John Menadue

John Menadue is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Pearls and Irritations. He was formerly Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and CEO of Qantas.

John's recent articles

ED CORY. Border Security in a Pandemic

A ship docks in Sydney, some passengers are sick. Starting in the still dark morning, the passengers commence disembarking and head home. And all hell breaks loose

JONATHAN FORD. The battle at the heart of British science over coronavirus (FT 15.4.20)

When it came to foot-and-mouth and Sars, we used to be the ones telling China how to respond, but now the boot is on the other foot. The Asians are in the lead and theyve responded well. Weve done poorly.

PERCY ALLAN. Central banks must print money for nation rebuilding (AFR 15.4.20)

An idea from 1930s Germany could now give voters hope that there is a growth plan after the virus passes.

OWEN BARDER. Time for a Love Actually moment

There is a precedent. One of George W. Bushs first acts as president in 2006 was to reinstate the global gag rule which withdrew US aid from organisations that counsel women about abortions or to advocate for liberalized abortion laws in their countries. In response, the UK Government offered to make up the funding to any organisation that lost out from George Bushs political grandstanding. As a Brit, I was so proud.

BRIAN COYNE: The Bolt-Pell interview: It was "vintage Murdoch"

Stir up the emotions of Benny-Ratz's little people

LEANNE SMITH. What Matters to Australia's Young Citizens?

If we want our children to have a stake in our democracy and our society, we have to treat them as valued citizens and engage with their concerns. Not because of the leaders they might one day be, in our own projection of what that means, but recognising their legitimacy and leadership as it stands today.

JONATHAN PAUL MARSHALL. Pandemic Action and Climate Action

The pandemic has shown that the world is quickly able to organise against crisis. Can this new-found ability be carried through into responses to climate change? Pandemic action and climate action have much in common.

Singapore Prime Minister's message to foreign workers

What a contrast to Australia's treatment of foreign workers.

RICHARD HAASS.The Pandemic will accelerate history rather than reshape it(Foreign Affairs 7.4.2020)

We are going through what by every measure is a great crisis, so it is natural to assume that it will prove to be a turning point in modern history.

GARY MOORHEAD. CSL- It Could Have Been Worse; Can It Be Better?

Back in 2010, Australias privatised Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (now CSL) was being tempted to move its vaccine research facilities to Switzerland, where it had been promised a better tax deal.

NEVE GORDON. For Us in the West, the Lockdown Is Meant to Save Lives. In Gaza It Will Kill Many (07.04.2020 HAARETZ)

When people started to share the Facebook post Dear world: How is the lockdown? Gaza, I felt uncomfortable. Though the posters sought to generate empathy for the 2 million Palestinians trapped in theGaza Strip, the attempt to compare the closure that free citizens of the West are experiencing to the 13-year siege on the Strip is, at the very least, tasteless.

WITNESS J in the Pell case. I am content. Do not be discouraged.

I respect the decision of the High Court. I accept the outcome.

FRANCIS SULLIVAN. It is not possible to divorce George Pell's acquittal from the history of child abuse(The Guardian 9.4.2020)

The bishops should end their obsession with Pell and take up their moral responsibility to victims.

JASON YAT-SEN LI et al. An open letter from Chinese -Australians calling for national unity.

We are deeply concerned that the recent rise in anti-Chinese sentiment is driving a marked escalation in racial abuse towards Asian Australians. This poses a serious threat to our national unity.

EVA COX. Treating people as customers rather than citizens.

Will the current expensive policy shifts rebuild voters trust of those they elect?

ALEXANDER C L HOLDEN and CARLOS R QUIONEZ. What should our health professional associations be in the 21st Ce ntury?

Health professionals form professional associations to facilitate collective action and advocacy on relevant and pertinent issues. What should the guiding values and principles be behind these organisations and what should their role be in our society in the 21st Century?

TESS HOGUE. Covid 19- Give Hong Kong a pat on the back with gloved hands

The response of Hong Kong to Convid-19 is a prurient tale and its moral is that if the West learn from their story, then together future governments and citizens will be able to avert further national pandemic disasters.

ELIZABETH COOMBS and AMY MCCARTHY.-DARE WE QUESTION THE BARD?

It may be That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet (Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene I), but there is a lot in a name, particularly if you are transgender. Deadnaming denies and repudiates the gender identity of transgender individuals.

JOHN MENADUE.- Vale Bob Sorby

Bob Sorby died last week. In tribute I repost an article that Bob wrote for Pearls and Irritation on 7 November 2017 concerning Rex Connor's plans for Australia.

JOHN MENADUE. An explanation and apology to some subscribers.

I'm writing to apologise for any inconvenience some subscribers may have experienced in the transition from production being handled by myself to production being outsourced. Change often has some unintended consequences.

GRAEME HOUGHTON. Role of the private hospital sector in the Covid-19 pandemic

The Commonwealth has announced that it is partnering with the private hospital sector to provide additional resources for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

MARIANA MAZZUCATO.- Capitalism's Triple Crisis (Project Syndicate 30.3.2020)

This time, rescue measures absolutely must come with conditions attached. Now that the state is back to playing a leading role, it must be cast as the hero rather than as a naive patsy. That means delivering immediate solutions, but designing them in such a way as to serve the public interest over the long term.

ADRIAN BAUMAN.-Shaping the Corona Story: mass communications in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 crisis poses an unprecedented challenge for mass communications in Australia, and has posed new challenges for campaigns to persuade the population to change behaviour to reduce health risk

PROFESSOR DANG VAN DUONG: COVID-19: National Unity and Solidarity: Lessons learnt from Vietnam

In Vietnam up until April 3rd 2020 there have been 233 cases of COVID-19, with no deaths. Complete recovery has been observed in 85 cases.

TERRY FEWTRELL Pandemics and Quarantine - familiar and familial

Its a family heirloom, but never has it had such significance. In a room in our house, that is a delight on a winters day as it fills with the rays of the waning sun, there is a piano.

RICHARD HIL. Covid-19 and the conspiracy theory freight train

It didnt take long, did it? Yes; its off and running the Covid-19 freight train of conspiracy theories.

SHIRO ARMSTRONG.- Is Australia trading too much with China (EAF 16.3.2020)

China accounts for close to a quarter of all of Australias international trade, and over a third of its exports, including both goods and services. Is Australia trading too much with China and too dependent on the Chinese economy, as a lot of the public commentary would have you believe?

MARY KELLY. Gaza must be given the right to fight the Covid-19 pandemic

Australia must call on Israel to lift the crippling blockade so that Gazans can be given a chance to fight Covid-19.

CHARLES LIVINGSTONE.- Crown and other casinos finally shut, but initial exemption suggests special status

Getting in early to stop the spread of the virus would have been good for the community, and from Crowns perspective good for the companys floundering reputation, as it faces multiple official inquiries. It would also have demonstrated that even special companies have to play by the rules.

Stopping the boats but not cruise ships.

Imagine stopping the boats the centrepiece of your entire political platform for 10 years, and then failing to stop the one boat that actually fucking mattered.

KERRY BREEN and KERRY GOULSTON.- Further update: An apolitical approach to the Covid-19 crisis - hopes are fading.

In the eleven days since we first tried to make sense of the Federal Governments approach to the current health crisis, little has changed in its approach.

JOHN MENADUE.-Strengthening Pearls and Irritations.

From next week, we will be outsourcing the production, technical support and promotion of Pearls & Irritations.

CHIARA BOCELLI-TYNDALL.- Coronavirus in Italy a view from exile

On Sunday, February the 23rd my Australian husband and I was in Florence Italy, where we regularly enjoy an alternative residence, and lifestyle, to that of Basel Switzerland. We had tickets for a coveted opera performance of Donizettis Don Pasquale, that afternoon when we heard the news.

ALAN TYNDALL. Stem Cell Therapy; Hype or Hope?

What do you think of when you hear the phrase stem cell therapy? Miracle cures for wheel chair bound paraplegics? Building new organs to replace burned out old ones? Eternal beauty and youth? Immortality?

KERRY BREEN and KERRY GOULSTON.- Update: An apolitical response at last to the Covid 19 crisis.

Last week we explored why government responses to the Covid 19 crisis seemed to be tardy and we argued for an expert apolitical group to lead the response.

JOHN MENADUE.- Podcast ABC The Eleventh, February/March 2020

This is an edited transcript of an interview I conducted with the ABC for a podcast series The Eleventh.

GAVIN A O'BRIEN.-Why I remain a Catholic.

I am being challenged to consider and discern why I remain a Catholic in a Church whose membership is declining and ageing;whose clergy are decreasing in numbers and ageing,where many Catholics, particularly our children, are no longer attending Mass and accessing the Sacraments.Where do we go from here?

CHRIS SIDOTI.- Archbishop Anthony saves the day.

I laughed so hard I could hard stop myself from crying. Theres no limit to the wonderful capacity of human beings to produce clowns to make us laugh our way through every crisis.

JONATHAN PAUL MARSHALL: The Rhetoric Climate Action is too Costly

Bjorn Lomborg presents an ambiguous type of anti-climate action rhetoric. He argues that the recent bushfires were insignificant, and that we should not research renewable energies because of cost, while also recommending costly research.

MARCUS REUBENSTEIN: This is NOT an economic crisis!

The global reaction to the consequences of COVID-19 is absolutely warranted BUT its low mortality rate has lulled some in Australia into ignoring the fight against a highly contagious virus.

ROBERT REICH.-America has no real public health system coronavirus has a clear run( The Guardian 15.3.2020)

Trumps response has been inadequate but the system is rigged anyway. As always, the poor will be hit hardest. Almost 30% of American workers have no paid sick leave from their employers, including 70% of low-income workers earning less than $10.49 an hour.

KERRY BREEN and KERRY GOULSTON.-An improved response to COVID-19 will not be achieved with the current approach.

One of the puzzling and troubling aspects of the Australian response to the Covid 19 public health crisis is that the actions taken or advised by government have often lagged behind what many in the community, including people with expert knowledge, are agitating for.

RICHARD HORTON.- Scientists have been sounding the alarm for months. Why did Britain fail to act?(The Guardian 19.3.2020)

On 24 January, Chinese doctors and scientists reported the first description of a new disease caused by a novel coronavirus.

JOHN CARMODY.- A 'civil society' or a 'competitive society'?

I suspect that the Australian people have never really abandoned their ethical view that peoples lives supersede profits.

RICHARD ECKERSLEY.-Bushfires, coronavirus and economic turmoil provoke existential fears for humanitys future

Greta Thunberg said Before I started school striking I had no energy, no friends and I didnt speak to anyone. I just sat alone at home, with an eating disorder ..All of that is gone now, since I have found a meaning, in a world that sometimes seems shallow and meaningless to so many people.

MILES LITTLE. Coronavirus - more than an ethical problem

There are support groups springing up at community level in various places, offering contactless food delivery for self-isolating people and for the elderly left without carers, and regular telephone calls for the isolated.

HENRY BATEMAN. Trust in Wonderland

As the current pandemic takes hold, we would do well to remember that the Coronavirus is a mere stumble in comparison to the Climate Change crisis.

JOHN MENADUE.- Democratic Renewal

Many Australians are sick and tired of politics and politicians .The situation is worsening .The community is deserting the major political parties in droves.

IAN JOHNSON.-China bought the West time. The West squandered it.(NYT 14.3.2020)

Why did so many countries watch the epidemic unfold for weeks as though it was none of their concern?

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