Indonesians have just witnessed a messy, badly produced TV ‘debate’ between the politicians jostling to run the world’s fourth largest democracy facing a national election in less than two months. Just a few weeks ago it seemed Indonesian politics was edging towards modernity by recognising that half the voters are women with different values, needs Continue reading »
politics
Trumpian populism has not yet taken hold here. Why? Perhaps because this country’s not quite as unequal as others. One good thing about taking a break from work is that it gives you time to let your mind wander from all the pressing concerns of our fast-moving world – the preoccupation with this ‘‘crisis’’ and Continue reading »
The latest Japanese political scandal involving at least four top government ministers and numerous junior officials is widely seen as a fatal blow to the prime minister Fumio Kishida already dogged by a weak image and record low popularity polls. It is worsened by LDP party’s seeming inability to decide on the economic policies needed Continue reading »
More than 100 health, legal, social, community services providers, advocates and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations have stepped up pressure on the nation’s Attorneys-General to raise the age of criminal responsibility nationally to at least 14 years old, with no exceptions. Their joint statement was released ahead of a meeting of the Continue reading »
For those who had hoped Australia might bring a more constructive approach to issues of peace and security, year’s end cannot come soon enough. 2023 has seen a succession of armed conflicts – from Ukraine to Nagorno-Karabakh, Sudan, Myanmar and Israel-Palestine – and countless humanitarian crises fuelled by civil war, insurgencies, and the ravages of Continue reading »
Antisemitism is an ancient European pastime. But post-World War II we have seen the birth of the Antisemitism Industry – people who have made it their job to call out antisemitism, even where it might not exist. Last week, Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon told The Guardian that he was ‘very sad’ about the Continue reading »
The results from the OECD’s PISA tests released last week showed that in Australia demography is destiny, revealing that by the time young people reach Year 9 a staggering five years of learning separates students from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds. This week, a major report advanced a compelling explanation for our educational woes – and Continue reading »
Hymn # 7,000 – “Onward Christian Soldiers, Marching as to War” As Christmas approaches we envisage the serene nativity scene of baby Jesus in Bethlehem. It’s a time of reflection and peace as two billion Christians focus on the reason they have Christmas and stop to celebrate the birth of their saviour. There’s no such Continue reading »
Republished with permission Continue reading »
We’ve never before had a war like this, a war of complete consensus, a war of total silence, a war of blind support; a war without objection, without protest, without refusal to serve, without opposition, neither in the beginning or in the middle. A unanimous war, with wall-to-wall approval – excluding the Arab citizens of Continue reading »