Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others: surviving Clive Palmer’s Australia - Clive Palmer is a titanic figure sitting astride the Senate. Can the Abbott Government learn to work with him and around him to get its budget passed? Australian Business Economists are pleased to present a lunchtime briefing and discussion with Peter Hartcher, Political Editor and International Editor, The Sydney Morning Herald. Peter Hartcher has worked as a foreign correspondent in Tokyo and Washington. He has won Australia's highest journalistic accolade, the Gold Walkley award, and the Citibank award for business reporting. As the political editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, he is the paper's principal commentator on national politics. While his job is mainly as an analyst, he also has broken some of the biggest stories in Australian public life. It was Hartcher's front-page article in June, 2010, that triggered Julia Gillard's successful challenge to Kevin Rudd the next day, bringing the first Rudd prime ministership to an end. In his capacity as the Herald's international editor, Hartcher is also the newspaper's chief commentator on global events. His 2005 book on the US economy, Bubble Man: Alan Greenspan and the Missing Seven Trillion Dollars, foresaw the collapse of the American real estate market and the recession that followed. He is acknowledged as an independent, non-partisan commentator. He has never joined, worked for or contributed to any politician or political party. A recent survey of Australia's political pundits by Crikey said that there was no more balanced commentator. Cost: $145 members | $175 non-members | $1240 tables (of 8 guests each) Lunch includes two courses and beverages. Enquiries: info@abe.org.au or call 0419 256 339 ABE offers an on-line booking and payment facility. To book on-line, please click here