By the time of the referendum on the Voice, No campaigners look likely to have turned it into a referendum on the Albanese government, and, probably into “wokeness.” It may be a tragedy if they do, whether for First Australians or the nation generally, because it will inevitably exacerbate divisions in the community. It is Continue reading »
politics
Often seen as marvels of the human ascendancy, the world’s great cities are in mortal danger as the resources that keep them alive stagger, dwindle and give out. Today the world has 45 megacities – conurbations holding more than ten million citizens apiece – and some 500 smaller cities each of a million or more Continue reading »
Berlusconi’s political journey began ironically in the early 1990s on the tail end of the Italian anti-corruption campaign (known as tangentopoli) which saw the key Italian political parties decimated by accusations and charges of corruption, political control of state assets and a system of spoils for governing elites. Poking fun at Berlusconi, and indirectly at Continue reading »
The implementation of universal high-quality early childhood education could be a game changer for Australian families and the economy. The importance of quality schooling has long been recognised by government and society. In contrast, the role of early childhood education has historically been undervalued. Recently the pandemic highlighted the importance of early childhood education and Continue reading »
What do we make of our own national war memorial inviting children to have a go at planning attacks on civilian infrastructure which amount to war crimes? Pearls and Irritations recently drew attention to a current Australian War Memorial exhibition on the 1943 Dambuster raids over Germany and the Memorial’s failure to mention the huge Continue reading »
The Opposition’s resident numerology expert, Sussan Ley, has spent the weekend considering whether to challenge unpopular Opposition leader Peter Dutton following last week’s horrific Robodebt findings. “Susssan has been ringing around checking with her numerologist, astrologist and even her kinesiologist... Read More ›
The Wagner coup equation doesn’t compute. It just doesn’t add up. Herbert Wulf gave us a concise summary of the surreal 24 hours that gripped the world. But there are missing pieces of the puzzle that we haven’t been given. And now we learn that the Wagner boss is back in St Petersburg, Russia. In his classic The Art of Continue reading »
While unification with Taiwan and building a strong economy are the twin pillars of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, it’s dangerous to assume, as Washington does, that a faltering economy makes Beijing more aggressive towards the island. This is the final in a two-column series. It’s hardly worth mentioning that China and the United Continue reading »
This week, a new report revealed First Nations people, as well as people of African or Middle Eastern appearance, were disproportionately targeted by police in issuing COVID-19 fines. Despite the Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton acknowledging structural racism when appearing before the Yoorrook Justice Commission in Victoria, Victoria Police have denied racial profiling in response Continue reading »
Why the new ALP government’s new Child Care funds should restore its social benefits and stop funding the failing profit/market model. It has been 50 plus years since the McMahon Liberal government included preschool funding, the first since WW2. In 1972 the new Whitlam ALP Government promised the funding of Children’s services programs to meet Continue reading »