Trust deficit threatens COVID-19 response
“People have long been cynical about government. But it has got worse … Summer’s devastating bushfires also dented the perceived trustworthiness of Morrison and his government.”
Scott Morrison moved quickly to contain the threat of coronavirus; the bigger challenge will be convincing the public that his government can be trusted in a crisis.
News
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Private schools’ spending arms race heats up
“What sits behind this expenditure is vast inequality for school capital works funding at the Commonwealth level.”
While the nation’s elite schools outspend one another building new facilities, experts question why public schools have effectively had their funding cut.
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Privacy concerns about encryption laws
“The scrutiny is indicative of the level of controversy surrounding the laws and the strong tech-sector opposition to what many see as a weakening of security overall.”
As law enforcement agencies demand access to encrypted data without judicial oversight, the national security watchdog and tech companies are concerned about privacy breaches.
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Morrison’s economic stimulus package
“After being accused of flat-footedness in their response to the summer’s bushfires, Morrison and his treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, are keen to tell Australians they foresaw the potential impact of COVID-19 on both the health system and the economy.”
In the hopes of heading off a possible recession, the government has released a $17.6 billion stimulus package, but questions remain about the lack of detail in its plans for regional support.
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AAP closure leaves industry reeling
The closure of the Australian Associated Press news service threatens to devastate regional and smaller media players. So was the decision taken solely in response to falling revenue streams, or was there also an attempt to stifle competition at play?
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Michigan defeat a big blow to Sanders
Joe Biden continues his march towards a likely Democratic presidential nomination. Pacific Islands adopt strict measures to stave off COVID-19. Saudi princes arrested as Mohammed bin Salman slashes oil prices. Historic women’s protest in Mexico.
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George Pell’s High Court appeal
The High Court decision on the fate of convicted cardinal George Pell may be delivered as early as next week.
Opinion
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Shakira Hussein
Christchurch and the threat of right-wing extremism
“Muslims living in Australia were haunted by Christchurch – and Quebec, and Utøya – long before these names became shorthand for the crimes committed there. Because running alongside the mass killings, quietly, there has been a slow-motion massacre of Muslims living in the West in the years since September 11, 2001, as one hate crime steadily piled upon another.”
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Paul Bongiorno
Morrison announces ‘Team Australia’ stimulus
“The coronavirus-induced panic that has caused the great run on toilet paper is not confined to the herd instinct of millions of shoppers. Fear of being the first government to preside over the end of 30 years of uninterrupted growth is gripping Scott Morrison and his entire Coalition outfit.”
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Those north Queensland beaks sure know how to dish out justice to anti-coal protesters chaining themselves to cattle grids or concrete drums to hamper workers turning up for fossil fuel duties.
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
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This was the week the virus tipped over, morphing from the biggest story in the world to the only story in the world. There was only the virus. And the fear and the panic, which have begun to take on a life of their own. The gap is troublesome – the vast chasm between the health threat posed by COVID-19 and the intense response provoked, so far beyond anything seen before.
Culture
The Australian Ballet’s Alice Topp
As a homesick teenager from Bendigo, Alice Topp dreamed of dancing with The Australian Ballet. Now she is also a resident choreographer with the company, and only the second woman to hold the title. She speaks about the creative collaboration of her latest work, Logos. “We are in a vulnerable space together, and it’s a safe space and we’re free to have our own voice and it’s a really special journey for me. I can’t imagine creating any other way.”
MTC and Queensland Theatre’s revival of Emerald City brings the distinctly Australian dramatic idiom of playwright David Williamson into focus once more. Skilfully led by Nadine Garner, the work still has much to offer.
Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Monster Theatres
Aiming to confront audiences with the hidden monstrosities of our age, the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art provokes crucial questions.
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Paul Kelly
Riddle Poem Two from the Kelly-Hoard
Some lines from Omar Sakr’s poem last Saturday have the flavour of a riddle poem:
Fellow flotsam, what makes a person a
person? The animals are asking.
Friends, what makes a citizen a
citizen? The people are barking.
I keep going back to this poem, circling it. Perhaps many poems have something of the riddle about them. Intimations that are hidden at first but emerge after the reader does some work.
I only have one answer in mind for this month’s poem but perhaps there are more. Good luck.
Life
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A study examining gender imbalance among surgeons shows widespread cultural change is needed to stamp out bullying, harassment and lack of support for women entering the profession.
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Jess Fraser’s countercultural approach to the male-dominated sport of Brazilian jiu jitsu rejects the reverence of lineage.
Books
Puzzles
1. What is the name of the entertainment company founded in 1979 by Harvey and Bob Weinstein?
2. Tennis great Roger Federer announced he had recently had surgery to which part of his body?
3. What is the name of the new James Bond film, the release of which has been delayed due to COVID-19?
4. Tripoli is the capital of which country?
5. “I’ll put a girdle round about the earth” is a line from which Shakespeare play?
6. Where are the headquarters of the World Health Organization?
7. Who wrote the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? (Bonus point for naming the year in which the film was released.)
8. Blue and White and Likud are political parties in which country?
9. The 2020 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix was scheduled to take place over how many laps: (a) 50; (b) 58; or (c) 64?
10. In which year did then prime minister Julia Gillard give her “misogyny speech”?
Quotes
PATRIOTISM
“This is a Team Australia moment.”
The prime minister requests Australia follow his example in order to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. Invoking a puppet film from the makers of South Park is an interesting move, but Morrison is an interesting man.
EMPLOYMENT
“This national tour is taking me away from my day-to-day job, so I think it’s only fair that I get paid.”
The television presenter defends his $347,000 taxpayer-funded contract as national careers ambassador, which has required him to host one event. Eccentric as it seems, it’s the government’s only attempt to address stagnant wage growth.
SCRUTINY
“I immediately asked the police commissioner to investigate the operation of the CSNSW firing range to ensure they comply with the relevant legislation.”
The New South Wales Police minister responds to news a rifle range at the John Morony Correctional Complex is allowing the use of prohibited weapons, but only because Elliott shared photographs of himself firing the weapons on Facebook.
SAVINGS
“Many people would have already made provisions for that because of course the purpose of casual employment is that you’re paid extra in lieu of entitlements.”
The minister explains why the government will not be extending sick leave entitlements to Australia’s casual employees. Possibly it’s expected some will be able to have the virus part-time.
COURT
“Although this is a first conviction, it is not a first offence.”
The judge sentences Harvey Weinstein to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. If Weinstein ages at the same rate he has during the trial, he will be 312 by the time he’s released.
POLITICS
“It is actually a disservice to the voters, really, is what’s happening here.’’
The United States congresswoman reacts to being shut out of the Democratic primary debate. Always one to respect the public’s wishes, Gabbard has directed hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to her campaign to a fringe Hare Krishna cult.
