Here at The Spectator Australia, we work tirelessly to keep you up to date on developments concerning the great institutions that make up the bulwark of our civilisation. The three I have in mind this week are democracy, the rules-based order and the media.

On democracy, it is good to see this noble principle flourishing: only a few days ago, that renowned statesman Bashar al-Assad, was sworn in for a fourth term as President of Syria.