July 31 – August 6, 2021  |  No. 360

News

The political forces inside the anti-lockdown movement

“Tens of thousands of people marched in Sydney and in Melbourne last Saturday, ostensibly motivated by the economic and social consequences of harsh lockdowns. But a closer inspection of social media posts, and those in more secluded messaging forums, reveals a crowd united from various conspiratorial threads.”

Rick Morton The divisions and tensions inside national cabinet mirror the political forces that are gaining strength within the anti-lockdown movement.

News

News

Inside story: What happens when you win the Olympics?

Mike Seccombe As Brisbane prepares to host the 2032 Olympics, there are questions over contracts that siphon off revenue and invest almost all power in the International Olympic Committee.

News

Home care and vaccination

Karen Middleton A September bottleneck is looming for Covid-19 vaccinations, as another at-risk group is revealed as having been essentially forgotten in the rollout plan.

News

Universities cutting Asia studies

Wing Kuang As universities struggle through the pandemic, Asia studies programs are being cut at an alarming rate, indicating a national move away from engagement with Asia.

News

Spy ships and Pine Gap

Brian Toohey As Australia joins America in war games focused on China, the US-backed Pine Gap surveillance base has undergone its fastest ever expansion.

News

An Afghan in detention

Sarah Price A refugee who worked with the Australians during the war in Afghanistan waits in detention as some of his family are killed by the Taliban and others are at increasing risk.

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World

US troops change role in Iraq as Biden focuses on Asia

Jonathan Pearlman Fiame Naomi Mata’afa finally takes office in Samoa. Tunisia’s prime minister ousted after mass protests. Cardinal charged over London property deals.

Opinion

Opinion

John Hewson
Scott Morrison and the truth

“The pandemic has tested Morrison’s capacity for leadership, and he has been found seriously wanting. He simply hasn’t been able to rise above base politics, nor beyond what he considers to be clever marketing. ”

Opinion

Paul Bongiorno
Albanese makes a taxing decision

“The timing of Labor’s announcement – ditching a significant tax policy it had taken to the previous two elections – may have been curious. Its significance, however, should not be missed.”

Diary

Gadfly
One out of the Boxall

Sami Shah We in Australia love gold more than a Saudi prince’s interior decorator. We’re the gold standard in botched vaccine rollouts and the gold standard in failing to suppress the Delta variant. Fortunately, we’re also the gold standard in women’s swimming at the Olympics, and the gold standard in enthusiastic coaches humping barrier walls. 

Letters, Cartoon & Editorial

Cartoon

Read

Editorial
To the Entsch degree

Fifteen years ago, Warren Entsch pushed three black-and-white photographs of a woman in lingerie across his desk. “There’s my missus. Look at that,” he told the journalist sitting opposite. “Good-looking bird and I love her to bits.”

Letters

Rallying against a common enemy

It’s interesting to have an explanation of years of otherwise inexplicable Liberal shenanigans in New South Wales (Mike Seccombe, “How power and factionalism work in Berejikliand”, …

A calm leader in a crisis

Rick Morton provides a valuable insight into New South Wales Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant (“A status all her own”, July 24-30). Her measured delivery and seemingly unflappable manner has …

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Culture

Books

Gideon Haigh
The Brilliant Boy: Doc Evatt and the Great Australian Dissent

Billie Eilish
In Her Own Words

Rachel Yoder
Nightbitch

Life

Food

Oyster mushrooms and buckwheat porridge with miso, seaweed and truffle

David Moyle

Science

Vaccines and lipid nanoparticles

Manuela Callari The remarkable success of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines was far from guaranteed until scientists managed to optimise a 30-year-old technology and turn lipid nanoparticles into high-performing delivery units.

Sport

Tom Atkins’ unconventional AFL journey

Linda Pearce For Geelong Cats player Tom Atkins, the path to AFL success has been paved with graft and grind. But his patience and hard work has paid off, earning him another two years at the Cattery.

Puzzles

The Cryptic

Crossword No. 360

The Quiz

1. What are King Edward, Desiree and Nicola all varieties of?
2. What South Australian regional city is famous for the Blue Lake?
3. Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton founded what fashion label in 1999?
4. What is the official London residence of the chancellor of the Exchequer?
5. What does the health-related abbreviation CPR stand for?
6. Name the author of the Brunetti series of crime novels? (Bonus point for naming the city in which the series is set.)
7. Folate is what number of the vitamin B family?
8. Which Australian basketballer cited poor mental health when she withdrew from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?
9. What is the pascal used to measure?
10. What is the primary raw material used in the making of steel?

Click through for answers.

Quotes

Tax

“Labor in government will uphold the legislative changes to personal income taxes.”

Anthony AlbaneseThe Labor leader announces his party’s support for tax cuts that overwhelmingly favour the rich and will erode funding for health and education. The man would foul himself in a McDonald’s if he thought there was a vote in it.

Race

“I don’t actually know what term I used that was offensive, so, if out of ignorance I have, I apologise.”

Jacob Rees-MoggThe leader of the House of Commons almost apologises for describing the Liberal Democrats as the “Yellow Peril”. He said he was ignorant of the term’s racist connotations, and just ignorant in general.

Health

“When it comes to ... getting consent to any treatment or procedure ... then I’m ultimately responsible for what people do in their health treatment to me.”

Scott MorrisonThe prime minister responds to the death of a man from complications associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine. He has now said more about medical consent than he has about all of parliament’s assault allegations combined.

Media

“Thirty-five years at top of the radio – and I don’t resonate with the public? Honestly.”

Alan Jones

The broadcaster loses his column in The Daily Telegraph after weeks of anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown rhetoric. Despite everything he said about Julia Gillard’s father, Jones is strong evidence that shame can’t kill you.

Sport

“Fuck yeah! Oh, shit!”

Kaylee McKeownThe Australian swimmer celebrates winning gold in the 100-metres backstroke at Tokyo 2020. To be clear, the interviewer asked her what she would like to say to her mother and sister.

Protest

“It’s illegal. It’s unsafe. It’s selfish.”

Daniel AndrewsThe Victorian premier describes the anti-lockdown protests held last weekend. The slow transformation from state leader to disappointed father is complete.