October 28 – November 3, 2023
News
Comment
Comment
David Shoebridge
Can America be trusted on submarines?
“Australia’s defence force should be focused on defending Australia, not threatening our neighbours. This seems like an obvious statement, but it is in fact highly contentious within defence leadership and directly contrary to the conclusions of Australia’s most recent Defence Strategic Review.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Echoes of the Voice
“Anthony Albanese has moved on from his thwarted attempt to have an Indigenous Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution. It is frustrating the opposition and disappointing some key leaders in the Aboriginal community. Greatly assisting the prime minister’s pivot to other agendas in the second half of this parliamentary term was a headline-generating four days in Washington, DC.”
Comment
John Hewson
The plot to bury reconciliation
“It is time we stop pretending the overwhelming ‘No’ vote at the referendum wasn’t fanned by racism, underlying all the lies and misrepresentation. This is not to say all those who voted ‘No’ were racists. Rather, it is increasingly clear racism was the mostly unstated agenda of some of the referendum’s strongest public opponents.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
The Influence
Stanislava Pinchuk on architect Bogdan Bogdanović
The surrealist anti-fascist monuments of Serbian architect Bogdan Bogdanović are a ‘North Star’ for artist Stanislava Pinchuk.
Fiction
Pathway
“I’d seen him only a few days earlier on the train. He had been sitting directly across from me, cradling in his arms a small black stereo playing heavy metal songs. I had been moved by how tenderly he’d held the stereo. Then, as now, his face had been obscured by a long wavy fringe of straw-coloured hair, so I was unable to see if he wore an expression of peacefulness or malice.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Law
“A cynic might say: ‘I hope Channel 7 paid him, or his solicitors, a lot of money…’ ”
The judge rules it possible to name Bruce Lehrmann as the person charged with an alleged rape in Toowoomba, although not yet committed to stand trial. For months a suppression order has forced the media to pretend he was a “high-profile man”.
Faith
“I also ask everyone to forgive my human limitations.”
The Polish bishop resigns in the wake of a scandal involving a gay orgy held at a parish building. Honestly, it really depends on how you read the Bible.
Cartoons
“It’s not just female politicians that I would draw like this.”
The cartoonist defends his depiction of Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, standing nude on a catwalk. In fairness, he draws his racism naked too.
Media
“Not exactly my go-to source of reliable information.”
The Liberal senator explains why she did not watch a Four Corners episode on restrictive practices used by National Disability Insurance Scheme providers. This from a person who regularly appears on Sky News.
Defence
“I see it constantly from you and I think it is deeply undermining of the cohesion of the force.”
The chief of the Australian Defence Force tells Jacqui Lambie she should be ashamed of herself for asking questions about soldiers’ pay. Being from the army, he later withdrew.
America
“You’re going to see an aggressive schedule in the days and weeks ahead.”
The Republican representative is elected speaker of the United States House of Representatives. It’s the first election result he’s been willing to acknowledge.
ISRAEL–HAMAS WAR
