December 6 - 12, 2014

Environment minister Greg Hunt.

News

Greg Hunt’s hostile attack on the environment

Mike Seccombe As the government walks away from pricing carbon and dismantles climate initiatives, it reveals itself as our most radical in decades.

News

News

Senate defeat for Pyne’s education reforms

“ ‘This isn’t a savings measure: it is ideology in search of a problem,’ says The University of Canberra’s Stephen Parker. Yet Pyne remains confident of eventual success.”

Sophie Morris The education minister’s bullishness in defeat of his university reforms epitomises the government’s struggles in the senate.

Darcy Moore, at left, and Nakia Cockatoo sign footballs in their new team strip during the AFL draft on the Gold Coast last week.

News

The highs and lows of being drafted into the AFL

Luke Ablett There’s talent aplenty amid the rookies recruited at last week’s AFL draft. But can the realities of professional footy live up to their dreams?

News

International aid workers in harm’s way

Lauren Williams Islamic State’s beheading of an American aid worker in Syria highlights the terrible risks – and fatal attraction – of humanitarian and journalistic work in war-torn regions.

The Murray River, which flows 2530 kilometres to the Southern Ocean.

News

The Murray-Darling up the creek

Sophie Morris The government spent billions buying water from farmers to save the Murray-Darling, but there’s now a push to sell water back.

Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters clash with police last week.

World

OPEC pulls global market levers again

Hamish McDonald China setbacks in HK and Taiwan. Third divorce for Thai prince? Sri Lankan elections.

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Opinion

Opinion

Kate Holden
Malcolm Turnbull’s loyal remaking

“Few have noticed the highwire upon which Turnbull has been perched ever more precariously since the election. Only now is the wobble beginning to show. ”

Opinion

Paul Bongiorno
Abbott through the looking-glass

“Many coalition MPs are fuming at the government’s political woes and lay the blame squarely at the door of the PM and his senior ministers. Some worry that they are as delusional as Humpty Dumpty.”

Gadfly

Richard Ackland
Gadfly: Readers taken for a ride

Letters, Cartoon & Editorial

Cartoon

ReadCartoon image, links to full cartoon page

Editorial
Hitting reset

Letters

Power grab a sign of weakness

Scott Morrison’s latest gambit to expand his already worrying power should be met with dismay, and not a little disgust (Sophie Morris, “Morrison to snatch courts’ powers”, …

Lack of review the real concern

So, Scott Morrison wishes to award himself plenipotentiary powers to decide the fate of thousands. The rationale is indeed enticing: he needs the powers to decide as quickly as possible who in our …

Read More

Food

Read
Image for article: Cos lettuce and smoked trout salad

Food

Cos lettuce and smoked trout salad

Andrew McConnell Find inspiration with these light and healthy seafood salads.

Books

Image for article: Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy

Gabriella Coleman
Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy

Image for article: Humor

Stanley Donwood
Humor

Image for article: Revival

Stephen King
Revival

Life

Image for article: We Are Handsome's plan to be more than a swimwear brand

Fashion

We Are Handsome’s plan to be more than a swimwear brand

Alyx Gorman How swimwear lions We Are Handsome stay ahead of the game

Image for article: Controversy over e-cigarettes and 'vaping' heats up

Health

Controversy over e-cigarettes and ’vaping’ heats up

Megan Howe There’s no smoke but plenty of fire in the debate over e-cigarettes and tobacco control.

Image for article: Bronzed Aussie: Rachel Jarry, 23, basketballer

Sport

Bronzed Aussie: Rachel Jarry, 23, basketballer

Richard Cooke Rachel Jarry plays for one of Australia's most successful sporting teams. So where's the recognition?

The Quiz

1. Which formula one driver is this year’s drivers’ world champion? (Bonus points for naming how many F1 world championships he has won, and the previous British driver to win multiple world titles.)
2. Which of these countries’ flags is not red and white: (a) Indonesia; (b) Austria; (c) Denmark; or (d) Morocco?
3. Actress Mamie Gummer is the daughter of which Oscar winner?
4. Which South Australian is leader of the opposition in the senate?
5. Who wrote Brave New World?
6. Typhoon Haiyan devastated which island nation in November 2013?
7. Bob Guccione snr is best known for founding which magazine?
8. What is the next prime number in this sequence: 2, 3, 5, 7 …?
9. Queen of the Nile, Indian Dreaming, More Chilli and Lucky 88 are all popular types of…?
10. What is the name for the method of cooking whereby food is sealed in airtight plastic bags then placed in a temperature-controlled water bath or steamer?                                 

Click through for answers.

Quotes

NEGOTIATION

“Christopher Pyne is embarrassing himself and needs to stop harassing me and other crossbenchers.”

Glenn LazarusThe Palmer United Party senator complains of being “inundated with text messages” from the education minister “virtually begging” him to support his university reforms.

SIMILE

“It’s like wading through molasses because we have eight crossbenchers.”

Christopher PyneThe education minister complains of how difficult it is to get reforms through the senate or text Glenn Lazarus while in a swamp of marmalade.

METAPHOR

“All of us put a lot of work into them, whether it’s writing them, delivering them, or explaining them afterwards.”

Bill ShortenThe opposition leader reflects on his blank-stamp, rubber-cheque, hall-of-mirrors mixed metaphors.

ROMANCE

“From Santa.”

– CardGeoffrey Edelsten and fiancée Gabi Grecko pose for a Christmas card – her naked except for some tinsel and her wincing ambition, him dressed as a 71-year-old elf. Warning: if you have not seen these photographs, do not look them up.

ECONOMICS

“We want Australians to go out there and spend for Christmas – don’t let Santa down, go out there and spend for Christmas.”

Joe HockeyThe treasurer fends off collapsing commodity prices but seems to fundamentally misunderstand the notion of Santa.

GENDER

“I certainly don’t believe in that kind of political correctness. Let boys be boys, let girls be girls – that’s always been my philosophy.”

Tony AbbottThe prime minister responds to Greens senator Larissa Waters’ “No Gender December” campaign against stereotyped Christmas presents. Let boys be boys and girls be girls and Geoffrey be an elf.

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