Pearlcast episode

Pearlcasts

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

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The Farrer by-election is a test of One Nation’s rise
David Solomon

The Farrer by-election is a test of One Nation’s rise

The Farrer by-election could reveal whether Coalition voters are shifting towards One Nation or prefer independents, with implications for future political strategy.

Trump’s war leaves the US diminished and Iran emboldened
Bob Bowker

Trump’s war leaves the US diminished and Iran emboldened

The war has strengthened Iran’s strategic position while weakening US alliances, credibility, and influence across the Middle East.

The UAE alliance Australia won’t question
John Menadue

The UAE alliance Australia won’t question

Australia’s deep military and political ties with the UAE expose it to risk while aligning with an autocratic partner.

US disapproval of Israel hits an all-time high
Julia Conley

US disapproval of Israel hits an all-time high

Public support for Israel in the United States has dropped sharply, with younger voters driving a significant shift that could reshape future politics.

Jewish voices challenge the war on Iran
Awni Etaywe

Jewish voices challenge the war on Iran

Dissenting Jewish organisations are challenging support for war on Iran, reframing Jewish identity around justice, international law and the equal value of all lives.

Indonesia’s democracy faces a quiet return of military power
Duncan Graham

Indonesia’s democracy faces a quiet return of military power

Signs of renewed military involvement in civilian life are raising concerns that Indonesia may be drifting back towards the authoritarian practices of its past.

The language of war is built on lies
Stuart Rees

The language of war is built on lies

The language used by Trump and Netanyahu turns violence into virtue, framing war as moral, necessary and inevitable while masking its human cost.

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.

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From Gaza to Minab – children are paying the price of war
Ramzy Baroud

From Gaza to Minab – children are paying the price of war

The scale of children killed, wounded and orphaned in modern conflicts demands more than outrage – it requires a refusal to accept their deaths as normal.

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.

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.

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.

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

US disapproval of Israel hits an all-time high
Julia Conley

US disapproval of Israel hits an all-time high

Public support for Israel in the United States has dropped sharply, with younger voters driving a significant shift that could reshape future politics.

Jewish voices challenge the war on Iran
Awni Etaywe

Jewish voices challenge the war on Iran

Dissenting Jewish organisations are challenging support for war on Iran, reframing Jewish identity around justice, international law and the equal value of all lives.

The language of war is built on lies
Stuart Rees

The language of war is built on lies

The language used by Trump and Netanyahu turns violence into virtue, framing war as moral, necessary and inevitable while masking its human cost.

From Gaza to Minab – children are paying the price of war
Ramzy Baroud

From Gaza to Minab – children are paying the price of war

The scale of children killed, wounded and orphaned in modern conflicts demands more than outrage – it requires a refusal to accept their deaths as normal.

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.

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

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

Trump and Netanyahu: two madmen playing God

Pope trumps Hegseth and his doomed crusade
Jack Waterford

Pope trumps Hegseth and his doomed crusade

Reform requires trust – and trust requires openness
Michael Keating

Reform requires trust – and trust requires openness

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

Has climate policy-making gone completely off the rails?

Why the west keeps misreading China’s strategy
Zenel Garcia

Why the west keeps misreading China’s strategy

china,  politics,  usa,  world
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

Time and geography are on Iran’s side
Bob Bowker

Time and geography are on Iran’s side

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

Fiji faces fuel import bills three times its healthcare budget

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

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...

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