John Menadue

Korea has won plaudits globally for its response to COVID-19. Despite Korea being one of the first countries hit hard by the pandemic, its swift response is paying dividends as its population have been able to avoid large scale lockdown and high fatality rates. With a high reliance on exports, South Korea has also managed to keep its borders open, limiting the extent of economic devastation. (more…)

On Friday April 10, in Melbourne, a safe car convoy protest organised by the Refugee Action Collective called for the urgent release of refugees in the Mantra hotel in Preston because of the threat of Covid-19. It was stopped by police and 26 refugee supporters were fined $1652 each – making $43,000 in fines. (more…)

When it came to foot-and-mouth and Sars, we used to be the ones telling China how to respond, but now the boot is on the other foot. The Asians are in the lead and they’ve responded well. We’ve done poorly. (more…)

An idea from 1930s Germany could now give voters hope that there is a growth plan after the virus passes. (more…)

There is a precedent. One of George W. Bush’s first acts as president in 2006 was to reinstate the “global gag rule” which withdrew US aid from organisations that counsel women about abortions or to advocate for liberalized abortion laws in their countries. In response, the UK Government offered to make up the funding to any organisation that lost out from George Bush’s political grandstanding. As a Brit, I was so proud. (more…)

Back in 2010, Australia’s privatised Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (now CSL) was being tempted to move its vaccine research facilities to Switzerland, where it had been promised a better tax deal. (more…)

When people started to share the Facebook post “Dear world: How is the lockdown? – Gaza,” I felt uncomfortable. Though the posters sought to generate empathy for the 2 million Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Strip, the attempt to compare the closure that free citizens of the West are experiencing to the 13-year siege on the Strip is, at the very least, tasteless. (more…)

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We are deeply concerned that the recent rise in anti-Chinese sentiment is driving a marked escalation in racial abuse towards Asian Australians. This poses a serious threat to our national unity. (more…)

Will the current expensive policy shifts rebuild voters’ trust of those they elect? (more…)

The response of Hong Kong to Convid-19 is a prurient tale and its moral is that if the West learn from their story, then together future governments and citizens will be able to avert further national pandemic disasters. (more…)

Bob Sorby died last week. In tribute I repost an article that Bob wrote for Pearls and Irritation on 7 November 2017 concerning Rex Connor’s  plans for Australia.

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I’m writing to apologise for any inconvenience some subscribers  may have experienced in the transition from production being handled by myself to production being outsourced. Change often has some unintended consequences.

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It’s a family heirloom, but never has it had such significance. In a room in our house, that is a delight on a winter’s day as it fills with the rays of the waning sun, there is a piano. (more…)

It didn’t take long, did it? Yes; it’s off and running – the Covid-19 freight train of conspiracy theories. (more…)