US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent remarks on Sudan appear empathetic – but they may reveal more about strategic positioning than genuine concern. (more…)
Category: Politics
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Will AI kill the middle class?
When the creators of a new technology warn that it could destroy the primary engine of global growth of the past half a century, it’s worth paying attention (more…)
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A rare win-win for climate, farming and biodiversity – if policymakers act
Restoring Australia’s farm dams could slash emissions, improve water quality, boost livestock productivity, and enhance biodiversity – all at low cost. (more…)
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Net Zero and the metaphysics of anxiety in Australia
Net zero is not simply an environmental target. It has become a psychological and cultural anchor in a society that feels increasingly unstable.
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The China shift: Australia’s universities in an age of suspicion
Over four decades, Australian universities developed strong teaching and research ties with China. But a wave of fear-driven policies and rising national security pressures has reshaped those relationships. Are we witnessing a retreat from engagement – or the start of a new era? (more…)
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Middle power moves: South Korea and the future of global governance
Is South Korea eyeing a new global order? A quiet debate is emerging over Seoul’s potential alignment with a rising alternative to Western governance. (more…)
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Innovation talk, austerity walk: Australia’s failing science policy
Despite constant rhetoric about innovation, Australia is steadily dismantling its scientific capacity. Public schools, universities and the CSIRO are all under pressure – the result of decades of market-driven policy-making that prioritises short-term cost-cutting over long-term national capability. (more…)
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The UN embraces colonialism: the Security Council and the US Gaza plan
The Security Council’s backing of the Trump plan for Gaza ignores international law, punishes the Palestinians, and rewards those responsible for genocide. (more…)
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Working with PM Fraser – parting words – Part 5 – Malcolm Fraser
John Menadue stayed on as the most senior public servant in the land, after the trauma of the Dismissal. In this five-part series he details what life was like working with PM Fraser. Given his closeness to Whitlam, some of his conclusions are surprising. (more…) -
No COP for Australia. No tears from me
Hosting a UN climate summit should be about global cooperation on combating climate change. Australia’s bid for COP31 reveals how far COP has drifted. (more…)
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Henry Reynolds’ bold, new book takes a top-end view of Australian history
First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people. (more…)
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Pitch perfect: the case for backing busking
The City of Sydney is restricting busking on some streets, but in doing so it’s losing the vibrancy that comes from a community of street entertainers.
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A calculated plot, an ambush, a coup
Five decades on from the dismissal of the Whitlam government, Australia is seeing a notable shift in the narrative that now recognises it as a calculated coup, and an assault on the conventions of government.
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Working with PM Fraser – burying White Australia – Part 4
John Menadue stayed on as the most senior public servant in the land, after the trauma of the Dismissal. In this 5-part series he details what life was like working with PM Fraser. Given his closeness to Whitlam, some of his conclusions are surprising. -
US wants Seoul’s subs to counter China – Asian Media Report
In Asian media this week: Washington sees global role for South Korean navy; the military cements government control in Pakistan; Palestine is an obstacle to Trump’s new Middle East plan; Japan prepares for drawn-out dispute with China; why South Korea is turning its back on coal power; and boot camps for beauty queens. (more…)
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Never underestimate a shearer’s cook
What comes next for Liberal leader Sussan Ley after the party walked away from committing to net zero? (more…)
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Trump’s latest Epstein gambit
The next time you hear that Trump has somehow reversed his earlier resistance to releasing the Epstein files, remember that he hasn’t. He could have ordered their disclosure long ago; he never needed a congressional resolution compelling it. (more…)
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Root canals and conspiracies
Social media misinformation is creating a public health problem of lost teeth, prolonged dental pain, unnecessary costs, and worsening inequalities in oral health.
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Two Trump peace plans
Trump’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine is sparking outrage across Europe. But how does this response compare with his earlier plan for Gaza?
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BBC and ABC targeted by conservative critics for the wrong reasons
Right-wing critics attack the ABC and BBC, but the real media bias is in ignoring Palestinian voices and defending power.
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The war on Sudan: the choice is ours
International mechanisms and the international community have failed Sudan and the Sudanese people. The tragedy unfolding today was predictable, but not unavoidable.
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Only a republic can reverse executive power creep
A democratic republic would end the structural uncertainties that allowed both the Whitlam dismissal and Scott Morrison’s many ministries, as well as bringing the Australian people into a new constitutional relationship.
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Working with PM Fraser – a country divided – Part 3
John Menadue stayed on as the most senior public servant in the land, after the trauma of the Dismissal. In this 5-part series he details what life was like working with PM Fraser. Given his closeness to Whitlam, some of his conclusions are surprising. -
My one hope – to meet my wife and daughters again
Hamed Al-Mansi is a physical education teacher and farmer from Gaza. He is now alone in Gaza and his dearest wish is to reunite with his family. He has allowed us to publish an extract of his diary. (more…)
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Democracies good, China bad – and history not required
Japan and China both have legitimate security concerns. But an informed debate needs major media outlets to stop systematically erasing the historical context that shapes how the region understands current events. (more…)
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Assessing the Liberal Party’s policy-making capacity
Good policy should be evidence-based. But this is not the case with the Liberals energy policy and seems unlikely with their migration policy. (more…)
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Australia’s science crisis reveals a century of structural failure
Private capital will not build Australia a world-class science system. Only the public sector can do that. And it must do so at a scale that matches the challenges ahead. (more…)
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Denouement: trapped between empires – Part 6
“What you in Australia must understand is that you are more to blame than the CIA. You want this to happen, you want a certain administration in control, and you don’t want another administration in control. Do the loyalties of your intelligence services lie with your country as a whole or with the establishment in your country? In most instances, the answer you find is with the establishment.” Victor Marchetti, former CIA officer and deputy director at Pine Gap. (more…)
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UN Members complicit in genocide
UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese discusses why, in her most recent report, she called out more than 60 nations for their collective-crime roles in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. (more…)
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Australia’s toxic algal bloom has killed 87,000 animals – and summer’s coming
An unprecedented toxic algal bloom in South Australia has devastated marine life, tourism and fishing. With no clear end in sight, scientists warn it may become a permanent feature of local waters – and research cuts risk making it worse.
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