Karen Middleton A new Office of National Intelligence will have increased powers to access personal information and scrutinise online activities. But who will monitor the monitor?

Bri Lee Next month, Queensland will debate changes to pregnancy termination legislation. While many argue current laws disadvantage poorer women, particularly in rural areas, others are keen to maintain the status quo.

Tim Rushby-Smith Among the thousands of demountable classrooms used in NSW schools, many are inaccessible to parents with disabilities. So why is the Education Department ignoring building codes that require higher standards?

Elizabeth Flux

Where once he was Tickled, New Zealand documentary-maker David Farrier has most recently devoted himself to visiting ghoulish sites of so-called ‘dark tourism’. Here, he talks about murky ethics, Kiwi sensibilities and the pressure to react the ‘right’ way. “There’s one point where I’ve got a gun to my head and I laugh, because I’m sort of nervous. “Some people will say to me that it was really inappropriate to laugh at that point … [But] that’s what happened. It’s uncomfortable laughter. We wanted to leave all that in.”

Harper Nielsen I really wanted people to think about the anthem, and how we exclude First Nations people. I wanted people to think about racism and how it can look, sometimes in little ways we can’t see or didn’t think about. I hope that’s happened. I also hope people talk to each other about our anthem, and about how we can honour and show respect for Indigenous Australians. So I’m happy I did what I did. And even with the mean things some people have said about me, I’d do it again.

Paul Bongiorno In the government party room on Tuesday Morrison told incredulous members that “we have momentum”. One quipped later: “Yeah, the sort of momentum you get when you jump off a cliff.” Maybe Morrison was taking heart from the fact he was more popular than Bill Shorten in the latest Fairfax Ipsos poll, though not quite as popular as the man he replaced.

Richard Ackland

Last week the Saturday magazine that comes free with The Catholic Boys Daily celebrated its 30th birthday. The occasion was marked by interviews with 30 well-known Australians, including the likes of John Olsen, Toni Collette, Tim Winton, Alan Joyce, Ian Thorpe, Frank Lowy etc etc. They were all asked the same questions, about Australia, the outlook for the next 30 years, favourite people and so on.

What would you do if a powerful figure sexually harassed or assaulted you? Who should you tell? Rounding on a year since The New Yorker and The New York Times first broke the Harvey Weinstein story, any consensus on the right answers to these questions seems a hollow possibility.

Mike Seccombe The range of candidates running in the Wentworth byelection reflects an electorate that has less and less in common with the Liberal Party, which has held the seat since the party’s foundation.

Hamish McDonald Former general jailed in Philippines; backdown on new seasonal visa.

Dave Faulkner Liars’ new album of oblique rock, TWTWF, finds Angus Andrew lyrically exploring the departure of his long-time songwriting partner and sonically drawing on his natural surrounds.

Lisa Radford

MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art provides an engaging and broad survey of how we have sought to understand the negotiation between technology, nature and our humanity.

Claire G. Coleman Stealing time and cultivating “radical empathy” with artist Robert Walton.

Leanne Altmann The beverage director for Andrew McConnell’s restaurants recommends the season’s top wines, and a bonus gin.

Evelyn Lewin As the spotlight turns to conditions in aged-care facilities, attention is also being drawn to the problem of young people with disabilities being forced to live in residences with an end-of-life focus.

Paul Connolly St George Illawarra’s Talesha Quinn on why she loves the physicality of rugby league and the importance of being a good role model for younger sportswomen.

Cindy MacDonald Test your general knowledge with our weekly quiz.