Scott Morrison’s black hole serves its campaign purpose
Their attack on Labor’s economic figures may have backfired, but the Coalition’s campaign HQ is just happy the focus is back on the economy.
News
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Political dirt units defining elections
“You see it a lot with electorate staff who’ve been treated badly, or think they have. Then suddenly somebody’s under investigation for misuse of electoral allowances for stamps or something, or up before ICAC.”
As the long election campaign grinds on, political dirt units remain the most reliable source of interest, leaking within parties and between them.
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Victoria’s apology for homosexual criminality laws
Thirty-five years after homosexuality was decriminalised in Victoria, the state government has issued a formal apology for the ‘prejudice that ruined lives’.
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The federal budget and the end of ABC Fact Check
“According to an authoritative news division source, the timing was ‘determined by the government; it’s their budget not the ABC’s.’”
The demise of ABC Fact Check brings into question government funding and the national broadcaster’s right to decide where taxpayer dollars go.
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Tarkine environmental tourism thwarted
With mining uneconomic in Tasmania’s Tarkine, tourism operators want to transform the region into a wilderness destination. But governments refuse to offer the environmental protections needed.
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Taxing times as tech giants shift profits
Asia ‘pivot’ wanes; Not so ‘One China’; Israel tensions flare
Opinion
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Behrouz Boochani
Damned lies, News Corp and Manus Island refugees
“We are the victims of this policy; and for three years, we have been taken as hostages in an official and exiled approach.”
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Paul Bongiorno
Turnbull looking for fireworks in long election campaign
“Immigration department officials are already exploring an arrangement with the Canadians. As it was put to me: ‘Turnbull has given the department a hunting licence.’”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Manchester photographer Kevin Cummins, from Joy Division to Happy Mondays
His photographs helped shape rock mythology. Now Kevin Cummins’ iconic shots are gracing Vivid.
Car Seat Headrest’s ‘Teens of Denial’
Car Seat Headrest’s Teens of Denial is not just the rock album of the year, but may be the emergence of a new musical genius.
Food
Life
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Punishing bouts of local pro wrestling offer the purity of ordinary – if unusually solid – people entertaining crowds hungry for heroic stories.
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The ‘replication crisis’ across science
Researchers are finding they are unable to reproduce studies long taken for granted in their disciplines.
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Electric defence: Geva Mentor, 31, netballer
Goal keeper Geva Mentor on netball’s ‘white line fever’.
Books
The Quiz
1. What is Donald Trump’s current wife’s name? (Bonus points for naming his previous wives.)
2. Australian troops participated in which war fought from 1899-1902?
3. Which Australian pop icon was born on May 28, 1968?
4. Tybalt and Mercutio are characters in which Shakespeare play?
5. Zagreb is the capital of which European country?
6. Name Australia’s chef de mission for the Rio Olympic Games.
7. What is the name of the chemical compound NaCl?
8. Alec Guinness won a best actor Academy Award for his performance in which 1957 film?
9. In May 1980 Mount St Helens violently erupted. Which US state is home to the volcano?
10. Name the author of The Corrections, Freedom and Purity.
Quotes
QUARANTINE
“He looks somehow inbred with a tomato.”
The actor expresses his concern over Barnaby Joyce’s colouring and the fact many people think he is a vegetable when he is actually a fruit.
ANIMALS
“Once they are rescued, we will obviously be reviewing in detail what happened and if protocols or procedures need to be updated as a result of this.”
The spokeswoman for the Toronto parks department reflects on the escape of two capybaras from the city’s zoo. At time of writing, the enormous rodents were still at large.
LEADERSHIP
“Bill Shorten is very caring and very much in touch. Bill Shorten, every single day, is promoting our national economic plan for jobs and growth.”
The finance minister confuses Bill Shorten with Malcolm Turnbull. Which is more or less what Labor hopes will happen on election day.
CANDIDATES
“I don’t need to be a sacrificial lamb travelling very steep inclines that are yet to be fixed.”
The Liberal candidate for the seat of Whitlam quits under the weight of mixed metaphor. She said she felt like a general without troops and that the successful candidate would need to “leverage” a “very divided government on a knife-edge”.
BOATS
“When we closed down the live animal export industry, it was around about the same time that we started seeing a lot of people arriving in boats.”
The deputy prime minister links the ban on live cattle exports to asylum-seeker flows, implying this was Indonesia’s retaliation. He sees the whole world from the back of a heifer.
BRIEFINGS
“The… Well, we’ve… the baby bonus? You’d have to refer to our relevant shadow. I’ve been a little distracted over the last few days.”
The Labor frontbencher fails to recall whether his party is keeping the schoolkids bonus. It is worth $4.48 billion, which would buy several investment properties.
