How spending more on defence harms the nation
Brian Toohey

Australia in Our Region

How spending more on defence harms the nation

Anthony Albanese is taking a battering from ill-informed commentators for thinking Australia can be defended by spending a little over 2% of GDP on its military forces.

Gaza’s Hunger Games
Chris Hedges

Gaza’s Hunger Games

Israel is weaponising starvation. The objective is to dismantle all remnants of civil society and reduce Palestinians to herds of desperate scavengers who can be driven from historic Palestine.

As heatwave grips Europe, coalition says 'no to a climate law for polluters'
Brett Wilkins

As heatwave grips Europe, coalition says 'no to a climate law for polluters'

Will the European Commission propose a climate law that ends fossil fuel use and reflects the EU's fair share of climate responsibility? Or will it choose political convenience?


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Flour instead of homeland: manufacturing the crisis and the end of the Palestinian dream
Refaat Ibrahim

Flour instead of homeland: manufacturing the crisis and the end of the Palestinian dream

Since 4:00 p.m. on 14 May 1948, the Palestinian cause has been one of a homeland seized by force, a land torn from its people by Zionism through weapons and terror.

Southeast Asia needs to ramp up its trade links with Europe
Ken Heydon

Southeast Asia needs to ramp up its trade links with Europe

Southeast Asia faces rising US tariffs and pressure to limit Chinese links, prompting a search for stronger European trade ties. While Europe offers promising opportunities, ASEAN must navigate complex bilateral deals that may risk regional cohesion. Closer EU ties can diversify markets and investments, but will not replace China’s role in supply chains. To fully benefit, Southeast Asian nations must drive domestic reforms, enhancing resilience and inclusive growth amid global trade uncertainties.

Will the 'Mr Magoo Nation' stand up against 'Trumpist' geopolitics?
Ronald C. Keith

Will the 'Mr Magoo Nation' stand up against 'Trumpist' geopolitics?

In the June 7-8 issue of The Australian Greg Sheridan railed against the ‘’crushing waves of [Chinese] military threat” and satirised the Albanese Government’s “pathological passivity” as reminiscent of Peter Seller’s quietly subversive Chauncey Gardner.

Research misconduct: Strengthening Australia’s research integrity system
Warwick Anderson,  Kerry Breen

Research misconduct: Strengthening Australia’s research integrity system

A new book, Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s by Charles Piller is a deeply dispiriting story. Dispiriting in particular, as it yet again tells a story of harmful unchecked research misconduct.

Australia’s decision-makers are ignoring climate, hailing coal and impersonating Elvis
Giles Parkinson

Australia’s decision-makers are ignoring climate, hailing coal and impersonating Elvis

You could barely believe that there is a climate crisis going on. In the same week that climate scientists suggested the world will exhaust its remaining carbon budget within two years, carbon bombs are being set off left, right and centre, or allowed through regulatory hurdles on the promise of buying dodgy offsets.

Courage needs to be shown in politics – Israel is no longer above the law
Stuart Rees

Courage needs to be shown in politics – Israel is no longer above the law

In the past weeks, an estimated 500 more Gazans have been killed, bombed out of existence by the IDF or killed while queuing for food.

Five books the Bible could do without
David O'Halloran

Five books the Bible could do without

When ancient scriptures continue to shape modern ideology and policy, especially where harm is done, it becomes necessary to ask: do all parts of the Bible deserve to be treated as sacred?

The contemporary world is run by political dinosaurs facing extinction
Allan Patience

The contemporary world is run by political dinosaurs facing extinction

An aging generation of mostly male leaders is presently occupying the commanding heights of the most powerful states around the world.

Latest on Palestine and Israel

Gaza’s Hunger Games
Chris Hedges

Gaza’s Hunger Games

Israel is weaponising starvation. The objective is to dismantle all remnants of civil society and reduce Palestinians to herds of desperate scavengers who can be driven from historic Palestine.

Flour instead of homeland: manufacturing the crisis and the end of the Palestinian dream
Refaat Ibrahim

Flour instead of homeland: manufacturing the crisis and the end of the Palestinian dream

Since 4:00 p.m. on 14 May 1948, the Palestinian cause has been one of a homeland seized by force, a land torn from its people by Zionism through weapons and terror.

Courage needs to be shown in politics – Israel is no longer above the law
Stuart Rees

Courage needs to be shown in politics – Israel is no longer above the law

In the past weeks, an estimated 500 more Gazans have been killed, bombed out of existence by the IDF or killed while queuing for food.

Lattouf’s victory, our fight: Standing firm against intimidation
Sue Barrett

Lattouf’s victory, our fight: Standing firm against intimidation

In April 2025, I posted a comment in The Age, sharing how, after 40 years in my Goldstein neighbourhood, I’d never felt unsafe until I was wrongly accused of antisemitism.

Starvation and profiteering in Gaza (with Francesca Albanese) | The Chris Hedges Report
Chris Hedges

Starvation and profiteering in Gaza (with Francesca Albanese) | The Chris Hedges Report

Francesca Albanese joins Chris Hedges to break down the current starvation campaign in Gaza, and her upcoming report detailing the profiteering corporations capitalising on the erasure of Palestinians.

Three blows against Zionism in a single day
Joe Lauria

Three blows against Zionism in a single day

A court ruling in Australia, an election result in New York and a military setback for Israel, all coming last week, signalled a serious turn of events for Zionism and its supporters, writes Joe Lauria.

The generational divide in the West over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: from a culture of loyalty to a culture of justice
Refaat Ibrahim

The generational divide in the West over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: from a culture of loyalty to a culture of justice

A deep analysis of the growing generational divide in the West over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Don't talk or write about Palestine. It's a career killer
Linda Briskman

Don't talk or write about Palestine. It's a career killer

The new McCarthyism sweeps through the university sector at a terrifying pace. At the core is conflation of antisemitism with criticism of Israel, spurred on by the pro-Israel lobby that has convinced or recruited governments and large sections of the media.


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

China is taking Silicon Valley’s market ‘hacks’ to a whole new level
Karman Lucero

China is taking Silicon Valley’s market ‘hacks’ to a whole new level

From blitzscaling to leveraging network effects, China is using the same methods to dominate supply chain and disrupt markets.

No time to dye: ABC’s China bias is licensed to kill credibility
Fred Zhang

Anti-China Media Watch

No time to dye: ABC’s China bias is licensed to kill credibility

The ABC has long held a reputation as Australia’s sober, publicly-funded bulwark against tabloid sensationalism – the broadcaster you turn to when you want analysis, not alarmism.

China’s partnership with Muslim world is redrawing global landscape
AbdulWahed Jalal Nori

China’s partnership with Muslim world is redrawing global landscape

Once seen as unlikely partners, this axis is now grounded in respect, sovereignty and a shared aspiration for a post-Western world order.


John Menadue

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Latest letters to the editor

Kelty and Keating’s lasting legacy

Les Macdonald — Balmain NSW 2041

This has been one of the most significant social reforms of the past century as it has not only provided far greater security in retirement than the pension system, but has also provided a vast aggregation of capital to enable national investment in public infrastructure outside the vagaries of politics and national budgeting. This alone secures Keating’s place in Australian history.
Thanks, Paul

Bob Pesrce — Adelaide SA

As a beneficiary and supporter of super, I would like to offer some improvements to the scheme: 1. That the payout be compulsorily taken as a pension. 2. That the scheme give priority to investing in Australian Government/state and national infrastructure projects with the Reserve Bank setting variable interest rates on the loan. 3. That politicians' super be included in the scheme and that the same operational rules apply to all Australians. 4. That ideologically opposed Parliaments be specifically banned from legislation allowing “crisis“ early drawdown schemes. 5. That the balance in super be considered...
Thank you, Mr Keating

Robyn Dalziell — Sydney

I recall when our superannuation system was introduced. Further, I also well recall those days when we were fortunate to have politicians with the kind of intellectual power and vision that delivered this, and now, the extraordinary Australian superannuation assets we have today. I cannot imagine looking at retirement on a government pension, when I have the good fortune, after decades of work, to have membership in a Defined Benefit higher education industry fund. What is disappointing is the variable but overt lack of vision and imagination in subsequent politicians regarding the original dynamic purpose, collective and private...
Avoiding the maelstrom of America's death throes

Albert Turley — Doncaster, VIC

Allan Patience is spot on in this article. With the American Government fighting internecine battles against its justice, educational and economic systems, the US is imploding. To avoid being caught up in its death throes we must develop an independent foreign policy. It's time we left the false security of Uncle Sam and lit out on our own.



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