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Economy November 25, 2023
John Hewson
Labor needs young voters
Anthony Albanese could end up being a one-term prime minister if he can’t keep the faith with the young people who helped him to last year’s decisive election victory. Recent surveys suggest a cocktail of pandemic-related stresses is forging a generation …
Politics November 25, 2023
Nick Dyrenfurth
The Albanese doctrine
The labour movement has a long, sometimes proud, history of anti-intellectualism. In 1983, when Bob Hawke proposed the slogan “Reconciliation, Recovery, Reconstruction”, he was met with a blunt assessment from Neville Wran, then the Labor premier …
Politics November 18, 2023
John Hewson
The relentless election cycle
Several developments recently have made it obvious that politics has become a most unedifying race to the bottom. Facts and evidence are usually ignored in favour of emotive, baseless assertions, and truth and morality are clear casualties. The political …
Indigenous Affairs November 18, 2023
Aarathi Krishnan
Life in the time of polycrisis
Why does so much feel like it’s going wrong, all at the same time? Why do so many of us feel this sense of impending doom? According to experts, we are living through a “polycrisis”, a tangled mess of multiple crises, all happening at once. In the …
Environment November 11, 2023
Jennifer Rayner
Put climate at the heart of environment law
The first fossil fuel project approved under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act was given the green light with almost absurd haste. In January 2001, less than six months after Australia’s new environmental protection law came …
Politics November 11, 2023
Chris Wallace
Albanese’s China dream and poll reality
Between a landmark foreign policy reset in China and the political calamity of the 13th interest rate rise in 18 months and 12th during its reign, the Albanese government straddled heaven and hell this week. On the eve of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s …
Economy November 11, 2023
John Hewson
Australia’s IMF report card: Needs work
The IMF’s delegation to Australia has wrapped up its visit, and its observations were unsettling for those feeling the strain of 13 consecutive interest rate increases. A key finding of the Washington-based fund was that inflation was unlikely to return …
paul bongiorno
Politics November 25, 2023
Albanese dragged to Dutton’s level
The performance of the first-term Albanese government has been marked by an unusual stability and maturity as it settled into the daunting task of guiding the nation. The government has shown a level of competence in sharp contrast to its predecessor. …
Politics November 18, 2023
Dutton tracks the scent of victory
As this term of government rapidly nears its halfway mark, the Coalition is convinced it has a greater chance of victory at the next election than it dared imagine over the past 18 months. Peter Dutton is encouraged by continuing tightening in the opinion …
Politics November 4, 2023
Peter Dutton’s play at weaponising Israel–Hamas war
Australia’s security chiefs are keeping a nervous eye on reactions to the escalating human disaster that is the Israel–Hamas war. Their worries come at a time when the political debate over Australia’s response is becoming more fractious. Journalists …
editorial
Editorial November 25, 2023
Black and white and scared all over
Peter Dutton is first and always a cop. He sees the world in terms of threats and he sees all threats as opportunities. Despite appearances, he is always looking for an angle.
Editorial November 18, 2023
The legislation that follows is always thin and a little scabby. It’s always a suture. Over time the whole Migration Act has become like this, patched up and half-healed.
Editorial November 11, 2023
This week, one of the great pretendings of Australian life came to an end. The made-up logic of Al-Kateb v Godwin was finally undone. The High Court confronted the spurious logic of indefinite detention and found it to be unlawful.
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letters
Letters November 25, 2023
As Israel continues its relentless bombardment of Gaza and its civilians, the death toll mounts and traumatised, displaced Gazans face the risk of starvation and disease, Penny Wong calls on Israel to exercise restraint and observe international law (Karen …
Letters November 18, 2023
The word “elite” appears no fewer than 13 times in Rick Morton’s article (“The age of entitlement”, November 11-17). Instead of the media giving publicity to private schools by continually referring to them as “elite”, why not tell it like …
Letters November 11, 2023
Nothing justifies the sickening brutality of the crimes committed by Hamas. However, no side has clean hands (Jonathan Pearlman, “No clear end to Israel–Gaza ground invasion”, November 4-10). Israel has for years severely restricted the movement …
