Democracy is faltering. Elected government action is increasingly constrained by the preferences of powerful industrial, commercial and financial interests. To counter this trend, an ambitious initiative, Reclaiming Democracy Together, is being launched in Melbourne on 9 May. (more…)
Category: Politics
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Suu Kyi’s house arrest: a small gesture by struggling regime
Myanmar’s regime has made some gestures to stabilise its internal situation, moving Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest, releasing other political prisoners and holding (widely disparaged) elections. This is unlikely to appease its opposition forces, who want the regime gone. (more…)
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Could the government have blocked return of Australian women and children from Syria?
The Australian Government has to manage the return of its citizens, except in very particular circumstances when citizenship can be cancelled, a passport denied or a temporary exclusion order issued.
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Farrer by-election – who’ll win and what does it all mean?
The distribution of third-place preferences will be fundamental in this weekend’s Farrer by-election. Whoever wins, be assured that the voters will have Australia’s best interests in mind when they cast their vote. (more…)
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Return from Syria of four Australian women is no threat, but our cruelty to their kids is shameful
The return of four Australian women and nine children from Syria after the conflict with Islamic State is no cause for alarm and should not be politicised. Now is the time for their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. (more…)
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Trump’s blockade, Iran’s defiance: public messaging in the time of war
In the current Iran war, both sides are seeking to shape the narrative surrounding whatever agreement eventually emerges. This entails public rhetoric that may not align with quieter negotiations taking place between the US and Iran. The world is watching not necessarily the collapse of diplomacy but its transformation into a more public form of political performance. (more…)
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Light rations from the Antisemitism Royal Commission thus far
The recommendations from the interim report of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion are tentative, lightweight and backed by scarcely any supporting analysis. Further recommendations must take into account the Netanyahu government’s responsibilty for the stimulation of antisemitism here and around the world.
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John Roberts: the Chief Justice who broke American democracy
John Roberts promised impartiality when he became Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. Instead, over 20 years he has systematically ruled in favour of one party’s structural interests across voting rights, campaign finance, redistricting, executive power, and congressional oversight. Today, one in three Americans say they do not trust the Court to act in their interests. (more…)
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Resisting Trump’s extreme religiosity
Trump’s extreme Christian nationalism poses a dual threat. By dragging the US and the West further toward the ideological right, he is both fuelling civilisational tensions and deepening fractures within the Christian faith. Christians should join Islamic and Confucian proponents of the ‘middle pathway’ to resist such extreme religiosity. (more…)
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Warpower is a write-off
Cheaper and more effective ways of waging war are emerging, but then there’s the American (and Australian) way that still sees the waste of horrendously expensive equipment. (more…)
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US support for Israel is faltering
The political consensus in America that sustained unconditional US support for Israel was built over decades; it will not be dismantled quickly. But the direction of change is now clear. The shift in public opinion away from supporting Israel reflects generational change. That demographic trajectory will not reverse. (more…)
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A decade of dog-whistles and a decade of lost voters
The Coalition’s path back to government runs through roughly 25 seats. The overwhelming majority of them sit in greater Sydney and greater Melbourne where the combined Indian and Chinese population is already large and still growing fast. These diaspora hear the Coalition talk about out-of-control migration and vote accordingly.
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The BYD ‘spy car’ narrative misses Australia’s real transport risk
Australian politicians, in the reasonable pursuit of fleet efficiency, have approved Chinese-made EVs for ministerial use. According to a Sky News commentator, however, these cars are not merely transport, they are “rolling microphones”. In fact, they are the vehicles that will keep moving when the next fuel shock arrives. (more…)
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Australia: don’t join the war crime
Australia is expected to consider this week a request from the US to join a coalition of allies in a military effort, the ‘Maritime Freedom Construct’, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Australia should refuse, even in the unlikely event that others join. (more…)
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A just war: Pope Leo and President Trump
Pope Leo XIV has spoken on several occasions about the urgent need to seek peace and not war. President Trump and other American politicians have essentially told him to mind his own business and to stick to issues of religious teaching and belief. But Pope Leo is sticking to his essential business of providing ethical and moral leadership. (more…)
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Charles is not my King
Our media has been full of praise for King Charles and his handling of President Trump on the recent state visit. His mention of AUKUS has been hailed as a great moment for Australia. (more…)
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Let’s hope Bell looks for real antisemitism, not being anti-Israel
Here’s hoping that the royal commission into the Bondi massacre of last December does not turn into partisan point-scoring, least of all over whether the Albanese government effectively ’caused’ the tragic massacre by reducing its activity against antisemitism in the aftermath of the October 2024 Hamas attack on Israelis. (more…)
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What do we anti-Zionist Jews talk about when we talk about Zionism?
Non-Zionist Jews lament the conflation of all Jewish life with a creed of bigotry, insularity and belligerence. They must call out Israel’s crimes against humanity and call for the dissolution of the Zionist state. Otherwise, antisemitic voices will continue to equate Judaism with Zionism. (more…)
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Japan: firm friend or potential foe?
Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, who is visiting Australia from 3 to 5 May 2026, shares the anti-China feelings of most Japanese hard-liners. This colours her foreign policy. (more…)
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The cost of turning identity into blame
The conflict in Gaza that has fuelled antisemitism and Islamophobia is spilling into everyday life. People are starting to blame individuals and communities for the actions of governments or armed groups. This is dangerous. (more…)
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Australia has waited 21 years for a Human Rights Act – what is Albanese waiting for?
The president of the Australian Human Rights Commission this week renewed the call for national human rights legislation. The parliamentary committee report has been gathering dust since 2024. The Senate numbers exist. The only thing missing is political will. (more…)
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Out west: notes from the Farrer by-election
With the Farrer by-election on 9 May approaching, an independent campaign is challenging decades of Coalition dominance by turning up, listening and building support town by town. (more…)
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The NDIS has transformed lives – but profit is distorting its purpose
The NDIS has enabled greater independence and inclusion, but privatisation and provider profiteering are driving up costs and distorting its purpose. (more…)
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The Iran war shows cheap missiles beat expensive defences
The Iran conflict is revealing a stark imbalance in modern warfare, where cheaper weapons are overwhelming costly defence systems and testing the limits of US military strategy. (more…)
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Why poverty still exists in China after its historic gains
China’s poverty reduction has eliminated mass destitution, but uneven development, ageing and market pressures are shaping a more complex and ongoing challenge. (more…)
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US falls to ‘historic low’ in press freedom tracker
The United States has dropped to an historic low in global press freedom rankings, with political pressure on media and industry consolidation driving the decline.
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Nuclear disarmament is stalling – and the risks are growing
As global tensions rise, nuclear-armed states are failing to meet their disarmament obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, while recent conflicts risk accelerating proliferation. (more…)
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Antisemitism inquiry interim report: we don’t need more terror laws – we need gun reform
The antisemitism inquiry interim report finds Australia already has extensive terrorism laws, while urging governments to move faster on long-delayed national gun reform.
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Why at-risk children keep falling through the net
Child protection and research systems rely on the presence of a functioning parent, leaving many of the most vulnerable children unseen and unsupported. (more…)
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Environment: Air pollution still kills almost eight million each year
Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause one in eight deaths, mainly in low income countries, climate change is bringing heatwaves and droughts together in hot-dry extremes, and the market has no incentive to save humanity.