Media shortcomings in covering terrorist Netanyahu’s daily Gaza mass murders
Ralph Nader

Media shortcomings in covering terrorist Netanyahu’s daily Gaza mass murders

Opposition by former high officials in Israeli’s military and national security establishment and Israeli allies – France, England, and Germany – to the aimless killing of civilian families in Gaza is increasing.

China and the art of war
Jocelyn Chey

China and the art of war

I have a love-hate relationship with China. As a university student, I was entranced by China’s history and rich culture.

Ali Kazak and the transformation of the politics of Palestine in Australia
David Spratt

Ali Kazak and the transformation of the politics of Palestine in Australia

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing on 17 May of Ali Kazak, at the age of 78. Over five decades, Ali dedicated his enormous energy to building understanding and support for Palestine, the land of his birth.


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For the month of June Pearls and Irritations is running a fundraising campaign through the Australian Cultural Fund. Your donation will support the development of content for topics of particular of interest to Australia - Palestine, China, Climate Change and Immigration Policy and the development of a Young Writer's Handbook to encourage new young writers.

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Inequality in an age of weather extremes
Barry Gittins

Inequality in an age of weather extremes

In tropical climes there are certain times of day When all the citizens retire to tear their clothes off and perspire. It’s one of the rules that the greatest fools obey, Because the sun is much too sultry And one must avoid its ultry-violet ray…

Bogus charges of antisemitism are the new McCarthyism
Jeremy Rose

Bogus charges of antisemitism are the new McCarthyism

The word antisemitism has become so debased that depending on who is using it, I might well take it as a sign that the accused is worth listening to.

Bougainville wants independence. China’s support for a controversial mine could pave the way
Anna-Karina Hermkens

Bougainville wants independence. China’s support for a controversial mine could pave the way

Bougainville, an autonomous archipelago currently part of Papua New Guinea, is determined to become the world’s newest country.

Mental health of workers undermined in New South Wales
William Yang

Mental health of workers undermined in New South Wales

The NSW Government is seeking to pursue legislative changes that would ultimately worsen mental health outcomes for working people.

The threat to survival of our human species is now desperately serious
Bob Douglas

The threat to survival of our human species is now desperately serious

It is now, nearly three years, since I published an opinion piece in a number of Australian newspapers, entitled; “Human Extinction isn’t Inevitable, Yet…”

Inequality and inheritance taxes
Saul Eslake

Inequality and inheritance taxes

With a few exceptions (such as Andrew Leigh, Nicki Hutley and Angela Jackson), mainstream Australian economists — including me — haven’t thought, spoken or written as much about the causes and consequences of increasing inequality as perhaps we should have done in recent decades.

'These could be our children': Israeli women opposing the war, an interview
Ibrahim Quraishi

'These could be our children': Israeli women opposing the war, an interview

Not only abroad, but also within his own country, Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is finally facing growing and substantial protests against his war in Gaza.

When education funds genocide: students raise their voices in defiance
Refaat Ibrahim

When education funds genocide: students raise their voices in defiance

For more than a year, the world has been witnessing the genocidal massacres committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands have been killed, including university students and teachers, and academic institutions have been completely destroyed.

Latest on Palestine and Israel

Media shortcomings in covering terrorist Netanyahu’s daily Gaza mass murders
Ralph Nader

Media shortcomings in covering terrorist Netanyahu’s daily Gaza mass murders

Opposition by former high officials in Israeli’s military and national security establishment and Israeli allies – France, England, and Germany – to the aimless killing of civilian families in Gaza is increasing.

Ali Kazak and the transformation of the politics of Palestine in Australia
David Spratt

Ali Kazak and the transformation of the politics of Palestine in Australia

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing on 17 May of Ali Kazak, at the age of 78. Over five decades, Ali dedicated his enormous energy to building understanding and support for Palestine, the land of his birth.

Bogus charges of antisemitism are the new McCarthyism
Jeremy Rose

Bogus charges of antisemitism are the new McCarthyism

The word antisemitism has become so debased that depending on who is using it, I might well take it as a sign that the accused is worth listening to.

'These could be our children': Israeli women opposing the war, an interview
Ibrahim Quraishi

'These could be our children': Israeli women opposing the war, an interview

Not only abroad, but also within his own country, Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is finally facing growing and substantial protests against his war in Gaza.

When education funds genocide: students raise their voices in defiance
Refaat Ibrahim

When education funds genocide: students raise their voices in defiance

For more than a year, the world has been witnessing the genocidal massacres committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands have been killed, including university students and teachers, and academic institutions have been completely destroyed.

We must confound the Zionist Lobby
Richard Llewellyn

We must confound the Zionist Lobby

The recent article by John Menadue recounts how far the Zionist Lobby has managed to exercise the leverage — and it is undeniably powerful leverage — of the malignant scourge of antisemitism to further its geopolitical strategy of creating Eretz Israel and thus grasping the rewards that would flow from it.

Freedom flotilla sets sail for Gaza carrying aid and demands: 'End the blockade. End the genocide'
Brett Wilkins

Freedom flotilla sets sail for Gaza carrying aid and demands: 'End the blockade. End the genocide'

No matter how dangerous this mission is, it's nowhere near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide, said climate activist Greta Thunberg, who is aboard the Madleen.

Conflation and controversy over antisemitism definition
Henry Reynolds

Conflation and controversy over antisemitism definition

Antisemitism did not spring up here as suddenly and as localised as a field of mushrooms. It is, above all, a by-product of Israel’s endless onslaught on the people of Gaza which one and all can watch as a daily horror show.


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 and the art of war
Jocelyn Chey

China and the art of war

I have a love-hate relationship with China. As a university student, I was entranced by China’s history and rich culture.

Shangri-la is not Shangri-la
Daryl Guppy

Shangri-la is not Shangri-la

china politics usa world

Asia, and China's relationship with Asia, is a more complex environment than that understood by Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump and many in the West. This Shangri-la dialogue sought false friendship, and portended little peace and tranquillity.

Navigating a world of revisionist powers
Evelyn Goh

Australia in Our Region

Navigating a world of revisionist powers

We are living in a world with three leading great powers — all with explicitly revisionist aims when it comes to the international rules-based order.


John Menadue

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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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Latest letters to the editor

One month in, the honeymoon is over

Bob Pearce — Adelaide SA

I could not agree more with this letter. Unfortunately, less than two weeks into the new government, we are finding out why so many people had difficulty deciding whom to vote for and left it until the last minute to choose the best of a bad bunch. The speed with which the WA gas contract was approved tells a story of how the WA votes were bought. With more to come, unfortunately. Sadly, the old saying in politics — You can’t make changes if you're not in government — only applies if you're prepared to do something once...
Gaslighting by Labor

Richard Ruffin — ADELAIDE

The prime minister reportedly said while visiting South Australia, “the truth is that there are more extreme weather events, and they’re more intense now. Science told us that that was the case. The science has been proven, unfortunately, to be playing out. The thing is that climate change is real and we need to respond to it. And we need, I think, to respond to it across the board. That’s why my government has a comprehensive plan to deal with climate change. If the government believes this statement, then surely the Australian public are being subjected to gaslighting about...
Who does own shares?

Bob Pearce — Adelaide SA

Every night on our TV news, a disproportionate amount of time is given to the share market. Nothing could be more inflationary than the trading in shares that increase in worth without actually increasing the value of the company. That worth is being increased by chief executives and boards in the pursuit of their personal bonuses. There have been many crashes when the value of shares has fallen back more in line with the actual worth of the assets. Yet another example of where the rich get richer and the poor suffer no matter what as the...
Wake up Ross – net-zero's a scam

Stephen Saunders — O'Connor, ACT

Ross Gittins lathers in Indigenous outrage over the (highly staged) Woodside decision, correctly noting it's an absolute free-kick in tax/levy terms. What he's still not ready to countenance about this massively corrupt deal, what's completely beyond Michael Keating's article the day previous, is the unmentionable that net-zero itself is a historic scam, another glorious happy birthday for Australia's political classes to have a big lend of hapless voters. After three sainted decades of UN climate action, nearly a decade of their net zero, global population, emissions, CO2, temperatures keep rising. What a surprise! I mean, all they're...



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Shares dropped on Thursday as Musk publicly criticised the tax bill the US president is pushing to enact into law.
‘Premeditated genocide’: Brazil’s Lula slams Israel over Gaza war
Lula criticises Israel in Paris, as German FM voices rare criticism of onslaught in Gaza and West Bank settlements.
Supreme Court strikes down Mexico’s lawsuit against US gun manufacturers
Mexico's government had argued that negligent gun sales have fuelled its struggles against cartels and criminal groups.
Pattern of defiance: Israel expands settlements in face of Western pressure
Move to expand illegal settlements in the West Bank a challenge to Western allies unwilling to take serious steps.
US Supreme Court clears greater path for ‘reverse discrimination’ claims
Court rules in favour of woman who says she was passed over for a work promotion because of her heterosexuality.
Trump speaks with China’s Xi amid trade, student visa tensions
US president previously said it was 'hard to make a deal' with the Chinese leader as talks continue over trade.