In-depth analysis of the day’s news, plus stories and gossip from Australian politics.
It’s time to put power lines underground
In the Irish stronghold of south-west Victoria, St Patrick’s Day is a notable date on the celebration calendar. Danny Boy…
An abundance of dread as Daniel Andrews’ comeback looms
In just days, the architect of one of the worst chapters in the life of Victoria (outside of war and…
It’s time outrage at sexual exploitation extended to prostitution
A story has surfaced about a prostitute in Adelaide who alleged she was raped after a male client removed his condom…
Time for a sports revolution: let’s have Gender of Origin
The SpecOz has already registered disgust at New Zealand male-born Laurel – formerly Gavin – Hubbard’s selection in the Kiwi…
How moderate immoderation is rocking the South Australian Liberals
Something strange is happening to the Liberal Party in South Australia, long captured by the ascendant so-called “moderate” faction, led…
Why the Twits cannot be taken seriously
Did you see the recent Pew surveys in the United States about Twitter? Twitter users make up under a tenth…
Miss New Zealand
Male-born Laurel Hubbard’s admission to the women’s Olympic weightlifting competition as a representative of New Zealand is, of course, absurd. …
Mark Vaile and the new coal-black blacklist
This week has proved the National Party leadership is a poisoned chalice, even when someone hasn’t been leader for years.…
Three in five believe white Australians are ‘victims of discrimination to some extent’
It’s no surprise Inclusive Australia’s ‘Measuring Social Inclusion’ survey last year discovered three out of five respondents “believed that White Australians…
Is Perth the new Fallujah?
It’s a little complicated trying to stay on top of everything and all the premiers — or the coppers or…
Pugnacious polemic and Dark Emu
At the risk of seeming a little obsessed, and possibly boring readers, I wonder if I might be indulged in…
Do we overemphasise ‘smart’ ahead of ‘skilled’ or ‘practical’?
Living back in my hometown — being slightly starved of cultural content — I quickly bought tickets to Bri Lee’s…
John Anderson’s victory
The decision of the good pre-selectors of the National Party to resist the attempt by its remaining elder statesman, John…
Who really benefits from health care?
It’s not obvious who sets health care policy in Australia and it’s not obvious for whose benefit it even is.…
How we’re pushing the off button on China
Another Tuesday, another Essential Poll — one that has some fascinating insights on how we’ve cooled on China. Australians, it…
I joined the South Australian division of the Liberal Party…
Last week, I received a message from two friends on one day. They had tried to join the Liberal Party…
Crikey, it’s the Irwins
The biggest takeaway from Andrew Denton’s 2003 interview with Steve Irwin on Enough Rope was how much Steve idolised his father Bob.…
Is Joyce the right choice?
Having snapped at Nationals leader Michael McCormack’s heels for the best part of two years, forcibly deposed leader Barnaby Joyce…
Is this Australia’s William Jennings Bryan moment?
William Jennings Bryan? Never heard of him? Take a look at Wikipedia: William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July…
Barnstormer
Scholars of the classics will remember that quote from This Is Spın̈al Tap: “It’s such a fine line between stupid…
Annastacia Palaszczuk crowns her coronavirus queen
Ironic. Coronavirus is known as coronavirus because of the “coronas”, the crown shapes on its cells. The measures taken against…
The national curriculum doesn’t just threaten our children. It’s a threat to the future of our nation
Australia’s educational performance has been in decline since the 1970s, but this is no accident. It is by design, curriculum…
Good. Gooder?
For decades, Australian men have been caricatured as foolish idiots in advertising. Men are presented as stupid, useless or otherwise…
Cannes goes off the planet
Seemingly infected by Thunbergism, the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, set to run from July 6 – 17, has re-imagined itself…
WA Police’s abuse of Covid app data destroys the rule of law
John Locke, seen by many as the father of our Western Liberal culture, once said “the end of law is…
