The Catholic Schools NSW ICAC inquiry raises renewed questions about accountability and transparency within the Church, and whether a decade of promised governance reform has produced meaningful institutional change. (more…)
Category: Top 5
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Gaza’s reproductive crisis: The devastating toll on women and children
Miscarriages are rising, births are falling and malnutrition is harming mothers and children across Gaza, as war, displacement and the collapse of healthcare devastate reproductive health. (more…)
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Afghanistan: Present, past and future
Five years into renewed Taliban rule, Afghanistan’s future remains uncertain. What went wrong with two decades of peacebuilding – and what can be done now? (more…)
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Help us tell the real China story
When I represented universities, I often appeared at parliamentary inquiries. All were instructive, but there was one in late 2020 that taught me how entrenched anti-China prejudice is in Australia. (more…)
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Debunking mass deportation hype
Both One Nation and the Coalition have been talking up their mass deportation target of around 75,000 – with zero details of how that would be implemented or what it would cost. Abul Rizvi looks beyond the hype. (more…)
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How decades of bad policy broke public service pay
Decades of flawed pay policy have left the Commonwealth public service with a dysfunctional remuneration system – and the latest round of enterprise bargaining looks unlikely to fix it. (more…)
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Who is lobbying the Australian government? Most of the industry is hidden from view
Much of Australia’s lobbying industry remains hidden from public view, with new research exposing major gaps in the federal register and calls for stronger transparency. (more…)
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Banks claw back credit card rewards
Banks are clawing back rewards as new credit card fee rules threaten their profits, raising bigger questions about competition, cash and who ultimately benefits from Australia’s card system. (more…)
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Anger and fear is real – but don’t blame migrants
Australia’s anger over housing, inequality and living costs is real, but blaming migration risks fuelling the populist politics of fear and division. (more…)
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Can AI fix Australia’s cost-of-living crisis? Part one: productivity and living standards
Is the government right to encourage the development of AI in Australia? If so, how should they do it, and do it equitably. Michael Keating examines the issues in a two-part series. (more…)
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Labor – the middle ground is not enough!
If Anthony Albanese wants Labor to remain in power for the long haul, it will need to offer more than competent management, says Jack Waterford. (more…)
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A judgment that challenges the IHRA definition of antisemitism
A NSW Supreme Court judgment has sharply distinguished criticism of Israel from antisemitism, raising important questions about the IHRA definition and its use by governments and institutions. (more…)
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Smuggled smokes and the benefits of cooperation with China
A joint crackdown on tobacco smuggling shows what Australia and China can achieve through practical cooperation – and why a relationship dominated by security fears comes at a cost.
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Gen X is still driving down to The River – and finding it dry
Many in Generation X have reached midlife carrying mortgages, insecure work, dependent children and ageing parents. The growing anger across middle Australia did not come from nowhere. (more…)
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Keeping P&I strong, brave and free – Message from the Editor
P&I can pursue important issues early and keep publishing when others look away because it answers to readers, not powerful interests. One week into the August fundraiser, that community has already taken us almost 20 per cent towards our target.
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After 81 years of men, will the UN finally choose a woman?
The United Nations has never appointed a woman Secretary-General. Four experienced women are now in the running, but the Security Council’s veto politics could still decide the outcome. (more…)
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AUKUS Pillar One, part one: The nuclear dilemma – strategic and operational concerns
In the first of a two-part series, AUKUS is examined as a strategic choice, not simply a procurement program. The planned submarines are designed for US-led coalition warfare rather than a self-reliant defence of Australia. (more…)
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Are the rich and old to be pitched against the young and poor?
Making housing affordable for younger Australians will require lower land prices and a major increase in housing supply. But the rush to build risks sacrificing planning standards, urban amenity and sustainability, while the labour shortage makes immigration an unavoidable part of the equation. (more…)
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The planetary emergency is here. The warnings are getting louder
Decades of scientific warnings have done little to change humanity’s course. A new warning looks at the interconnected pressures facing the planet and what can be done about them. (more…)
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Chinese Australians a largely silent constituency in the AUKUS Debate
In this abridged submission to the public inquiry into AUKUS, Wanning Sun warns that the pact’s securitisation of China is discouraging Chinese Australians from political participation and constraining academic freedom. (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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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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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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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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Migration targets need more than thought bubbles
Australia’s migration debate needs clear targets, credible delivery plans and honest discussion of the consequences – not caps that cannot work or promises that ignore visa backlogs. (more…)
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Glen Hansard and the Ireland that learned to sing in its own voice
Glen Hansard’s life traced Ireland’s journey from poverty and emigration to global confidence, while never losing sight of those excluded from its prosperity.
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China’s man in Canberra – a hard act to follow?
Xiao Qian’s term as China’s ambassador saw the Australia-China relationship move from deep freeze to cautious stability, though many tensions remain unresolved. (more…)
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The UN cannot be left to starve while military spending soars
Global military spending is soaring while the United Nations faces financial crisis, even as conflicts rise and the need for cooperative security becomes more urgent. (more…)