News

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.”

Karen Middleton 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

News

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 ”

Mike Seccombe As staff revolt against programming changes, ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie struggles to describe her vision for the broadcaster.

News

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.”

Denham Sadler 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.

News

Guarding vulnerable Australian species

Andrew Stafford 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.

News

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.”

Martin McKenzie-Murray 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.

World

Europe elections may follow Brexit–Trump trend

Hamish McDonald South Korea’s Park offers to fall on her sword; China eyes change; James Curran forecasts less united states.

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Opinion

Opinion

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. ”

Opinion

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. ”

Diary

Gadfly
Trial and Canberra

Richard Ackland Diarist-at-large Richard Ackland flies about the nation.

Letters, Cartoon & Editorial

Cartoon

Read

Editorial
Visa ‘integration test’ unconscionable

Letters

Other dates can be found

Erik Jensen’s article (“Change The Date”, November 26-December 2) is timely and well supportable. We should, however, seek a day with no attachment to war or victory (or, as in the case …

What will fill the void?

Australia Day should remain on January 26 because, if it is changed, January 26 will be resurrected in the collective imagination of the Australian people as a day to proclaim allegiance to patriotic and …

Read More

Food

Read

Food

The root on the platter

Andrew McConnell Used sparingly, horseradish can be a welcome and delicate addition to raw fish dishes.

Books

Dana Spiotta
Innocents and Others

Mischa Berlinski
Peacekeeping

Petina Gappah
Rotten Row

Life

Life

A long walk in memoriam

Oliver Mol 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.

Travel

Pyongyang restaurant, Shanghai

Andy Hazel Visitors to North Korea’s state-run restaurant franchise in Shanghai might second-guess the polished smiles of the all-singing staff.

Sport

Mind craft: Rowena Webster, 28, water polo player

Jack Kerr Olympic bronze medallist Rowena Webster on how she got her head back in the game.

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.

Click through for answers.

Quotes

SECURITY

“I question the security in this building... We all live in fear.”

Pauline HansonThe 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.”

Simon BirminghamThe 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.”

Tony SmithThe 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.”

James McGrathThe 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.”

Malcolm TurnbullThe 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.”

Barnaby JoyceThe 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.