Bell Group fallout raises questions of ministers’ roles
“The view – a pretty universally held one – is Brandis is an embarrassment as an attorney-general. He is a disgrace.”
Holes in the time line of the WA Bell case pose serious questions about a position that stood to cost the government $300 million.
News
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Senior ABC staff say Michelle Guthrie ‘out of her depth’
“Professor Fiona Stanley said the evidence from the science review she conducted for the ABC showed people overwhelmingly wanted sharper magazine-style science programming – exactly what Catalyst was ”
As staff revolt against programming changes, ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie struggles to describe her vision for the broadcaster.
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Melbourne suburb Eltham welcomes refugees
“It’s a sad case of [outside] people pushing something they’re concerned about when the vast majority of the community have supported this.”
Plans to use part of an aged-care facility in an outer Melbourne suburb as temporary housing for refugees have been welcomed by the local community. But that hasn’t stopped anti-immigration protesters descending.
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Guarding vulnerable Australian species
While scientists have found vulnerable native species are surviving in tiny remote habitats with very specific conditions, the difficulty is in locating these refuges before it’s too late to protect them.
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Dennis Nona and moral questions about criminal artists
“At the time of collecting, Dennis Nona’s criminal history was not known. The acquisition of these works was judged purely on aesthetic, social and art historical grounds.”
The sentencing of artist Dennis Nona for child abuse, and fresh reports of Donald Friend’s paedophilia, raises deeper questions about what we do with the art of fallen heroes.
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Europe elections may follow Brexit–Trump trend
South Korea’s Park offers to fall on her sword; China eyes change; James Curran forecasts less united states.
Opinion
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Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Manmeet Sharma and race in crime
“It is easy to assume race does not play a role in an incident when one claims not to ‘see’ race, or when race does not play a role in one’s life. ”
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Paul Bongiorno
Backpackers, ABCC and parliamentary chaos
“If Turnbull – and Abbott before him – had been as prepared to compromise on the construction industry watchdog as we saw this week, the ABCC and Registered Organisation bills would have passed a couple of years ago. ”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s compelling journey
Pakistani filmmaker and journalist Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy on devoting her life to exposing violence against women.
A. B. Original’s ‘Reclaim Australia’
Hip-hop duo A. B. Original have delivered an incendiary album describing the experiences of Aboriginal Australia, and it’s the most exciting local release of the year.
Food
Life
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When news of the death of their teenage cousin reached Oliver Mol ’s brother on the eve of a trek across Spain, the journey became one of raising awareness.
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Pyongyang restaurant, Shanghai
Visitors to North Korea’s state-run restaurant franchise in Shanghai might second-guess the polished smiles of the all-singing staff.
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Mind craft: Rowena Webster, 28, water polo player
Olympic bronze medallist Rowena Webster on how she got her head back in the game.
Books
The Quiz
1. How old is Julian Assange: (a) 40; (b) 45; or (c) 50?
2. A sackbut is an early form of which musical instrument?
3. In which city would you see the neon lights of Ginza?
4. Sir Henry Parkes is known as the father of what?
5. Name the writer and illustrator creators of the Treehouse series of children’s books.
6. True or false: a wolverine belongs to the dog family Canidae.
7. Who wrote the novel Howards End?
8. Gianni Infantino is the president of which international sporting body?
9. Which singer observed: “She is a stranger/ You and I have history/ Or don’t you remember?” (Bonus point for naming the title of the song.)
10. Name the opposition leader of New South Wales or Victoria.
Quotes
SECURITY
“I question the security in this building... We all live in fear.”
The One Nation leader voices support for a fence to be built around the parliament. It’s a fair point: she got in twice.
EDUCATION
“I don’t want to denigrate Kazakhstan, or indeed their artistic skills with movies like Borat.”
The education minister responds to the fact Australia has slipped behind the central Asian country in maths and science education. And, presumably, British-American pop culture references.
LANGUAGE
“The deputy prime minister has now strayed beyond what is acceptable.”
The speaker reprimands Barnaby Joyce for reading a quote about “sucking off these f’ing dogs all day” during a debate on the building and construction commission. Amber Heard’s Yorkshire terriers watched on, anxious.
PROTEST
“A bunch of bong-sniffing, dole-bludging, moss-munching, glue-guzzling, Kmart Castros are again vandalising parliament.”
The senator complains about protesters gluing themselves to railings in Parliament House. Speaking of vandalism, he helped Boris Johnson win office.
CONSTITUENTS
“Bill Shorten thinks rich kids from Europe should pay less tax than Pacific Islanders working here to send money back to their villages.”
The prime minister castigates Labor over its opposition to his backpacker tax. Turnbull would like to be clear that the only person representing the interests of rich white kids who prefer to minimise tax is him.
CELEBRATIONS
“Thanks to the Greens for doing what Labor should have done.”
The deputy prime minister hails the passing of a 15 per cent backpacker tax. To be honest, the Greens have spent two decades doing what Labor should have done.
