October 9 – 15, 2021
News
Comment
Comment
Michael Costello
When ineptitude goes nuclear
“The decision by the Morrison government to get nuclear-powered submarines rather than conventionally powered ones is correct. But like so many other decisions of the past 10 years, it has been carried out with a stunning ineptness and in a way that damages Australia’s national interests.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
The Influence
Charlotte Wood
Author Charlotte Wood explains how the still-life paintings of Jude Rae help her write.
Fiction
Mitzy
“All weekend she thought about getting rid of Mitzy. Jill fed Mitzy, walked her, and Mitzy was silent. She sat on the couch with Jill, her head on a throw cushion, looking at her from the corner of her eye every time Jill took a sip of wine. Jill had a bad day at work on Monday, came home irritated. Mitzy followed her around the apartment for hours, staring up at her with her mother’s brown eyes. Eventually Jill relented, took the leash off the hook near the door.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Film
“It was the first time in my 70-odd years on this planet that I went out and bought a dog.”
The composer explains that he was so upset after seeing the film adaptation of his musical Cats he went out and bought a Havanese puppy. Unfortunately, it still looks like James Corden.
Diplomacy
“If we had any foresight, the Maseratis would not have been bought…”
The Papua New Guinean Finance minister admits the former government’s decision to spend $7.9 million on luxury cars for the 2018 APEC leaders’ summit was an error. Still, it makes the $600,000 water cannon Sydney bought when it hosted the summit seem a little lame.
Funding
“We have been very transparent in relation to the car parks program.”
The Urban Infrastructure minister defends the government’s handling of the commuter car park scheme. It’s possible he doesn’t know what “transparent” means – or he’s using it to describe the nakedness of his government’s motives.
Law
“This went beyond that – to who I am, to my beliefs.”
The Home Affairs minister describes the hurt caused to him by a social media post that described him as a rape apologist. Although politicians should not be exploiting restrictive defamation laws, it is nice to see a man who’s locked up so many innocent people trying out a judicial process.
Climate
“Please be very careful about information spread on an emotional basis, or tied to money, or egos or power-seekers.”
The iron ore magnate warns students at her old school about the perils of believing in climate change, which she said was not caused by humans. Anyone who would fight her own children so hard for money clearly has everyone’s future in mind.
Politics
“I turn 50 in November. Maybe it’s a bit of a midlife crisis.”
The outgoing NSW deputy premier says seeing Andrew Constance resign helped him decide to leave politics. This is the same Andrew Constance he called a “cunt” last year and successfully chased out of the Eden–Monaro preselection.
ISRAEL–HAMAS WAR
