Flat White
Great books, liberal arts, the Ramsay Centre and why they matter
The Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation is partnering with universities to offer what is often referred to as “Great Books”…
Australia, please help Zimbabwe rejoin the Commonwealth
In recent weeks Zimbabwe has taken a crucial step forward towards rejoining the Commonwealth, the 53-country group of nations we…
Why do we love our great big, bloated Aussie oligopolies?
There should be a special prize for journos who take up the pen against our corporate monsters – beasts that…
Implementing Greta
I have written before about the actual policy proposals supported by Greta Thunberg and the Global Climate Strike initiative, which they see…
Finally, some movement on the foreign student standards scandal
Some of Australia’s most prestigious universities are starting to make sensible changes when it comes to international student recruitment. In…
John Howard’s one big blunder: persuading Malcolm Turnbull to stay
John Howard is a great Australian and a great Liberal. Over the 75 years if its existence, only two figures…
White Ribbon: the gravy train that jumped the tracks
When White Ribbon Australia announced last week it was closing its doors, there was a round of applause around the…
Weekend viewing: How the enlightenment came to Australia
In nineteenth-century Australia, the early colonists had to decide what sort of institutions they were going to choose, if they…
Climate change; the facts — and how you can help to spread them
As the editor of the last book — and the next — in the Institute of Public Affairs’ Climate Change:…
China: almost 70 million dead to show for 70 years
The People’s Republic of China this week has celebrated 70 years of existence. At the start of October 1949, Mao…
Alexander Downer and his friends in high places
It’s always nice to know one has friends in high places. Speaking for the Australian government, our Ambassador to the…
What’s woke this week
What do Barbie dolls, meat myths and Maths have in common? They’ve all been very woke this week, as you’ll…
Don’t kill free speech to kill hate speech
Flawed ‘hate speech’ laws are a threat to free speech. The best way to protect minorities – while also properly…
Braving two terrifying tribes: academics and racism warriors
Anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, who died this week aged 81, was in the last generation of that profession who could claim…
Alexander Downer and Russiagate: be it sleaze or a smear, we need the facts
The hills are alive with the sound of shrieking from the Democrats and their PR wing in the mainstream media…
Why celebrate a tyranny?
Seventy years ago, the authoritarian dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party was established. The “Great Leap Forward” which followed in…
Jim Molan heads back to the preselection trenches
Jim Molan’s military contemporaries regard him as one of the most skilled tacticians of his generation. More, he thinks strategically…
ScoMo’s religious freedom plans may be worse than doing nothing
When a devout Christian teacher takes legal action against a private Christian school claiming unlawful discrimination, what does protection of…
Mueller, Pelosi, impeachment and Trump — and a real Downer
There was an article in the American press a few days ago in which the author explained that unity is…
How big is your but?
We all know about buts — those ‘exceptions to the rule’. “I’m all for freedom, but…” or “I would never…
Greta grates, so why can’t capitalism sell itself
Yawn. The whinging is as reliable as clockwork. Just the packaging changes: The UN has called for a global “green new…
“In any weather you will see us with a grin, risking head and shin”
As the roar of the crowd and the smell of the liniment fades into memories, it occurs to me that…
Drug policy mustn’t muddle health and law
With the spate of overdoses over the 2018-19 summer music-festival season, pressure is mounting on government to address drug reform…
Whadda we want? To turn the clock back! When do we want it? Then!
California has passed legislation to significantly restrict the ability of businesses to use independent contractors. This is part of a…
Zali Steggall and family law: part of the disease, not the cure
Independent MP Zali Steggall has put her hand up to sit on the government’s family law inquiry. She has warned…
