Abbott’s war on Gillian Triggs
“Rather than feeling chastened by her missteps, the HRC president seems to be relishing her lot as a cause celebre for political progressives. – The Australian ”
The government is trying to ridicule the president of the Human Rights Commission out of office. But she won’t go.
News
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Blowing up Australia’s housing affordability bubble
Inside the government’s attempts to control the conflicting ‘narratives’ on housing prices – and the plans to address the bubble.
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Recycling food waste gaining support
“We want our food unblemished, unbruised and perfectly shaped, which means much gets thrown away by suppliers. ”
Food waste due to aesthetic standards is being combated by dumpster divers, a restaurant that uses scrapped ingredients and supermarkets now selling less-than-perfect stock.
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Creative Victoria taskforce vows to consult widely
In the wake of deep cuts to the Australia Council’s federal funding, the Victorian government has strengthened its peer-review system to ensure innovation and diversity in a broad range of artistic endeavours.
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Brandis cripples legal aid funding
“Cuts of the magnitude forecast in the budget will severely impact upon access to these services. This is at odds with the Commonwealth’s own commitments to tackle domestic violence and Indigenous disadvantage.”
Brandis's funding cuts and uncertainty in the legal aid sector are leaving the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in the community with nowhere to turn for protection.
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Australia called to Hague on Timor Gap
India’s energy company scandals; Greenpeace targeted in India; Tension in PNG over Bougainville; Balibo 5 appointment
Opinion
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Alex Frankel
Progessives failing to tell the Big Story
“Just look at how Abbott disarmed the country and renamed the Clean Energy Act the 'carbon tax'. It was a very precise exercise in the control of public discourse.”
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Paul Bongiorno
Dutton and Coalition wag the human rights watchdog
“Immigration Minister Peter Dutton shrouds everything he does in ‘operational’ secrecy. North Korea couldn’t do it better.”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Bangarra’s Frances Rings branches out with Sheoak
For Bangarra choreographer Frances Rings, a lifelong love of dance helped her reconcile her family truth.
Art as a Verb takes over Artspace
An exhibition about action in art prompts the question: Can you have the vigour without the rigour?
Food
Life
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Strateas.Carlucci’s Paris match
Melbourne designers Strateas and Carlucci are the first Australians to show at Paris Men’s Fashion Week.
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Kimberley’s underground history
Walking in the footsteps of the legendary Jandamarra, in the Kimberley.
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The stalwart: Corey Parker, 33, rugby league player
Ahead of State of Origin II, the Maroons’ Corey Parker talks longevity, discipline and dedication.
Books
The Quiz
1. Myocardial infarction describes what medical occurrence?
2. In which country is Malagasy spoken?
3. The life of John Nash, killed with his wife, Alicia, in a car crash in New Jersey last month, inspired which Best Picture Oscar-winning film? (Bonus points for naming the actors who played John and Alicia Nash in the film.)
4. Fidelio was which composer’s only opera?
5. What famous building is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?
6. Who won this year’s French Open men’s singles title?
7. In which year was the Soviet Union formally dissolved?
8. Adam Cullen won the Archibald Prize in 2000 with a portrait of which actor?
9. What is the most malleable metal?
10. Adam Levine is lead vocalist in which band?
Quotes
PROTEST
“I am much relieved that telling citizen theatre performers to fuck off is no longer on my bucket list.”
The libertarian senator celebrates a tussle with protesters dressed in medieval costume outside a hearing of the senate’s inquiry into wind farms. One imagines this was the least-weird thing on the list.
STABILITY
“I would hope this wouldn’t be a thing which tears the country apart.”
The minister for social services warns that same-sex marriage might plunge the nation into chaos. Like daylight saving did.
SCIENCE
“Let me tell you about my trouble with girls … You fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them, they cry.”
The Nobel laureate explains why he believes in gender-segregated laboratories. He makes some good points, but they were about cell-cycle regulation by cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinases.
ENVIRONMENT
“What we did recently in the senate was to reduce, Alan, capital R-E-D-U-C-E, the number of these things that we are going to get in the future.”
The prime minister celebrates cuts to wind farms, telling Alan Jones they may have “health impacts”. Don’t be dazzled by his spelling skills, however; there is no evidence to support this.
SPORT
“Who’s that character in Harry Potter that they can’t talk about? Voldemort?”
The disgraced cyclist likens himself to J. K. Rowling’s unnameable villain. Except Voldemort would never use erythropoietin to win a bicycle race. He’s not a monster.
EQUALITY
“I am a family man. I ride dirt bikes, camp, and four-wheel drive. I race cars and love getting my hands dirty. I like to live my life without judgement and I return that favour.”
The motoring enthusiast senator announces his support for same-sex marriage. And dirt bikes. And dirty hands. And probably doughies.
