How top-ranking NSW police failed the Lindt cafe siege
“The evidence before this final stage of the inquest points to a Police Force woefully unprepared for an event such as this. ”
Deleted text messages and botched directions underscore the flaws in an operation senior police say was not their responsibility.
News
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Shifting debate on offshore detention
“The new communications strategy would seem to support the argument that the act of turning boats back, not offshore detention, is the greater deterrent.”
As the country reacts to the Nauru files and confirmation the Manus detention centre must close, a new chapter appears to be opening in the refugee debate.
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Reporting the violence on Manus
A rare visit to the Manus Island detention centres to interview and photograph refugees revealed the violence awaiting them in the community and the obstacles to reporting this black spot.
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WA still waits for Indigenous Custody Notification
“Another avoidable death in custody seems inevitable. It’s a frustrating cycle when an inexpensive solution is tested and available. ”
The first Aboriginal death in custody for 16 years in NSW has highlighted the effectiveness of a Custody Notification Service, which WA has yet to implement.
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PTSD and the rehabilitation of returned soldiers
“We need to change the narrative of veterans as victims and find empowering employment for them. We need to see veterans as a resource for this country, even after they’ve taken the uniform off.”
As reports emerge that as many veterans have taken their lives this year as have been killed in the 13 years of the war in Afghanistan, a new narrative is emerging around post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Scott Morrison pulls the plug on China Ausgrid deal
Hong Kong writer’s column suspended by economic journal; Rape atrocity in South Sudan may lift UN presence; Ruddock needs updating for new human rights role.
Opinion
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Bill McKibben
Australia must join gobal effort to meet climate budget
“Currently, the top 20 coal, oil and gas companies have in their reserves more than the entire 2 degrees carbon budget. Think about that: just 20 companies have the future of the world as we know it perched on their books.”
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Paul Bongiorno
Tony Abbott and political shame on Malaysian Solution
“We should remember Tony Abbott has form. He’s much like an addict who knows he has to kick the habit, says he’s going to do it, only to keep falling off the wagon.”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Playing with a chamber ensemble is the latest iteration of Ben Folds’ restless musical career, as he seeks ways to stretch pop sensibilities.
Glass Animals’ ‘How To Be a Human Being’
The second album of twisty pop from Oxford’s Glass Animals invites deeper investigation of its themes.
Food
Life
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Tourette syndrome affects one in 100 Australian children. Now, behavioural therapy is helping to obviate tics.
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Fine dining in England’s north
Joining food lovers on an eating odyssey across northern England offers some serious challenges.
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Riding high: Ben Hannant, 31, rugby league player
North Queensland Cowboys’ Ben Hannant on the NRL’s future and being a proud father of six.
Books
The Quiz
1. Which Australian author’s latest novel is titled Truly, Madly, Guilty?
2. The ancient city of Bagan is in which country?
3. What does the acronym NASA stand for? (Bonus point for naming where NASA headquarters are located.)
4. Who penned the song “So Long, Marianne” for his muse Marianne Ihlen?
5. Marco Pierre White, Shannon Bennett and Peter Gilmore are all well known ...?
6. In which sport did Australia win its first Rio Olympics medal?
7. The painting Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 is better known by what colloquial name?
8. How many hours are there between a low and high tide?
9. In the game of Scrabble, how many points is the letter ‘P’ worth?
10. How many sides does a rhombus have?
Quotes
RACE
“They look like dinosaurs. They are really strange and different, and they should be treated as living treasures. Yet, they are not.”
The performance artist writes about Aboriginal Australians in her forthcoming memoir. The section has since been quietly erased, like much in the past 200 years of white oppression.
MEDIA
“I’m not going to be defamed by the Guardian and by the ABC because we are doing everything within our power to provide support to people.”
The immigration minister continues to ignore the contents of the Nauru files, and that truth is an absolute defence in defamation law.
DAIRY
“It was a popular program… It’s something that will bring a double benefit of nutrition to primary school children and help the dairy industry.”
The senator seeks to restart a national school milk program. After that, he hopes to eradicate polio and organise for everyone to watch the moon landing together in the hall.
POLITICS
“It is certainly an issue – the African American problem in this country.”
The senior aide to Donald Trump adds to the general racism of his boss’s campaign. Cohen went on to ask which polls Trump was down in, before conceding the answer was “all of them”.
TECHNOLOGY
“These scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and the phishing websites very much replicate your experience when using the real website.”
The manager of cybersecurity at the Australian Communications and Media Authority details a scam involving the video service Netflix. It turns out the invitation was not about coming over to “chill” at all.
SPORT
“I need to either be put under here or chop it off. Like, it’s pretty sore.”
The Australian javelin thrower describes attempts to fix her shoulder after dislocating it while competing at the Rio Olympics. On reflection, she said, “It was actually a good throw, so…”
