of the residents might further help in the
overall development of the country at the international levels. This in turn help in the betterment of the
economy of the country and enhanced living conditions within the country.
Week 6 Critical Review
Turnbull, M and May, T. (2017) Turnbull and May confident of free trade deal, The Guardian, 11 July 2017.
Derek McDougall (2016) Australia and Brexit: Déjà Vu All Over Again? The Round Table, 105:5, 557-572.
Turnbull and May (2017) stated the bilateral deal with the UK would be highly beneficial to the
economy of the country of Australia. The political leaders stated that the implementation of the
bilateral deal however, does not hold a better priority than the free-trade deal that have been taking
place within the country of Australia and the countries belonging to the European Union. The
commencement of the free-trade deals with the United Kingdom might further create a reminiscence of
the past for the Australian citizens. The commencement of the trade relations that exist within the
countries of Australia and the United Kingdom might lead to the consideration of the past activities as
had been undertaken in the past which led to the eventual colonisation of Australia. McDougall (2016)
states that the implementation of the various strategies within the international trade might help in the
overall development of the various issues that are highlighted within the area as well regarding the
political prudence that has been existing within the area as well. The article author further claims that
the implementation of the trade relations within the countries might be treated to be repetition of the
past events faced by Australian residents.
Week 7 Critical Review
Gillard, J. (2012) In Conversation: Australia in Asian Century White Paper, The Lowy Institute. 21 November 2012.
Johnson, C. et.al. (2010) Australia's Ambivalent Re-imagining of Asia, Australian Journal of Political Science, 45:1, 59-74.
Gillard (2012) in “In Conversation: Australia in Asian Century White Paper” highlighted the various
areas that need to be highlighted and understood by the various governmental bodies within the
Australian territories as well as the concerned managerial bodies as are presented within the given
organisations that tend to make attempts at the expansion within the Asian markets. The
implementation of the organisational relations between the companies active within the Australian and
the Asian territories would help in the increase of the economy of both the Australian as well as the
Asian economies. Johnson, Ahluwalia and McCarthy (2010) in their article further highlight the fact
that the Australian government demonstrates the ambivalence in the application of the various
governmental policies that are highlighted within trades that are implemented within the area as well.
The policymakers however suggest that the trade policies as have been highlighted within the given
organisation might further help in the increase in the overall activities that are undertaken in terms of
the development of the economy of the countries involved. This in turn might lead to the various issues
that are highlighted in developing the Australian economy as has been presented within the modern
society at large.
References

Abbott, T. (2014) Address to the Sydney Institute, 14 November 2014.
Carson, L. (2011) Dilemmas, disasters and deliberative democracy, Griffith Review Edition 32:
Wicked Problems, Exquisite Dilemmas, May 2011
Derek McDougall (2016) Australia and Brexit: Déjà Vu All Over Again? The Round Table, 105:5,
557-572.
Gammage, B. (2011). Fire in 1788: The closest ally. Australian Historical Studies 42(2), 277-288.
Gillard, J. (2012) In Conversation: Australia in Asian Century White Paper, The Lowy
Institute. 21 November 2012.
Grehan, H. (2018) First Nations Politics in a Climate of Refusal, Performance Research, 23:3, pp. 7-
12.
Johnson, C. et.al. (2010) Australia's Ambivalent Re-imagining of Asia, Australian Journal of
Political Science, 45:1, 59-74.
Morrison, S. (2018) On The Australia Day Debate, Sunrise, Channel 7, 24 September 2018.
Morrison, S. (2018) Response to Richard Di Natale question without notice, Question Time,
Parliament of Australia, 26 November 2018.
Turnbull, M and May, T. (2017) Turnbull and May confident of free trade deal, The Guardian, 11
July 2017.