The Saturday Paper

News

Coalition to cut $2 billion a year from university research

“My biggest fear is that we will lose a whole generation of researchers and the damage of that is incalculable … The impact on our country will be devastating.”

Rick Morton New analysis reveals the government intends to cut billions of dollars from university research, while reannouncing funds from elsewhere in the budget.

News

Exclusive: New Covid-19 cases among staff in hotel quarantine

“Since August 1 there have been at least 12 reports made to the Victorian government of positive cases among staff at two quarantine hotels. None have been publicly disclosed by the state government.”

Osman Faruqi A leaked government document shows more staff in Victoria’s quarantine hotels have tested positive for Covid-19, even after an overhaul of the entire system.

News

Travel restrictions clouded by legal uncertainty

Karen Middleton After restricting who can return to Australia and who can travel overseas, the government is now scrambling to tidy up the legalities around a confusing and ad hoc system of applying for exemptions.

News

Shareholders push for corporate responsibility

Kristine Ziwica The recent demotion of Boe Pahari at AMP shows how shareholders can hold a company to account for its response to claims of sexual harassment in the workplace. But does this case really mark the ‘turning point’ heralded by some?

News

NSW Nationals over a Barilaro

Mike Seccombe On everything from policies regarding water capture to koalas, the NSW Nationals – led by the controversial John Barilaro – are fast losing popularity with their rusted-on constituents and the support of their own party members.

World

China–US relationship cools even further

Jonathan Pearlman United Nations secretary-general warns of world’s dangerous direction. Climate change effects on maritime boundaries concerning Pacific nations. Republicans plan to quickly fill US Supreme Court vacancy.

Opinion

Richard Cooke
The media’s Covid-19 contrarians

“I bought John Kehoe a coffee in 2016, when we were both in Washington, DC. Too late now for a refund, and there was, as far as I can remember, no hint of any latent Oedipal drive behind his small talk, nothing to indicate that on April 9 of this year, I would open The Australian Financial Review and find him making the case for his father as a human sacrifice.”

Opinion

Paul Bongiorno
Ripping up Tony Abbott’s legacy

“Tony Abbott has a lot to answer for. The former prime minister’s judgement on the national broadband network, climate and energy have led to costly and embarrassing failures. Now Scott Morrison is left to pick up the pieces – trying to reposition his government to be more in tune with the situation contemporary Australia is facing.”

Diary

Gadfly
Hock of Gibraltar

Richard Ackland Isn’t it terrific that Fishnets Downer consistently lends his talents to the betterment of nations? According to reports, he’s signed on for a three-year gig to assist Gibraltar in free trade negotiations with Australia. In his new job, “The Knee”, as Paul Keating memorably christened the great global statesman, has to unravel the complexities of the Rock’s movements of goods and services, in and out.

Letters, Cartoon & Editorial

Cartoon

Read

Editorial
A price is right

It’s strange to watch Ross Garnaut talk about a carbon price so many years after Tony Abbott succeeded in tearing it apart.

Letters

Aged care should not be for profit

Rick Morton has done an excellent job unravelling the aged-care debacle (“The collapse of aged care”, September 12-18 and 19-25). It must be obvious by now that allowing the elderly to …

Morrison runs on gas

Scott Morrison’s threat of muscular intervention in the energy market, in the form of a government-built gas-fired power station, should not surprise (Mike Seccombe, “Gas plan locks in decades of …

Culture

Profile

Anita Hegh

Steve Dow After a quarter of a century as one of Australia’s finest stage actors, Anita Hegh is well placed to channel Virginia Woolf in A Room of One’s Own. “Although it is a much kinder world for women than it has been, there’s still a long way to go.”

Art

the moment eternal

Tristen Harwood A retrospective of Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu’s work at Darwin’s Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory demonstrates the range of her luminous art.

Fiction

Leaving

“When bathing them, she’d tell stories of animals and plants. Each had its own story of its origin and purpose. As Maggie and Victoria lay down to sleep, the old lady would whisper tales of celestial serpents and seven starry sisters. She would fill their ears with maps, instructions and long-held lore. If they misbehaved, Nana Vic would tell them about sharp-toothed creatures that lived in watery caves, and other ancient beings that craved tasty children. The babes’ eyes widened, soaking it all in before asking for more.”

Karen Wyld

Life

Food

Chicken chorba

Annie Smithers

Sport

Lin Jong’s stand against racism

Shelley Ware Experiences of racism are not new to Lin Jong. But after years of trying to shrug them off, the Western Bulldogs midfielder is now determined to call out vilification and see the perpetrators held to account.

Books

Jacqueline Kent
Vida

S. L. Lim
Revenge

Malcolm Knox
Bluebird

Puzzles

The Cryptic

Crossword No. 320

The Quiz

1. Which American singer links the songs “Tired of Being Alone”, “Call Me” and “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”?

2. What starting with ‘o’ are the horn-like structures on a giraffe’s head?

3. In which century was Joan of Arc burned at the stake?

4. A Scouser hails from which English city: (a) Leeds; (b) Leicester; (c) London; or (d) Liverpool?

5. How did actor James Dean die?

6. Which Caribbean nation takes its name from a word meaning “the bearded ones”?

7. Name the men’s and women’s 2020 US Open tennis singles champions.

8. Carmine is a shade of which colour?

9. What is the name of the upcoming James Bond film, due for release in November? (Bonus point for naming who sings the theme song.)

10. How many days are in three fortnights?

Click through for answers.

Quotes

Education

“The police respect the age-old tradition of ‘muck-up’ days, but students must take necessary precautions.”

New South Wales Police ForceThe state police take a soft approach to students from Shore planning a scavenger hunt that involved spitting on homeless people and defecating on trains. The elite private school was just preparing its boys for a life of exploiting others and literally shitting on instruments of public good.

Politics

“Sadly, the events of the past weeks and months have cemented my decision to resign as a member of the NSW Nationals effective immediately.”

Leslie WilliamsThe Port Macquarie MP defects to the Liberal Party, which means koalas are officially winning the war against John Barilaro.

Intimacy

“Do you and the other person use the same bathroom?”

CentrelinkThe agency’s relationship details form uses the bathroom arrangements of share houses to help determine whether housemates could be construed as being in a romantic relationship. It’s safe to say whoever wrote the questionnaire has never lived in a share house with one bathroom.

Detention

“The minister is considering the reasons for the court’s decision and options for an appeal.”

The office of Alan TudgeA spokeswoman responds to a Federal Court decision that found the acting Immigration minister “engaged in conduct which can only be described as criminal” when he unlawfully detained an asylum seeker. Tudge was earlier accused of contempt of court and being a Morrison government minister.

Media

“I now know those comments were hurtful and untrue.”

Miranda DevineThe News Corp columnist responds to legal action by apologising for suggesting Quaden Bayles and his mother faked their account of his bullying. It’s going to be hard to find targets more vulnerable than nine-year-old Indigenous children, but that’s the task ahead.

Vale

“Praying for strength and courage to his family and friends.”

Virat KohliThe Indian Test captain offers his condolences after the death of beloved Australian cricketer and IPL commentator Dean Jones. Jones passed away suddenly in Mumbai on Thursday. He was 59.

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