ASIO resists scrutiny on passport cancellations
As Australia’s lead spy agency grows in size and powers, a crack in the legal system shows how it operates and cannot be challenged.
News
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Asylum-seeker community awaits commission’s approval
A group of Afghan Hazaras in the mountains of Indonesia are pinning their hopes on the UN rather than a risky boat ride to Australia.
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The hidden shame of domestic violence and a failing system
“He made me minimise the extent of it. And I minimised it too. I covered it up. I put make-up on, made excuses …”
While reports of ‘coward’ punches grab the headlines, a far more insidious crime is lurking in our suburbs.
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Federal government encouraged to free up crowd funding
Plus David Jones and Myer under seige
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SA and Tas elections see ALP lose more of their faithful
As the Liberals claim the popular vote in every state, a fight-to-the-death campaign by SA Labor may yet get them over the line.
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Sinodinos steps down while ICAC investigates
For so long NSW Labor has been weighed down by allegations of corruption. Now a link between Liberal Party stalwart Arthur Sinodinos and Eddie Obeid has cast a dark shadow on the Abbott government.
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Crimea ‘in Russia’s heart, not its sights’, says Putin
Waxing emotional to the Duma; Obama banks on IMF; helping Putin's numbers; China feeling nervous; MH370 mystery sounds alarm bells
Opinion
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Marcia Langton
Keeping Andrew Bolt in business
“Andrew Bolt will be free to continue to publish untrue statements, unless those offended have the money to pursue a defamation case.”
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Nick Feik
Abbott government’s attack on the environment
“With a coherence lacking elsewhere, the Coalition has been an unflinching, ferocious scourge on environmentalism and the environment. ”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
An audience with actor Brendan Cowell
He’s known for his roles as knockabout Aussie blokes, but there’s more to Brendan Cowell than just the loveable larrikin.
Art Gallery of NSW opens its doors to the art of Sol LeWitt
As a pioneer of conceptual art, Sol LeWitt produced deceptively simple but dramatic works whose influence transcends.
Food
Life
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Dan Honey and Paul Fuog’s city apartment
A minimalist approach and clever design help a young family win the space race.
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How Bitcoin didn’t count on human frailty
The crypto-anarchic digital currency Bitcoin is based on a flawless technology that human nature couldn’t help but ruin. Does it prove regulation is the only way?
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Twenty20 vision: Brad Hodge, 39, cricketer
Brad Hodge discusses representing Australia again in the World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh.
Books
The Quiz
1. Name Australia’s Chief of the Defence Force.
2. Vanilla is harvested from a species belonging to which plant family?
3. Don Bradman was out for a duck in his last Test innings in: (a) 1948, (b) 1950, or (c) 1952? (Bonus points for naming which ground he was dismissed at and how many runs he needed to end his career with a Test batting average of 100.)
4. Italian artist Tintoretto painted during which period?
5. Which company this month signed a $70 million deal to supply Woolworths with Australian-grown canned fruit?
6. The World Heritage-listed archaeological site of Carthage is located in which country?
7. Tasmanian senator-elect Jacqui Lambie is a member of which political party?
8. Who, according to US website billboard.com’s annual rich list, was the music industry’s highest earner for 2013?
9. Australia’s most prestigious literary award is named after which author?
10. The smallest bone in the human body is located where?
Quotes
FAME
“They are currently rolling out repeats. No one until right now has noticed.’’
The television host talks openly on the cancellation of his afternoon game show, Deal or No Deal.
INSULATION
“So you were asked to cost this over two days, not tell your colleagues and not contact industry?”
Counsel assisting the royal commission into the pink batts program asks about the weekend planning of a $2.8 billion scheme that was blamed for four deaths and hundreds of house fires. Department of Environment assistant secretary Mary Wiley-Smith was succinct in her reply: “Correct.”
AVIATION
“This is an enormous search area.”
Malaysia’s acting transport minister announces the area being scoured for missing flight MH370 now reaches to 7.7 million square kilometres (2.24 million square nautical miles) – a footprint roughly the size of Australia.
SPORT
“Messi makes me realise how shit I was.”
England’s second-highest goal scorer describes the feeling of watching the Argentinian soccer wizard.
CELEBRITY
‘‘We spent many wonderful years together and had made a great life for ourselves.”
The Rolling Stones’ frontman responds to the apparent suicide of his partner, the designer and model L’Wren Scott. The band cancelled their Australian tour in the wake of her death.
