In-depth analysis of the day’s news, plus stories and gossip from Australian politics.
Empty shelves, desolate minds: Canada’s ‘equity book-weeding’
At least in previous centuries a trail of smoke loitered in the air after the censors were done burning books.…
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s speech a ‘turning point’
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s recent speech at the Australian Press Club could well be a key turning point in the wider…
Apartheid at the opera?
I have been alerted to The Australian’s appalling report that arts organisations and institutions across the country are offering subsidised ticketing…
G20 and our evolving ties with India
The recently completed G20 summit in New Delhi brought with it some noteworthy developments. As an organisation, the G20 is…
Can a Frasier reboot survive in a new politically correct world?
You are frequently cautioned against using the word ‘classic’ too liberally as a critic. But when it comes to television,…
Koalas defy rumours of extinction by … doing extremely well
New South Wales Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said, ‘The creation of the Great Koala National Park is essential to saving…
Why I am voting ‘No’: an Asian perspective
On October 14, 2023, Australians will go to the polls to vote on enshrining the Indigenous Voice to Parliament in…
Australia’s Brexit moment
The longer the Voice campaign goes on, and as more and more Australians say ‘No’, it’s obvious Prime Minister Albanese’s…
Planning for power failure
In south-eastern Australia, the capacity of conventional power has run down to the point where there is just enough to…
Healing from the Voice will take years
When goodwill prevails, the most prominent voices will be those who support reconciliation, solidarity, and a positive way forward. When…
Is the Voice’s question misleading?
At the same time the federal government is threatening to pass internet anti-misinformation laws, the same government has drafted a…
Lithium battery fires will cause a tragedy
Lithium batteries in electric vehicles are going to cause a major disaster – it’s only a matter of time. I…
A kiss is just a kiss … not!
Luis Rubiales has resigned as president of the Spanish Football Federation following criticism for kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso at…
Lies, damned lies, and truth-telling commissions
Part of the proposed Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Voice to Parliament is a national truth-telling commission. Normally,…
Are university campus sexual assault statistics inflated?
In recent weeks, our proud Teal Independents have been busy showing their feminist credentials by supporting student activists seeking to…
The motive for the downing of MH17
The International Court that presided over the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014…
Labor’s law: undermining constitutional democracy
The Communications Legislation Amendment (Combating Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023 was recently introduced by Federal Labor in the Australian Parliament. This law proposal…
From hopelessness to heartlessness: the vibe seems so hollow
We are not yet halfway through the run-up to the referendum on the Voice to Parliament, and already many of…
We need a transformation in Australian politics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics website shows that in June 2022 Queensland public sector employees comprised 52,700 Commonwealth, 406,800 State,…
An open letter to Tim Costello
Dear Rev. Costello, You recently published an open letter to church leaders – such as myself – on the matter of…
Race-based land grabs must end
Most Australians were brought up believing that Crown Land is public land – shared for present enjoyment and preserved for…
‘No’ will let them know
Then what? As the October 14 Voice referendum grows closer, speculation is rampant about the socio-political consequences of the result.…
What to do about crime? Papua New Guinea at 48
September 16, 2023, will mark 48 years of independence for Australia’s nearest neighbour – Papua New Guinea (PNG). And, by…
Tyre Extinguishers take on Toorak Tractors
Ten days ago, Greens leader Adam Bandt urged Australians to ‘embrace’ the civil disobedience of climate activists and ‘feel joy’…
Dead-celebrity market worth US$2.25 billion
‘Deleb’ (as in dead celebrity) is a label used in show-business to describe a deceased star, celebrity, or artist whose…