Recently, US President Donald Trump spoke about the displacement of Gaza’s residents to Egypt, Jordan, and a group of neighbouring countries, as well as turning Gaza into an area under US control. This proposal sparked a wave of criticism and condemnation at various levels. International reactions to the proposal At the international level, the proposal Continue reading »
Population
Evolution works by conserving traits that carry value for the species, but more often it is perceived as “survival of the fittest” or in “social darwinism”. These are literary licences: scientifically, they are close to misinformation. A look at the Grandmother Effect will show you why. Before Homo became sapiens, after the end of the Continue reading »
In a recent post Eric Hunter asked: “Why doesn’t God save the world?” (P&I, 10 February 2025). It’s an interesting question, usually framed under the rubric of “the problem of evil.” Hunter prefers to believe in science rather than to believe in God. So why did he post about God in the first place? There Continue reading »
This year, more than 400 million people are in search of new homes, of food, water and family security. The first ripples of the human tsunami to come are lapping at the world’s shores, with a population larger than Europe’s or North America’s already on the road. The greatest population displacement in world history is Continue reading »
In the grand tapestry of history, no thread is brighter than the one connecting East and West. This intricate exchange of ideas, trade, and philosophies — what we might call the Tao of Terra — has shaped our world in profound ways. Historian Will Durant, in his monumental work The Story of Civilisation, opened with Continue reading »
Land rights now! By a strange quirk of fate, I was working in the Minister’s Office in 1976 when Parliament passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. Great was our pride, and our expectations. In terms of securing title to land and sea the Act has been highly effective. But in terms of creating Continue reading »
Australians now have access to significant superannuation balances, but if superannuation is going to meet its purpose of ensuring an adequate income in retirement, reforms are needed to provide better access to a superannuation pension. The spread of superannuation is a major achievement The introduction of superannuation covering all employees by the Keating Labor Government Continue reading »
We need to stop putting all our eggs in the ‘anti-racism strategy basket’ and start to recognise that a more holistic approach where everyone across the population can see themselves as benefitting from the initiatives is the future to reducing discrimination for all, writes Anthea Hancocks. Whether it is the result of the recent rhetoric Continue reading »
Australia is often celebrated as a wealthy nation, with a prosperity that is purportedly shared across its population. However, such assertions crumble under scrutiny. According to the 2021 census, 122,494 Australians were denied the basic right of shelter due to their inability to afford housing. This stark reality reveals the vast and growing chasm between Continue reading »
The decision by Australia’s federal Opposition leader to avoid standing by the Aboriginal flag is a dangerously divisive and cynical move. In case he has not noticed the current Australian flag includes the Union Jack which symbolises an extremely controversial period in our history. Senator Lidia Thorpe recently drew attention to the negative impacts of Continue reading »