February 25 – March 3, 2023
News
Comment
Comment
John Hewson
The politics of the safeguard mechanism
“It is indicative of how backwards we have become that some in the Coalition are still promoting a new coal-fired power plant for north Queensland, even though there is no net demand for power in the region, even though major international banks won’t fund it, even though equity investors are equally reluctant...”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Theatre-maker Natalia Kaliada
For Natalia Kaliada, co-founder of Belarus Free Theatre, performance is about bringing audiences face-to-face with the real.
The Influence
Brendan Cowell
When he first heard Paul Simon’s song ‘The Boy in the Bubble’, Brendan Cowell realised that he wanted to be a writer.
Fiction
The wardrobe
“One day, some older boys had a tomato sauce fight at recess, squeezing their sauce packets and wiping them on squealing victims. When the boy ran the wrong way, straight into the path of a kid from year 5 who was primed and waiting, he received a smear of tomato sauce down the front of his shirt. He was not upset – none of them were – they were having the time of their lives. But over the following days when the game was long forgotten, the boy still sported his wound. It dried and hardened and eventually flaked off, leaving behind a henna stain that he wore every day like a birthmark.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Music
“The lead singer of Sticky Fingers has been extremely apologetic about his bipolar schizophrenia and substance abuse during that time and is also Maori.”
The Bluesfest founder issues a third statement after his decision to book the band saw other headliners quit. Soon the only thing being performed at the festival will be allyship.
Literature
“When it comes to our rich and varied literary heritage … we shouldn’t gobblefunk around with words.”
The British prime minister adds his views to the storm over a decision to remove offensive language from the books of Roald Dahl. Honestly, it’s exciting to hear a Tory who is against rewriting history.
Environment
“Our proposal is that the waters around Macquarie Island – the whole exclusive economic zone – will become marine park.”
The Environment minister announces a plan to expand the Macquarie Island Marine Park. The park will be about the size of Germany but significantly less full of Germans.
Profits
“You get more value with Qantas …”
The Qantas chief executive explains why the airline charges more than others, as he announces a $1 billion profit. It’s true: sometimes they will take your bag on a whole separate holiday without you.
Media
“It sounds like something a bitter 14-year-old girl has written about an ex-boyfriend.”
The Sky News contributor responds to last weekend’s editorial in The Saturday Paper. It’s one of the rare times the network has mentioned a teenager without also defending George Pell.
Losses
“Recent regulatory changes have increased compliance costs…”
The casino operator posts a $1.26 billion loss for the first half of the 2023 financial year. It’s almost as if, without the money laundering, the business is really suffering.
ISRAEL–HAMAS WAR
