August 31 – September 6, 2024
POST September 6, 2024
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will today put a $702m plan to national cabinet providing more support …
News
Comment
Comment
Lidia Thorpe
Children don’t belong in prison
“In no way do I discount people’s genuine concerns about youth offending. But safe, cohesive communities will only be achieved when we ensure that every child’s basic needs are met … Protecting children’s rights and fostering community safety are not conflicting goals. ”
Comment
John Hewson
Jim Chalmers and the Reserve Bank
“The claims that Treasurer Jim Chalmers is ‘at war’ with the Reserve Bank of Australia are becoming ridiculous and irresponsible. Initiated by the opposition and shamelessly supported by the Coalition’s media arm, the Murdoch media, the specious campaign comes at an important time in the conduct of monetary policy.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
The power of folk singer Grace Petrie
British folk singer, comedian and social activist Grace Petrie, soon to tour Australia, sings of love, life and politics and makes the marginal and the unfairly maligned feel seen.
Exhibition
Deaf in dance: feeling the beat
An exhibition at the State Library of Queensland about the Deaf Indigenous Dance Group has the power to radically reorientate public perceptions of communication.
Fiction
Two stories
“One by one the yellow ducks found their way ashore, coughing and gasping. Inland the survivors discovered some potable water. The night skies were temperate and clear. They collected coconut palm fronds with which to build nests and later – homes – and later – municipal chambers – and later again – flood mitigation strategies. If the island sank into the waves, where would they go? Your place? Mine? A faction among the ducks consisting of the strongest swimmers wanted to catch a current in the shipping lanes and make for some more sophisticated civilisation. Australia, perhaps…”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Commemoration
“What an ending … They just voted down Councillor Spenceley’s amendment to name a little plaza after me.”
The outgoing North Sydney councillor condemns her peers after they voted not to name a plaza after her. She’ll have to settle for the drink.
Politics
“He was scared … When someone starts trembling you know they’re scared.”
The former union leader describes being in a lift with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The account doesn’t do much – if anything – to rehabilitate his image.
Animals
“Mr Kennedy’s apparent transport of the marine mammal skull ... also represented a felony violation of the Lacey Act...”
The Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund strategist on Robert F. Kennedy Jr allegedly cutting off a whale’s head with a chainsaw. Appropriately, the story first appeared in Town & Country.
Work
“Adding more rights for workers for something that is just part of a normal working relationship is unreasonable…”
The opposition’s finance spokesperson criticises legislation that allows people to limit communications with bosses after work. Unfortunately, her boss does most of his communication on Sky after dark.
Media
“Clearly they want to score points against Seven and will do so in any way possible.”
The new editor of The West Australian dismisses criticism of a staff meeting where women performed as dancing Santas. Mercifully, this doesn’t point to any larger cultural problems at the media company.
Crime
“We’re lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 10 so that young people can be held accountable...”
The Northern Territory’s chief minister announces she will take the police portfolio, too. She is also the minister for youth, which is just grim.
ISRAEL–HAMAS WAR
