Writer
RichardHil
Dr Richard Hil is Adjunct Professor in the School of Human Services and Social Work at Griffith University, Gold Coast; Adjunct Professor in the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Southern Cross University; former Convenor of the Ngara Institute, member of the Editorial Collective of Social Alternatives and board member of the Justice for Fallujah Project.
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So why the secrecy?
Last month, Chris Bowen, the Climate Change Minister, delivered the second Annual Climate Change Statement to the federal parliament. The Minister’s address was in part detailed – especially when it came to the government’s many policy achievements – but less so when it came to the question of climate heating and national security. Continue reading »
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Facing climate catastrophe, secrecy is the last thing we need
Confronted by the horrors occurring in the Ukraine, Ethiopia, Sudan, Myanmar and now the Middle East, it’s hard to contemplate that an even more imposing global tragedy is already here – climate breakdown. Continue reading »
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Another day in the colony
The deputy prime minister Richard Marles was asked by Insider’s host David Speers if the voters of Australia were right to roundly reject the constitutional recognition of Indigenous peoples and the Voice to parliament. Of course they were right, said Marles, they’re always right. In a press conference and later during question time in parliament, Continue reading »
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Israel’s vengeance will not make for a better world
The depressing, crushing spectacle of extreme violence and mayhem unleashed across Israel and Palestine over recent days is a reminder of the depths to which humanity can sink. Continue reading »
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We’re going nuts, why wouldn’t we?
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted in a profoundly sick society” – Jiddu Krishnamurti Continue reading »
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Time to grow up? Australia is becoming a militarised US outpost
I hesitate to stray into the florid world of military strategists, senior public servants, cabinet ministers and assorted think tanks, but what on earth is going on with Australia’s so-called defence policy? The Albo government seems hellbent on turning Australia into a militarised outpost of the US whose ‘pivot’ to the Asia-Pacific region has led Continue reading »
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No need to despair, there’s always the NRL!
What are we to make of what we’re witnessing on our TV screens – the fires, the floods, the storms, the loss of life and habitat? It certainly appears deadly – and monumentally serious. July was the hottest month ever recorded. Continue reading »
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What really sucks about aging
“It’s like arriving at a bus station at five minutes to midnight, in the middle of a bustling city, dressed only in your undies”. That’s my friend’s rather odd male-centric take on reaching seventy years of age. But let’s go with it – for now. Continue reading »
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Discovering the village effect
It probably wasn’t the best time to venture near to the Belarus border. Continue reading »
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Primed for the ultimate AI disconnection
Time to leave for planet Zog. That’s what came to mind recently I as pondered an article about young Japanese men and female holograms. Continue reading »
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Parachuted professors
In a who-cares-about-standards world, the appointment of some university professors looks very much like insider trading, secret patronage, and who you know, not what you know. How else to explain appointments as professors of public figures, seemingly agile enough to vault over the usual obstacles straight to the top of the academic hierarchy? Continue reading »
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Imperial power: The Iraq war, 20 years on
Iraq’s trauma is regarded in some quarters as an ill-gotten remnant of the past: something to be air-brushed from history. But not so for those experiencing the ravages of imperial power. On the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq – March, 20, 2023 – the people of Iraq await a historical reckoning. Continue reading »
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Shoving democracy aside in Brazil… and elsewhere
The destruction of the Brazilian congress by supporters of the former, and now self-exiled, President Jair Bolsonaro is yet another example of the power and real consequences of misinformation and deceit peddled on the internet. Continue reading »
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High stakes in the climate diaspora
Weeks and months after devastating floods hit many regional centres across NSW and Victoria, there emerged a fresh crop of mycelium-like symbols, otherwise known as ‘for sale’ signs. Pitched on lawns in front of stud-exposed and newly renovated houses, or on empty blocks of land. These commercial hoardings have become the grim tell-tale signs of Continue reading »
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Guilt and dread as floods remind us of ecological crisis
The flood crisis engulfing much of Australia reminds us of the future we face in an era of climate change. Here’s the thing; writing abstractly about something and experiencing it directly are two very different things. Or so I’ve discovered. Continue reading »
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The drumbeat of history sounds for the Monarchy
Australia is at an inflection point. The illusion of Pax Britannia is just that. The time for a historical reckoning has arrived. The gruesome facts of colonial violence and the heroism of past and ongoing Indigenous resistance can no longer be denied. Continue reading »
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There’s no escaping a hothouse earth
A couple of months ago I set off with my partner to the northern hemisphere for a prolonged stint in Canada. I’ll admit I was excited and relieved to be getting away from the rain-soaked Northern Rivers. The region had been robbed of sunlight for months on end and the trauma of the floods earlier Continue reading »
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The not so great debate
There’s a scene in Fawlty Towers where Basil is so terrified of the anticipated reaction of his partner, Sybil, that he goes into a full-blown meltdown. “Mr Fawlty, don’t panic”, Polly the waitress intones. “What else is there to do?” Basil screams back. I know how he feels. Continue reading »
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The new reality of climate chaos is upon us
The climate criminals are, of course, seeking to cover their tracks. Continue reading »
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Why I haven’t given up on conspiracy theorists
None of this has come out of the blue. It has coincided with the rise of neoliberal capitalism which, among other things, has encouraged hyper individualism, greater competition, social disconnection, greed and selfishness. Continue reading »
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Can Australian universities come back from the dead?
Academic freedom has been slowly and steadily eroded, with academics turned into service providers and students into consumers. Continue reading »
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An exceptional nation, for routine deception
Emmanuel Macron’s swipe at Scott Morrison shows our allies are fed up with Australian politicians’ routine deception and obfuscation. Continue reading »
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Ageism very much alive in society
Of all the negative isms that fester in daily life, ageism is surely amongst the most prevalent, and unacknowledged. Sure, most people are aware that it’s unacceptable to patronise, put down and denigrate those who are deemed ‘elderly’, ‘old’ or ‘aged’, but somehow these discriminatory practices tend to escape our notice. Continue reading »
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Political and media failure on climate in Australia
The technology roadmap sketched by Morrison and Taylor is a con. It is in fact a statement of support for the fossil fuel industry which is heavily subsidised by and a significant donor to the Liberal and National Parties. Continue reading »
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Our universities are in crisis.They are no longer fit for purpose?
The urgency of transforming university education, and indeed all forms of education, lies in the need to render them relevant to the deep global crises we now face. These crises are reshaping every society on Earth. Continue reading »
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Why the ‘Teflon’ University is coming unstuck
It’s often referred to as the Teflon phenomenon – the capacity to withstand any amount of criticism and proceed as if nothing has changed. Accusations, damning evidence and reports of wrongdoing simply don’t stick. Countless US presidents have been coated with this substance, as have entire Australian administrations, including the current Morrison government. Continue reading »
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A tepid cry for change: Tanya Plibersek’s book “Upturn” and Labor’s prospects
In a world riven by crises, we need new ways of thinking, knowing, and relating. We also need courage. The challenge is huge. There will be no return to a pre-Covid-19 normal, which for many Australians meant poverty, hardship, and marginalization. This book had rich promise but is a missed opportunity. A comprehensive, coherent vision Continue reading »
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A crisis in and of knowledge: an issue of trust
Many of us no longer know what to think or who to believe. This is compounded by the assault on ‘expert opinion’ and doubts over ‘mainstream’ media coverage. Meanwhile, the social disconnection wrought by neoliberalism enables nationalistic ideologies that foster a sense of victimhood. Continue reading »
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Conspiracy Theories – The Big Con
There was a time, I’ll admit, when I thought that so-called conspiracy theories were quixotic, mildly interesting, and largely benign. Not any more. Continue reading »
