What happened to the Safe Schools program
“Christensen was pleasantly surprised by Birmingham’s changes. He said he was happy the program had been ‘gutted’. ”
After a year of agitation, conservatives had a big win on the Safe Schools anti-bullying program – a curtain-raiser to their fight on equal marriage.
News
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Malcolm Turnbull’s climate change thimble trick
“The net position is $1.3 billion lost, and another billion repurposed. For the government to say this is a ‘new’ funding is rank hypocrisy.”
Malcolm Turnbull’s decision to grant a stay of execution to two government green energy agencies hinges more on cooling the heat on him than the environment.
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Love Makes a Way members sit down and speak up
A group of multi-denominational Christians are undergoing training in nonviolent direct action as they pray for changes to asylum-seeker policy.
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Woolworths fighting back for supermarket supremacy
Under a new CEO, Woolworths is fighting to regain competiveness with duopoly rival Coles, just as discounter Aldi appears set to transform the market.
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Joseph Acquaro and the Calabrian Mafia
“Scholars have also sought to defend the honour of the Italian community from the ‘mafia stain’. This sometimes occurs even by dismissing discussion of the mafia as an expression of xenophobia.”
The murder of lawyer Joseph Acquaro might have opened another chapter in Melbourne’s gangland wars. But it’s also part of the longer story of the Calabrian Mafia’s seeming ability to avoid investigation and prosecution.
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Trump, Wilders drop bombshells after Brussels blasts
Unmade seabeds in Timor-Leste; Egypt stays quiet on student’s death; China has a case of the Ips.
Opinion
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Guy Rundle
The end of Tony Abbott and the conservatives
“There was an emotional decadence at the heart of the Abbott government, a result of its attempt to project its right-wing fantasies onto a country that no longer felt defined by them. ”
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Paul Bongiorno
Turnbull’s cunning double dissolution election ploy
“Labor’s senate strategists are scathing of Turnbull’s use of the constitutional ploy. Just how far the opposition is willing to drag “the Crown” into the political fray remains to be seen. ”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Jennifer Peedom’s ’Sherpa’ shows Everest through different eyes
Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom on the making of the Everest documentary Sherpa.
Food
Life
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Euthanasia is often described as a caring act, but should the ongoing needs of the dying take precedence?
Read
Virtual and augmented reality at SXSW
Is the latest virtual reality just advertising dressed up as empathy?
Read
Taking her shot: Gretel Tippett, 22, netballer
Gretel Tippett on her switch to netball and her famous sporting brothers.
Books
The Quiz
1. How many grand slam tennis singles titles has Maria Sharapova won? (Bonus point for naming how many Australian Open titles she holds.)
2. What is the name of the character played by Matthew Perry in Friends?
3. Where in the human body are the lachrymal glands located?
4. On average, how long does it take sunlight to travel from the Sun to the Earth: (a) eight minutes and 20 seconds; (b) 80 minutes and 20 seconds; or (c) eight hours and 20 minutes?
5. In Vatican City, Cardinal George Pell holds the title of Prefect of the Secretariat for the … ?
6. Hoover Dam is located on which US river?
7. The song “Respect” was written and originally released by whom in 1965?
8. In which World War II battle were 18,000 Japanese and 6000 Americans killed?
9. How many lines in a sonnet?
10. English is the official language of which South American country?
Quotes
PRIDE
“It’s very easy for me to campaign for the election of the Turnbull government because the Turnbull government is running on the Abbott government’s record and it’s a very strong record.”
The former prime minister continues his campaign of moping self-indulgence, apparently unaware that he is more relevant on the backbench than he was in the leadership.
SLOGANS
“The bottom line is there is continuity and there is change.”
The prime minister adopts a slogan of sorts, matched only in its inanity by Morris Iemma’s 2007 pitch to return a NSW Labor government after 12 years in office: “More to do but heading in the right direction.”
TELEVISION
“We came up with the most meaningless election slogan we could think of. Now adopted by Australian PM.”
The writer and executive producer of US sitcom Veep explains the origins of “continuity with change”. He chose it to be “hollow and oxymoronic” and say “nothing but seem to have depth”.
FITNESS
“He said, ‘I’m going to take it further – I’m going to find out where you live, motherfucker, and I’m going to kidnap your children.’ ”
The personal trainer complains of being threatened and intimidated by Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer, who has been to more court appearances than council meetings this year. The matter was dismissed.
LAW
“If ASIO has 190 Australians on their official terrorist watch list – and have evidence of those people assisting terrorists – then why only watch them?”
The senator shows her fine understanding of the rule of law. If you can be arbitrarily elected to parliament, why not be arbitrarily arrested as well?
ENTERTAINMENT
“We are staggered by John Cleese’s vitriol towards us and our tribute show.”
The brand director for a dinner theatre show using Fawlty Towers characters, situations and dialogue expresses her surprise that this might be wrong. But, then, all dinner theatre shows are wrong.
