Teaching can offer meaning, dignity and a profound sense of responsibility to others. But devotion to the work should never become an excuse for poor pay, insecurity or burnout. (more…)
Category: Politics
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Environment: Australia’s diesel use increasing despite the harm it causes
Australia is subsidising rising diesel use, personal carbon footprints distract from systemic change, forest loss is accelerating and feral cats are killing even more native wildlife than we thought.
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Regime Change: essential, chilling reading on Trump’s second term
Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan’s Regime Change documents the corruption, cruelty and concentration of power defining Donald Trump’s second presidency – and why the international restraints he is dismantling still matter. (more…)
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What the census tells us about Australia losing its religion
From a handwritten response in 1911 to the largest single census category today, “no religion” charts a profound shift in Australian identity – shaped by secularisation, migration and changing social attitudes. (more…)
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What courage looks like: David McBride walks free
David McBride has emerged from prison after paying an extraordinary personal price for exposing information about alleged war crimes. His case should leave Australia with more than gratitude – it should leave lasting whistleblower reform. (more…)
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Of melons and militarism: A Japanese nationalist’s verbal missile hits Canberra
Former ambassador Yamagami Shingo is again shaping Australian political debate. His nationalist commentary, partisan interventions and revisionist views deserve scrutiny before his attacks are treated as the voice of Japan. (more…)
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Human rights groups challenge Trump’s attack on the ICC
Four US human rights groups are challenging Trump administration sanctions they say criminalise cooperation with the International Criminal Court and obstruct efforts to pursue justice for Gaza. (more…)
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Muslim defence pact, China-Indonesia naval drill, and giant reformer’s death – Asian Media Report
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s new defence pact could reshape West Asian security, while China and Indonesia plan naval drills east of Taiwan. Also: Thailand’s welcome for Myanmar’s leader, Zhu Rongji’s legacy, the weak yen and India’s TV credibility crisis.
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November could be the turning point in the Trump era
Donald Trump may refuse to accept Republican losses in November, but America’s electoral institutions are likely to hold – and the midterms could mark a decisive shift towards a post-Trump political era. (more…)
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Gig workers get new rights – without the catastrophe platforms predicted
New minimum standards will give food delivery workers an earnings floor, accident cover and clearer workplace protections. The changes also test years of warnings that regulating gig work would send delivery prices soaring. (more…)
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Who should build the low-carbon economy?
Clean technologies are spreading rapidly, but the ability to design, manufacture and profit from them remains concentrated in a handful of countries. A just transition requires developing nations to build their own capacity to innovate. (more…)
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Mental health is not a niche issue. It is the electorate
Australians are experiencing extraordinary levels of psychological distress while mental health services remain underfunded and overstretched. The political cost will be measured not just in health outcomes, but in deepening distrust of government. (more…)
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P&I is growing. Help us keep up the fight – Message from the Editor
Another 250,000 readers found P&I over the past year. As our August fundraising campaign begins, we’re asking readers to help keep independent journalism free, fearless and growing.
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New Zealand’s CEO prime minister survives for now – but is struggling with politics
Christopher Luxon has survived another confidence vote, but the failed leadership challenge has exposed a government under strain, a deeply unpopular political class and an electorate increasingly underwhelmed. (more…)
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ACT Attorney shows federal Labor how to resist a political pile-on
ACT Attorney-General Tara Cheyne’s measured response to the controversy surrounding Mark Parton offers a rare example of judging private conduct by its impact on public duties rather than its value as political ammunition. (more…)
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A 321-diamond ring, a tariff exemption and questions for Trump
A diamond-studded ring given to Donald Trump weeks before Belgian diamonds received tariff relief has prompted Democratic senators to question whether gifts are influencing White House trade decisions.
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Better education begins with better democracy
Australia’s increasingly segregated school system is weakening both educational equality and social cohesion. Breaking the policy deadlock may require giving citizens a greater role in shaping long-term decisions about education. (more…)
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Children are spending days in police cells built for adults
Children are spending days – and sometimes a week or more – in police custody designed only for short stays. New research points to isolation, poor conditions and serious gaps in oversight. (more…)
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Jenny Wilkinson is on the money about good government
Jenny Wilkinson makes a strong case for evidence, pragmatism and intellectual rigour in the public service. But good advice also depends on ministers willing to hear it and officials protected from political pressure. (more…)
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Twenty-five years after Tampa, Australia is still at sea
As Labor considers tougher migration measures amid pressure from One Nation and the Coalition, the legacy of Tampa still shapes how Australia treats refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. (more…)
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Less job mobility, lower productivity: the cost of cosy capitalism
Australians are changing jobs far less often than they did 50 years ago. Financial insecurity, debt and workplace barriers may be trapping workers in jobs – and helping entrench a low-productivity form of “cosy capitalism”. (more…)
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The US$1.2 trillion bet that AI pays on time
AI may live up to the technological hype while disappointing investors. Vast infrastructure spending is being financed on fixed schedules even as returns remain uncertain and hardware ages quickly. (more…)
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Public education should be a Liberal cause
A belief in merit, individual effort and opportunity means little if children begin life with radically unequal chances. Strong public education should be as much a Liberal commitment as a Labor one. (more…)
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From Marat to Trump: what history tells us about terror and power
A new biography of French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat offers a lens through which to consider two very different reigns of terror – and what their histories might tell us about Donald Trump’s America. (more…)
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America is fencing out Chinese robots – and may be fencing itself in
Washington says its restrictions on Chinese robots are about security. But shielding US manufacturers from their strongest competitors may leave Chinese firms to gain the scale, data and global markets that determine who ultimately wins. (more…)
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Prosecutors’ improper political push for a personal purpose
A collective show of support for NSW DPP Sally Dowling has raised questions about whether senior prosecutors used the authority of public office for a personal and political purpose. (more…)
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From subscription traps to corporate power: government can fight back
A long-running subscription rip-off ended with refunds and a $10 million penalty. More importantly, it showed what government can achieve when it sides with consumers against corporate power. (more…)
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Australia’s EV boom has caught policymakers napping
The rapid shift from petrol cars to electric vehicles is eroding fuel excise faster than governments expected. A replacement road user charge is inevitable, but a rushed or fragmented scheme could create new problems of fairness, privacy and administration.
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How Australia’s electoral laws leave room for political trolling
A pro-Israeli YouTuber has registered a ‘Free Palestine’ party while opposing Palestinian liberation, exposing how little Australian electoral law does to police misleading political branding. (more…)
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Washington let arms control die. Don’t repeat the mistake with AI
Nuclear arms control worked not because rivals trusted each other, but because compliance could be verified. AI governance now needs the same kind of infrastructure before competition outruns our ability to contain the risks. (more…)