Pearlcast episode

Pearlcasts

As we review 2025, the temptation is to look for neat summaries and settled conclusions.

Go to Pearlcasts
A culture of secrecy is taking hold in Canberra
Paddy Gourley

Gourley on Government

A culture of secrecy is taking hold in Canberra

The refusal to release the Pezzullo investigation report highlights a culture of secrecy across the public service and government.

Unwinding the capital gains tax folly
Crispin Hull

Unwinding the capital gains tax folly

Tax concessions on property and capital gains have driven housing inequality and distorted the market, and fixing them requires structural reform – not Budget tinkering.

Ben Roberts‑Smith is accused of five war crime murder charges. How did we get here?
Paul Taucher,  Dean Aszkielowicz

Ben Roberts‑Smith is accused of five war crime murder charges. How did we get here?

The charging of Ben Roberts-Smith marks a significant moment in Australia’s war crimes investigations, highlighting both legal obligations and the challenges of accountability.

How to take down a US F-35 over Iran? Chinese engineer’s tutorial goes viral
Chao Kongin

How to take down a US F-35 over Iran? Chinese engineer’s tutorial goes viral

china,  politics,  usa,  world

Technically skilled Chinese civilians are sharing open-source military analysis online, targeting US power in Iran’s war.

The world is drifting towards a new nuclear arms race
Connie Peck

The world is drifting towards a new nuclear arms race

With arms control agreements collapsing and arsenals expanding, the risk of nuclear war – deliberate or accidental – is rising in a fragile global environment.

A threat to wipe out a civilisation demands resistance
Robert Reich

A threat to wipe out a civilisation demands resistance

President Trump's threat to destroy an entire civilisation marks a profound moral breach and demands immediate public repudiation and resistance.

When will housing completions in Australia overtake population growth?
Abul Rizvi

When will housing completions in Australia overtake population growth?

Australia’s housing pressures reflect years of mismatched policy – with falling supply colliding with surging migration and labour market shocks.

John Menadue

Support our independent media with your donation

Pearls and Irritations leads the way in raising and analysing vital issues often neglected in mainstream media. Your contribution supports our independence and quality commentary on matters importance to Australia and our region.

Donate
Pope trumps Hegseth and his doomed crusade
Jack Waterford

Pope trumps Hegseth and his doomed crusade

Clashes between church leaders and Trump highlight tensions over religion, power and the justification of war.

Reform requires trust – and trust requires openness
Michael Keating

Reform requires trust – and trust requires openness

Economic reform depends on public trust – and that trust is being undermined by declining transparency, weak accountability and limited public engagement.

Has climate policy-making gone completely off the rails?
David Spratt

Has climate policy-making gone completely off the rails?

Planning to “adapt” to 3°C of warming risks normalising catastrophic outcomes - and avoiding the urgent task of deep, immediate decarbonisation.

Why the west keeps misreading China’s strategy
Zenel Garcia

Why the west keeps misreading China’s strategy

china,  politics,  usa,  world

Western analysis often assumes China operates like the United States. That misreading obscures a more transactional, less entangled approach to global partnerships.

Gaza included – Iran rejects truce and sets terms for ending war
Palestine Chronicle Staff

Gaza included – Iran rejects truce and sets terms for ending war

Amid a hail of increasingly violent threats from the US regime, and confusion about negotiations, Iran has laid out its conditions for peace.

Time and geography are on Iran’s side
Bob Bowker

Time and geography are on Iran’s side

A ground war in Iran would carry high costs with little strategic return. With oil flows vulnerable and escalation risks growing, the US faces limited options and no clear path to resolution.

Fiji faces fuel import bills three times its healthcare budget
Poppy Johnston

Fiji faces fuel import bills three times its healthcare budget

Surging oil prices are placing severe pressure on Pacific island economies heavily reliant on imported diesel. The crisis is accelerating the shift toward local renewable energy for security and stability.

High fuel prices are accelerating interest in electric vehicles
Tauel Harper

High fuel prices are accelerating interest in electric vehicles

Rising fuel prices are driving renewed interest in electric vehicles in Australia. While enthusiasm often spikes during crises, each surge leaves a lasting shift in consumer behaviour.

Read our series

A Year in Review 10 Anti China Media Watch 20 Australia in Our Region 14
Best of 2025 134 Gourley on Government 14 History 1
Review 11 The Dismissal at 50 28 The UN at 80 4
Year in Review 2 Young Global Leaders 6

Latest on Palestine and Israel

Trump and Netanyahu: two madmen playing God
Jeffrey D. Sachs

Trump and Netanyahu: two madmen playing God

The war on Iran reflects a convergence of unchecked power, psychological pathology and religious delusion – placing the world at extreme risk.

Gaza included – Iran rejects truce and sets terms for ending war
Palestine Chronicle Staff

Gaza included – Iran rejects truce and sets terms for ending war

Amid a hail of increasingly violent threats from the US regime, and confusion about negotiations, Iran has laid out its conditions for peace.

National Press Club under fire for ‘disgraceful’ invitation to Israeli envoy
Alex McKinnon - Deep Cut News

National Press Club under fire for ‘disgraceful’ invitation to Israeli envoy

The National Press Club is under fire for hosting Israel’s ambassador after cancelling other speakers and remaining largely silent on the killing of journalists in Gaza.

UN Human Rights chief urges repeal of Israeli execution law
Brett Wilkins

UN Human Rights chief urges repeal of Israeli execution law

A new Israeli law mandating the execution of Palestinians convicted of certain offences has drawn condemnation from the UN and human rights groups.

We dug up medics in Gaza. A year later, international law remains buried
Jonathan Whittall

We dug up medics in Gaza. A year later, international law remains buried

Israeli attacks on healthcare workers and infrastructure in Gaza reflect a broader erosion of legal and moral constraints, with consequences extending beyond the conflict.

The legal logic behind Israel and Iran’s nuclear divide
Catherine Maia

The legal logic behind Israel and Iran’s nuclear divide

The difference between Israel and Iran on nuclear weapons is not a legal contradiction – but a result of how international law is structured around state consent.

Why Israel wants a war with Iran
Chris Hedges,  Gideon Levy

Why Israel wants a war with Iran

In a conversation with Chris Hedges, Gideon Levy says Israel’s deep-rooted militarism – reinforced by media silence – is driving an endless cycle of war.

Israel faces a grim future of endless wars unless it comes to terms with Palestinians
John Menadue

Israel faces a grim future of endless wars unless it comes to terms with Palestinians

Israeli influence has shaped US foreign policy for decades – with profound consequences for war and peace in the Middle East.

John Menadue's book on Israel's war against Gaza

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 PDF

Latest on China

How to take down a US F-35 over Iran? Chinese engineer’s tutorial goes viral
Chao Kongin

How to take down a US F-35 over Iran? Chinese engineer’s tutorial goes viral

china,  politics,  usa,  world

Technically skilled Chinese civilians are sharing open-source military analysis online, targeting US power in Iran’s war.

Why the west keeps misreading China’s strategy
Zenel Garcia

Why the west keeps misreading China’s strategy

china,  politics,  usa,  world

Western analysis often assumes China operates like the United States. That misreading obscures a more transactional, less entangled approach to global partnerships.

A new museum every 1.5 days: what’s driving China’s massive cultural expansion
Justine Poplin

A new museum every 1.5 days: what’s driving China’s massive cultural expansion

China’s rapid expansion of museums and galleries reflects a coordinated strategy to shape national identity, manage historical narratives and project cultural influence at home and abroad.

More from Pearls and Irritations

High fuel prices are accelerating interest in electric vehicles
Tauel Harper

High fuel prices are accelerating interest in electric vehicles

The US judiciary fights back
Mark S Pirie

The US judiciary fights back

Keir Starmer’s policy on the Iran war is a recipe for catastrophe
Jeremy Corbyn

Keir Starmer’s policy on the Iran war is a recipe for catastrophe

A new museum every 1.5 days: what’s driving China’s massive cultural expansion
Justine Poplin

A new museum every 1.5 days: what’s driving China’s massive cultural expansion

History’s biggest census: why India’s new population count is controversial
Priyanka Shankar

History’s biggest census: why India’s new population count is controversial

Living with hope in a time of evil and uncertainty
Frank Brennan

Living with hope in a time of evil and uncertainty

Takaichi revisits Japan’s prostitution debate
Yasuo Takao

Takaichi revisits Japan’s prostitution debate

The game goes on: football in a time of war
John Frew

The game goes on: football in a time of war

Why we avoid thinking about nuclear war – and why we shouldn’t
Connie Peck

Why we avoid thinking about nuclear war – and why we shouldn’t

How Norman Lindsay wrote the The Magic Pudding to critique ‘Australian values’ – inspired by Nietzsche
John Uhr

How Norman Lindsay wrote the The Magic Pudding to critique ‘Australian values’ – inspired by Nietzsche

Easter’s message in a time of war
George Browning

Easter’s message in a time of war

Albanese's big moment a clanger – Message from the Editor
Catriona Jackson

Albanese's big moment a clanger – Message from the Editor

Latest letters to the editor

Trump, the unabashed war criminal

Richard Llewellyn — Colo Vale

Jeffrey Sachs' article covers a lot of ground with its examination of the psychological motives to the actions of Trump and Netanyahu – and there is a vast quagmire to be covered. Personally, I think that Trump is closer to Mussolini than to Hitler – his braggadocio, malignant narcissism, abuse of even the most basic of societal mores while claiming to uphold Holy principles, malignancy, mendacity, avid pursuit of revenge against both actual and imagined slights, utter amorality – channels Mussolini. Netanyahu is evil. Nobody would consider Netanyahu as other than a high-functioning sociopath, leaching off virtue capital...
I protested. I was not celebrating

Hal Duell — Alice Springs

It is becoming increasingly clear that for peace to settle across West Asia regime change in Israel has to come first. Historically they destroy, they immiserate and then they deny the proof when that's presented. The proof lies in the photos. Look at Gaza, look at Lebanon and now look at Iran. Everywhere Israel rears its head, razed buildings and dead bodies lie in windrows like dead leaves in the Autumn. That Israel's ambassador was invited to speak at the National Press Club shows us just how deeply the Zionist lobby has infiltrated the Australian political sphere. For some...
You may well ask why

Bob Pearce — Adelaide SA

“Why didn’t China develop capitalism during the Song dynasty?” ( 960 to 1279) Could it be that it has taken the western world until 2026 to recognise capitalism and its evolutionary Bastard democracy for the disaster that they are, not only for the planet but the majority of living things on the planet?
AI and education fighting against disinformation

Raymond Peck — Hawthorn

As Anne Delaney writes, “[The inquiry into climate misinformation] has brought to light compelling evidence that misinformation and disinformation are not fringe phenomena, but structural features of today’s information ecosystem, amplified by digital platforms, political incentives and coordinated campaigns.” While Australians can feel proud that the inquiry is a world first, it did not go far enough. Without truth in political advertising laws, Australians will continue to be fed disinformation with impunity. AI-driven bots on social media now have the widest reach, but AI is also being used to fight back. It can detect fake accounts and coordinated swarms...

Catch up on other sections

Arts 152 China 1276 Climate 1518 Commendations 24 Defence 2512 Economy 2936 Education 743
Employment 39 Finance 5 Health 1559 History 84 Immigration 996 Indigenous Affairs 390 Israel Palestine 1557
Media 1923 Pearlcast 4 Podcast 43 Policy 295 Politics 19579 Racism 19 Religion 1260
Review 69 The Human Future 81 Our Top Five Each Week 2529 USA 750 World 1729