To believe things can get better, we must first accept they can get worse.
politics
The headline in the Times of Israel says it all: “For the First Time, Israel Just Lost a War.” Regardless of the reasoning behind this statement, which the article divides into fourteen points, it suggests a shattering and unprecedented event in the 76-year history of the State of Israel. The consequences of this realisation will Continue reading »
Pro-Palestine protests have been taking place all over Australia right from the time when Israel started its massacre in October 2023. But looking at the mainstream media, one would think that these marches only generate issues for the public at large and do little to educate people on the actual situation in the occupied territories. 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 »
In Asian media this week: President links China to Panama Canal face-off. Plus: Weaknesses in America’s Asian pact latticework; Government, industry behind Tokyo’s RAN frigates bid; Thai support for Myanmar scams points to corruption; Beijing pushes soft power through video games; 57 arrested over Dalit schoolgirl abuse. Donald Trump was soft on China in his 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 »
When Parliament returns, the government will be pressed to enact a law making it a criminal offence to threaten violence against people or groups on racial or religious grounds, or to threaten them about gender identity or sexual orientation. Before February, we need to know more about what caused a recent spate of nasty incidents Continue reading »
Although Australian elections are not marked by turnout issues as they are in the US where voting is discretionary, there are lessons for Anthony Albanese in Donald Trump’s election victory. It appears that a significant proportion of Kamala Harris’s usual supporter base did not bother to queue up on a cold Tuesday last November to Continue reading »
Back at the very start of the war retired US Ambassador Chas Freeman, an eloquent critic of many aspects of his government’s international conduct, warned that the US was prepared “to fight to the last Ukrainian”. Some want to prove him right. Others want to save the remaining young men of Ukraine. The US National Continue reading »