Rupert Murdoch’s greatest scoop
On Wednesday 25 February 1976, The Australian published a sensational front page story headlined Iraq promises $US500,000 to pay Labor’s debts/Whitlam in secret Arab election deal.
Recent articles in History
10 September 2025
The ABC is inventing China's war history
When interviewing a guest, journalists are free to ask whatever questions they want. But they can’t have their own facts.
27 August 2025
Don't mention the war's end
Only the very alert readers of Australian media have discovered this is the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and more importantly, the defeat of fascism. There is the odd whisper, a low key event in Townsville, a fleeting acknowledgement and little else.
25 August 2025
Yet another example of cultural vandalism by Thai military forces
As part of a Cambodian parliamentary observation team, I visited the border village of Anseh in Choam Ksan district in Preah Vihear province on July 30.
18 August 2025
1975: The Whitlam dismissal’s smoking gun
The dismissal of the Whitlam Government by Governor-General John Kerr on 11/11/1975 still rankles at the heart of Australian democracy.
9 August 2025
From Hiroshima to Gaza: Eighty years of failing to contain violence
Note from the editor: For months Refaat Ibrahim has been writing for P&I from the centre of Gaza in unimaginable conditions. Today I add the note he sent with the piece, so you can see the sacrifice he makes every day.
5 August 2025
The rise of totalitarianism – 12 similarities between 1930s Germany and 2020s America - Part 2
The parallels between today’s America and the Germany of a century ago are profound – and are becoming more relevant with each passing day. Sadly, what was considered inconceivable a few years ago has now become a possibility: the development of a totalitarian state in America. Adrian Lipscomb continues from Part 1 of this series.
4 August 2025
The rise of totalitarianism – 12 similarities between 1930s Germany and 2020s America - Part 1
The parallels between today’s America and the Germany of a century ago are profound – and are becoming more relevant with each passing day. Sadly, what was considered inconceivable a few years ago has now become a possibility: the development of a totalitarian state in America.
2 July 2025
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?
10 June 2025
Weaponising the Department of Justice: echoes of the Star Chamber
Instead of acting as a guardian of the law, the Justice Department will use judicial power to pursue political vendettas and silence dissent.
1 June 2025
Sydney Harbour Bridge walk – unsuspected joy and hope
At the end of reconciliation week it is time to look back at a extraordinary event. While Aboriginal people remained quiet and uncomplaining, most of our leaders showed very little interest in them. And average Australians, they believed, were right behind them. Didn’t social media and talkback radio prove that?
12 March 2025
The forgotten fascists
When The Skull sooled bother-boy Sukkar to cancel Attorney-General Dreyfus as he spoke about his family as victims of the Holocaust, a scatter of opposition back-benders appeared dismayed. Their ignorance of the 100 years of crossovers between fascism, antisemitism and the social classes represented by the Coalition and its predecessors, suggests that the civics-deficit does not stop at year 10.
7 March 2025
Never has violence been initiated by the oppressed
Violence is initiated by those who oppress, who exploit, who fail to recognise others as persons – not by those who are oppressed, exploited and unrecognised.
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18 August 2023
Oppenheimer and the forever" wars: Have we learnt nothing?
27 January 2023
Australia Day: a long perspective from 65,000 BCE
11 November 2022
How did Dag Hammarskjld die? The CIA and Indonesian connection
5 November 2022