What’s happening in Tony Abbott’s office?
Leadership tension has spilled into the Nationals, as the Coalition tries to understand the chaos in the Prime Minister’s Office.
News
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Sinhalese asylum seekers’ on-water claims accepted by UN
“In the middle of the sea I saw the Sri Lankan navy uniform and my wife held my hand tightly ... we never thought they would hand us over to the Sri Lankan navy.”
EXCLUSIVE: Asylum seekers sent back to Sri Lanka after Scott Morrison’s ‘on-water’ interviewing have been confirmed as refugees by the UNHCR.
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Life on death row for Bali Nine inmates
“While in Myuran's presence it’s easy enough to forget what brought him to where he is. What’s more difficult to reconcile is that his judgement is anachronistic. ”
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Foreign currency earned on Security Council
“Despite the prime minister’s lack of interest, Julie Bishop told her department: 'Our remaining 18 months on the UN Security Council has to be as productive as possible.'”
Fears that Australia’s term on the Security Council would be undermined by the UN-averse Abbott government were happily unfounded.
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State and federal inquiries are under way. But is there sufficient independence to assess potential shortcomings at the policing, intelligence or political levels?
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Myanmar’s hesitant steps to catch up
Suu Kyi’s resurgence. Patchy reforms. Buddhist violence. Thai ‘prison’ boats.
Opinion
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Chris Wallace
Troubled waters for a failing captain
“Sovereign risk from poor national government is on the verge of becoming the greatest risk Australia faces today ... Who wants to back a country that can’t run itself properly?”
Letters & Editorial
Culture
A peek inside TV’s bleak House of Hancock
Miniseries tackles the story of a Rose between thorny Lang Hancock and Gina Rinehart.
Strictly Ballroom a dream half realised
Baz Luhrmann's film-turned-stage-musical may be a little out of step, but it hits some high notes.
Blind film reviewer Tommy Edison’s ways of seeing
Blind since birth, Tommy Edison has made his mark in a most unexpected field – film reviewing.
Food
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Create a dream house barbie with tasty yakitori
Quick and simple yakitori sees summer barbecuing turning Japanese.
Life
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Singing the praises of kale and cauli, baby
When it comes to being a great green, the brassica family of cauliflower and kale does it easy.
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Slim pickings for obese Australians needing bariatric surgery
Why is it so difficult for obese people to access life-saving weight-loss surgery in our public health system?
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Sharp shooter: Jordan McRae, 23, basketballer
Melbourne United and Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Jordan McRae on college basketball, prayers and doing it for his kids.
Books
The Quiz
1. Which tennis player this month notched up his 1000th singles career win? (Bonus points for naming the two other men who have had more.)
2. The city of Antwerp is in which country?
3. Name the housekeeper and main antagonist of Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel Rebecca.
4. Totem is a touring show of which Canadian entertainment troupe?
5. Which major retailer is the parent company of fashion label Country Road?
6. How many square metres are there in a hectare?
7. Who appeared on the first cover of Playboy magazine in 1953?
8. What is a four-letter word beginning with ‘t’ for a small mountain lake?
9. George W. Bush was once governor of which US state?
10. What is the atomic number of carbon?
Quotes
HONOURS I
“Prince Philip’s long life of service and dedication should be honoured by Australia.”
The prime minister announces he will be knighting the Duke of Edinburgh. Which is kind of like giving Star Wars memorabilia to George Lucas.
SERVICE I
“Do you still throw spears at each other?”
The sir duke addresses Aboriginal leader William Brin in 2002, part of his lifelong service to Australia and flatulent racism.
HONOURS II
“Abbott knighthood a joke and embarrassment. Time to scrap all honours everywhere, including UK.”
The dirty digger offers his thoughts. Especially brave for a Companion of the Order of Australia and Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory.
SERVICE II
“Oh, no, I might catch some ghastly disease.”
His royal highness refuses to touch a koala on his 1992 visit, long before details of the species’ chlamydia problem were widely known.
HONOURS III
“In the end this is my call and I’m happy to take these things on the chin.”
The prime minister responds to what may euphemistically be called national incredulity, wishing his chin were as big as his ears.
SERVICE III
“Any bloody fool can lay a wreath at the thingummy.”
Australia’s newest knight explains to the BBC’s Jeremy Paxman his role in public life. While not necessarily inspiring, at least the statement wasn’t racist or misogynistic or otherwise bigoted.
