
Trump's threats are no substitute for diplomacy
Trump has always had poor impulse control but we are moving into a new phase with F-bombs, real bombs and threats to entire civilisations becoming daily occurrences.


The unfairness we've learned to walk past
Allowing homelessness to continue is a choice. Ending it must become one too.

Living longer but not necessarily well
The 2026 report on Australia’s health shows our life expectancy remains one of the highest in the world but the last decade of life is marred by poorer health.

The handshake that never holds
Pakistani and Afghan negotiators have to come to the table with a Plan B to break the endless cycle of bombings and retaliatory strikes.

What the Socceroos taught us about belonging
The World Cup has shown Australia that our national identity is about diversity not uniformity.

Thailand needs a long-term strategy for the next energy shock
The Iran war has exposed Thailand’s reliance on Middle Eastern energy and fertiliser imports and points to the need for a long-term economic strategy if it is to become a regional hub for green industries and advanced technologies.

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Gen Z is not ageing into the old Australia
Why Australia’s Gen Z is unlike any voting cohort before it and why every institution built for the old Australia is about to find out.

Who would want an ally like Israel?
Looking back from 2026 to 1967 reveals the extent to which Israel will go to serve its own interests, even when this means harming its ally.

The productivity obsession has a measurement problem
The focus on productivity as the key to economic growth ignores the fact that we can't directly observe productivity. We need better ways to measure improvements in overall living standards.

A nature-based food revolution
Forget AI. The technological advance that will save the most human lives is being led by two million Indian farmers, who are pioneering advanced natural food production in a revolutionary movement that is spreading almost by the hour.

Entitled schools are taking on entitled parents: what about the students?
Governments have fostered a sense of entitlement in private schools. They should be enforcing the principle of putting students first.

The Australian monoculture that never was
The history of this ancient continent has always been multicultural, and the Christian scriptures offer no support for the exclusionary monoculture now being promoted from the political right.

US strike on Iranian school came after ‘bypassed warnings’ about outdated target info
US commanders reportedly ignored warnings that target intelligence was years out of date before a strike killed more than 150 schoolchildren in Iran.

The new geography of migration is reshaping economic success
The world’s geography of migration is changing, and with it our understanding of economic development, national success and the role of public policy.

The hypersonic hypocrisy of Pacific nuclear politics
Australia and New Zealand rightly criticise China’s nuclear-capable missile tests in the Pacific. Their silence on repeated US tests exposes a glaring double standard.

Defence policy deserves more than slogans and selective history
Pat Conroy's speech at the National Press Club was not a convincing presentation of the ALP's record on defence.

Diversifying the critical minerals supply chain
Reducing dependence on China in the world's critical mineral supply chain doesn’t require building a separate market. The trading system must find a balance between defence interests and the push for decarbonisation.

Eight economic myths that are helping destroy our future
Eight persistent economic myths help protect vested interests, deepen inequality and accelerate environmental destruction. The economy must be rebuilt around wellbeing, sustainability and justice.

What “regime change” in the US means for Australia's engagement in Asia
US foreign policy under Trump calls for bipartisan reaffirmation of Australian values and national interests.

EV charging needs national coordination
Australia’s EV charger rollout has been fragmented and incomplete. It's time for it to be brought together as a coordinated network.

How to address a democracy in retreat
The democratic project is about more than elections; its institutions must be revitalised on the basis of fairness, respect, openness, integrity and trust.

Australia should take another look at France’s nuclear submarines
The choice between high- and low-enriched uranium submarines will shape Australia’s nuclear security, waste and non-proliferation obligations for generations.

Israel's war against Gaza
Media coverage of the war in Gaza since October 2023 has spread a series of lies propagated by Israel and the United States. This publication presents information, analysis, clarification, views and perspectives largely unavailable in mainstream media in Australia and elsewhere.
Download the PDFLatest letters to the editor
Compounding greed
Bob Pearce — Adelaide SA
Efficiency over effectiveness
Les Macdonald — Balmain NSW 2041
Submarine penalty
Pinchos Woolstone — Brooklyn, New York
Set student numbers within a population plan
Jenny Goldie — Cooma NSW
Too keen to sell fossil fuels
Lesley Walker — Northcote
Sauce for the goose!
Les Macdonald — Balmain NSW 2041
Reaction rather than intention
Les Macdonald — Balmain NSW 2041
Poverty reduction in China a myth?
Finn Ryan — Rockingham WA









