Treatment of Iranian asylum seekers reeks of contradictions
Australia quickly offered protection to Iranian women footballers who drew global attention. At the same time, new migration laws aim to prevent other Iranian visa holders from even reaching Australia.
Recent articles in Our Top Five Each Week
13 March 2026
Former defence leaders say oil wars threaten our security, and climate change deepens the danger
In full-page statements in the national media today, 19 Australian security practitioners and former Defence leaders have published an Open Letter on why Australia’s dependence on fossil fuels is a critical economic and security vulnerability.
12 March 2026
Off to war in West Asia we go (again)
Deploying an RAAF Wedgetail to West Asia risks making Australia a co-belligerent in the US-Israel war against Iran while exposing the country to serious strategic and economic consequences.
12 March 2026
A mosque, a meal and the strength of Australian community
A shared Ramadan meal in Canberra shows how everyday encounters and neighbourly goodwill quietly build social cohesion in multicultural Australia.
12 March 2026
How US bases make Australia part of the Iran war
Australia’s role in supporting the US-Israel war against Iran with the hosting of a string of US military bases across the country is a critical contribution to the US war machine.
11 March 2026
Albanese’s politics of avoidance
From AUKUS to Gaza and now Iran, the government’s instinct has been to avoid political traps rather than confront hard choices – and voters are drifting away.
11 March 2026
How to lose an election: The 2025 Liberal Party election review
The leaked review shows how chaotic campaign management and policy announcements ignoring key demographics cost the Coalition the election.
11 March 2026
Why patriotism should worry us more than it does
Often treated as an unquestioned virtue, patriotism can easily slide into nationalism, exclusion and hostility towards others.
8 March 2026
When is an illegal war morally defensible?
Some illegal uses of force have been judged morally defensible, as in Kosovo in 1999. But the US–Israel war on Iran fails that test – lacking lawful authority, credible motives and a plausible path to a better outcome.
8 March 2026
China waits and watches as the US fights all its tigers at once
The US–Israeli war with Iran has shattered Washington’s hope of concentrating its power on containing China. Instead, the United States is entangled in multiple conflicts while Beijing gains strategic time.
6 March 2026
'Rude, arrogant and entitled’: ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest is the inevitable conclusion to a sordid royal tale of privilege and protection
The arrest of ex-Prince Andrew over alleged misconduct is not an isolated scandal but the product of a system that shields the royal family from scrutiny. Without transparency and accountability, privilege can become a pathway to abuse of power.
5 March 2026
We have been here before – and we never learn
From Afghanistan to Iraq and Libya, repeated military interventions have weakened rather than strengthened US power. With new strikes on Iran launched without congressional authorisation, the pattern of executive overreach and strategic miscalculation deepens.
5 March 2026
The Liberal review explains the defeat – but not the path back
The leaked review of the Liberal Party’s 2025 election defeat details campaign failures and organisational problems. What it avoids is the harder question: what policies or direction might rebuild support.
Catch up on other sections
More from Our Top Five Each Week
18 February 2026
How elite private schools distort Australia’s teaching workforce
17 February 2026
‘It’s my government’: Robert Reich's short note to Kristi Noem
12 February 2026
Is Hanson planning to copy Trump on mass deportation?
11 February 2026
When peaceful protest is allowed to work, democracy works
10 February 2026
Why higher taxes make more sense than higher interest rates
