Foreign fighters for Israel – beyond the reach of Australian law?
While the government vows to block the return of Australian women and children from Syria, hundreds of Australians who have served with the Israeli Defence Force face little scrutiny on their return – despite serious allegations of war crimes in Gaza.
Recent articles in Politics
26 February 2026
President Trump: Give back the money and stop grabbing more
The White House and Congress can and should provide relief to American families who bore the costs of illegal tariffs. The administration has the responsibility to design such relief.
26 February 2026
ASIO fails to gag the ABC
ASIO’s pre-emptive attack on a Four Corners investigation into the Bondi killings was vague, thinly evidenced and ultimately counter-productive.
26 February 2026
The Liberal Party collapse and the myth of restoration
The Liberals’ talk of “renewal” looks less like reform than ritual – invoking origins to avoid confronting decline. The real lesson is not about personalities, but how power loses legitimacy when it drifts from reality.
26 February 2026
How consultocracy became a national security blind spot
Espionage today is less about weapons than insider access to economic policy. Australia’s muted response to the PwC scandal reveals a serious failure to treat economic intelligence as a core national security asset.
26 February 2026
Iran on the brink
After decades of US-backed regime-change wars across the Middle East, Iran now stands alone. A new conflict would deepen regional instability and test Australia’s willingness to say no.
26 February 2026
Remembering Robert Macklin – truth, courage and clarity
Pearls and Irritations contributor Robert Macklin has died aged 84. His brilliant writing combined political critique, historical insight and moral urgency, leaving a lasting mark on Australian public debate.
25 February 2026
Should Australia copy Canada and New Zealand on immigration policy?
Canada and New Zealand cut migration sharply and saw modest rent falls – but only alongside weaker labour markets and stronger housing supply. The lesson for Australia is not imitation, but stability.
25 February 2026
Terrorism – a blow back from western violence in Muslim countries
Terrorism dominates political debate and media coverage in Australia despite causing relatively few deaths. The deeper causes – western military violence, state power, and selective moral language – are rarely examined.
25 February 2026
How a nuclear test that never happened became news
A US allegation that China conducted a secret nuclear test was widely reported despite clear evidence to the contrary, highlighting how security claims are too often treated as facts before they are proven.
25 February 2026
How Australia should fix capital gains tax
The 50 per cent capital gains tax discount departs from the original purpose of taxing real gains, entrenches inequality and unfairly advantages wealth over work.
25 February 2026
Water bankruptcy is no longer a future threat
Across large parts of the world, water demand now permanently exceeds supply. This is not a temporary crisis but a condition of irreversible scarcity driven by overuse, climate change and population pressure.
25 February 2026
How John Howard reshaped Australia – and not for the better
Many of Australia’s most pressing social and economic problems can be traced to policy choices made during the Howard years, from housing and inequality to wages, tax and public services.
Catch up on other sections
More from Politics
