April 22 – 28, 2023
News
Comment
Comment
Linda Jaivin
On Penny Wong’s press club speech
“There was a moment of light relief towards the end of the Q&A following Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong’s address to the National Press Club on Monday. The Canberra Times’s Nicholas Stuart prefaced his question, the penultimate of the day, by commenting that it had been ‘a wonderful speech’, to which Wong quipped: ‘You’re the first person who’s said that. I was starting to get a bit paranoid.’”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Dutton hands Coalition to Nationals
“Something truly bizarre is happening in the federal Coalition under the leadership of putative Liberal Peter Dutton. With him in charge, the conservative parties have embarked on a cunning plan to abandon metropolitan voters in favour of rural and regional ones.”
Comment
John Hewson
Aged care should not weary them
“The latest news of the growing aged-care emergency, with the closures of three more homes in Sydney by Wesley Mission, has been written up as a ‘shock’ announcement and attributed to ‘workplace pressures’ imposed by the Albanese government’s industry reforms.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
The Influence
Diego Ramírez
For artist Diego Ramírez, John Milton’s charismatic Satan – the central character in his epic poem Paradise Lost – is a deeply resonant figure.
Fiction
A certain stage
“Voula looked around the kitchen. The kettle gathered its breath.
“Where is your dog?”
They waited for an answer.
“In the freezer.”
There was a strange moment between Lance and Voula.
“How long has it been in the freezer?”
“Two years.”
“Dad, I thought the vet took Pixie, after she died,” said Lance.
Mr Harvey shook his head sadly.
Voula slowly rose and opened the freezer door. There, behind a packet of frozen peas, was a large, misted-over plastic bag with a couple of dark paws visible through it. And was that an eye peering out like something left behind in Shackleton’s icy hut? Mr Harvey sniffed back a tear.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Technology
“Australians are the most stupidest humans alive and they have a lot of money for no reason. A lot of money and no sense at all.”
The hacker explains why Australians are a common target for scams. It’s hard to hear, but it’s also hard to argue.
Politics
“He swallowed some sort of Cold War pills back … when he was born, and he couldn’t get his mindset out of that.”
The Western Australian premier is recorded mocking Andrew Hastie during a trade visit to China. Until now, we thought “Cold War pills” were cyanide capsules, which would explain a lot about Hastie’s demeanour.
Trucking
“I was there. I was admitted even though I was not wearing a kilt.”
The Victorian premier defends attending trucking magnate Lindsay Fox’s birthday, which was reportedly a male-only function. It’s not that Fox doesn’t know any women; he just doesn’t like any.
America
“I’m not an ideal presidential candidate for normal times.”
The nephew of former president John F. Kennedy announces he intends to run in the Democratic primaries. Kennedy is an avowed anti-vaxxer, which is to say he has a theory about a second booster.
Careers
“There’s probably a range of factors that contribute to that.”
The former minister for Home Affairs announces she will not contest the next election. Better to announce her intentions now than in a text message on polling day about boat arrivals.
Death
“A man of warmth and faith who faced struggles with a cheeky grin.”
The prime minister mourns Father Bob Maguire, who died this week after being removed from the board of his charity. He was 88.
ISRAEL–HAMAS WAR
