When news broke of a new Morrissey single and album (both titled Make-Up is a Lie), one thing was assured: it was going to get people talking. (more…)
Category: Politics
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China’s swift ousting of Zhang Youxia is a sharp warning on party purity from Xi
Seemingly risky move to oust two generals ahead of Communist Party congress and PLA centenary sends a message about anti-corruption drive. (more…)
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Trolling for genocide
Debate over Gaza has increasingly shifted from mainstream media into online spaces. What was meant to democratise discussion has instead become a terrain shaped by abuse, intimidation, and growing attempts to silence dissenting voices. (more…)
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A declining empire – and how Australia should adapt
Trump’s volatility has exposed the fragility of the global order, but the deeper danger lies in Australia’s uncritical attachment to a declining US empire – and the refusal to rethink our place in a changing world.
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NATO is failing – and ANZUS is next
NATO is unravelling as shared interests and trust with the United States collapse. For Australia, this raises urgent questions about the future value of ANZUS and related security arrangements. (more…)
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Iran vows to ‘respond like never before’ as Trump ramps up war threats
Tehran’s admonition came after Trump said that a “massive armada” is heading to Iran – similar language he used before invading Venezuela and kidnapping its president. (more…)
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Why the Doomsday Clock still underestimates the risk of civilisational collapse
The Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight than ever before, but its latest warning still leaves out many of the forces pushing civilisation towards collapse. (more…)
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Record demand, record renewables – and the lights stayed on
Extreme heat pushed electricity demand in South Australia and Victoria to record levels. Wind and solar did the heavy lifting, easing pressure on the grid and curbing price spikes. (more…)
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Period pain is costing the Australian economy billions every year in lost productivity
Period pain and heavy menstrual bleeding are widespread, under-acknowledged, and quietly draining Australia’s economy. New research puts the cost at around $14 billion a year in lost productivity and shows why workplace policy reform is long overdue. (more…)
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Historic EU-India trade deal to slash auto tariffs, double bloc’s India exports by 2032
Brussels diversifies away from China and US risks, while the pact makes India a more attractive place for European firms to sell vehicles and fuel growth. (more…)
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Australia’s sugar shame: why we’re falling behind in the fight for our health
Australia once led the world in confronting tobacco harm. On sugar consumption – a major driver of obesity and chronic disease – more than 100 countries are now ahead of us, and health ministers face a critical test. (more…)
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Australia’s China student pipeline is facing a credibility problem
Australian universities remain popular with Chinese students, but online chat reveals growing scepticism about academic rigour, employability and value for money. These perceptions raise hard questions about the long-term sustainability of Australia’s education export model.
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US economic dominance: why we must break free
Foreign corporate ownership now dominates Australia’s key industries, draining wealth offshore and limiting democratic control over economic priorities. Reclaiming sovereignty requires a fundamental rethink of ownership and public power. (more…)
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What Labor’s review reveals about tactical voting and the Teals
New figures from Labor’s post-election review shed light on a long-suspected pattern – extensive tactical voting by Labor supporters in Teal and independent contests, with implications for future elections.
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The end of the lucky country’s security fantasy
As the post-war global order unravels, Australia’s long-standing reliance on great and powerful friends is proving dangerously hollow – and the country is unprepared for what comes next. (more…)
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Blaming the Privacy Act for government secrecy
Claims of “privacy” are increasingly being used to obscure the reasons and costs behind the premature departure of senior public servants – eroding transparency and accountability. (more…)
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If we’re choosing a national day, there are better options
Australia’s national day marks the beginning of its colonisation. There are better, more meaningful dates that reflect Australian nationhood and democratic choice. (more…)
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The Supreme Court should ignore Trump – tariffs haven’t rescued the US economy
Donald Trump’s claim that tariffs have “rescued” the US economy relies on selective data, economic misunderstanding, and a dangerous conflation of trade policy with national security. (more…)
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Bazball in Australia: poor philosophy or poor execution?
England’s Bazballers have left our shores, having lost the Ashes series and with their playing code widely panned. But was it the code or the execution that was responsible for England’s defeat? (more…)
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Trump labor department takes a page from Hitler’s playbook
Official social media from the US Labor Department now echoes the imagery, language and logic of authoritarian propaganda – a warning sign for workers’ rights and democratic institutions.
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Australia Day debate hardens as middle ground disappears
Australians remain split on whether January 26 should remain Australia Day – but new survey data shows attitudes are hardening, with fewer people holding moderate views and more expressing strong opposition or support. (more…)
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Trump, misogyny, and the refusal of repair
Donald Trump’s dismissal of domestic violence as “a little fight with the wife” was not accidental. It exposes how minimising harm functions to protect authority, deflect accountability, and stabilise power under pressure.
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A war without headlines
The annihilation of Gaza has rendered the violence in the West Bank seemingly secondary in the global imagination. (more…)
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The United States is a lawless and dangerous ally. What is Australia’s Plan B?
Mark Carney’s Davos speech highlights a world in rupture, not transition. Australia needs to rethink its dependence on the United States and begin preparing a credible Plan B. (more…)
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How the new hate laws could chill protest in Australia
Australia’s new hate laws give ministers broad powers to ban groups – but uncertainty about what counts as a “hate crime” risks chilling legitimate political protest.
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Beginning of the end for the Nationals
The Nationals are likely doomed if they don’t go back into a coalition. And they are likely doomed if they do. (more…)
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Female-only swimming saves lives: the overlooked gap in Australia’s drowning prevention
Female-only swimming sessions are not a cultural luxury. They are a proven, evidence-based public safety measure that too many Australian women still cannot access.
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Rivers Flow: Reflections on the Songs of Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter curated by Kim Scott
A thoughtful collection of reflections reveals how the songs of Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter continue to carry truth, memory and responsibility across generations.
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Australia, bravery and the case for an Earth System Treaty
Rising inequality, climate instability and ecological collapse are not separate crises but interacting threats that demand coordinated global action.
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Why billionaires building doomsday bunkers can’t predict the next global catastrophe
Reports of billionaires building doomsday bunkers are often read as signs of looming catastrophe. Psychology suggests they reveal something else entirely.
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