Community
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Albanese Government makes good start for the dispossessed, but much more to be done
In 1996 Paul Keating said, “when you change the Government, you change the country”. Continue reading »
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26 January echoes with ‘torment’ of First Nation peoples’ ‘powerlessness’
To assist the healing of our history, it is essential that Australia Day be some other day than 26 January. Continue reading »
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Don’t change the date, just the name
In noting that debate about Australia Day began early this year, Henry Reynolds has made a very strong case for not celebrating on that day. That case is well made, however, the simple problem remains that 26 January 1788 remains the single most significant day in Australian history. Continue reading »
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‘The bell tolls for Pell and the church I knew’
As some gather to honour the passing of Cardinal George Pell, I lament what the Church has become under clerics like him. When I was a priest (1975-1980), the Church had a credible voice, and priests were respected as pastoral leaders. With some hope for the future, my feelings lately are of sadness. Continue reading »
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George Pell: the Faith vs the Institution
Cardinal George Pell’s vision of a church beyond criticism, its edicts to be slavishly followed, and governed almost exclusively by elderly men sits very uncomfortably with Christ’s proclamation of the Kingdom of God and our contemporary world. Continue reading »
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The Pell memorandum must be confronted
We’ve all had far too much George Pell lately, but his so-called “Memorandum” on Pope Francis’ papacy is about much more than the present papacy and needs to be confronted. Continue reading »
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“Inspired by love and anger”: Oil CEO heads UNCOP28
Perceptions aren’t everything but they can be very powerful. On the face of it, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) appointment of an oil company chief as the next President for the UNCOP28 is not a good look. That’s putting it mildly! There has, in fact, been much colourful criticism. “This appointment goes beyond putting the Continue reading »
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Why I am still a ‘Methodist’
John Menadue’s dignified and powerful defence of his adopted Catholic faith (‘Why I am Still a Catholic’ reissued 24 December 2022) is made at the expense of his (very respectful) renunciation of the Methodism in which he was brought up. Continue reading »
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The last pope of the Second Church?
In the middle of the last century, theologians began speaking of a “Third Church.” Continue reading »
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Country for bad dreams: vandalism on the Nullarbor Plain
“This is quite shocking,” declared South Australia’s Attorney-General and Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Kyam Maher. “These caves are some of the earliest evidence of Aboriginal occupation of that part of the country.” That evidence was subtracted this month by acts of vandalism inflicted on artwork in Koonalda Cave on the Nullarbor Plain, claimed to be the world’s largest Continue reading »
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Best of 2022: Aysheh’s story: A victory for victim-survivors of domestic violence against NSW police
Policing practices collude with and perpetuate the cycle of domestic and family abuse and violence against women. Continue reading »
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Christmas: war and peace
As we end 2022, we seem besotted with rumours of war. In contrast, the central message of Christmas is God’s gift in Christ of peace, justice, humility and joy. Continue reading »
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Gathering for Christmas
The shopping centre carpark opposite was empty. It was lunchtime Christmas Day. Most people were at home or elsewhere with loved ones. Christmas Day is different. Continue reading »
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A 2022 Christmas reflection
I’ve just spent a week in Assisi – the home of Christmas cribs. At every turn there was a nativity scene – large and small, tasteful and kitsch, prayerful and gauche. By night, church facades were lit with truly spectacular scenes of Mary and the angel at the Annunciation and of the manger with Joseph, Continue reading »
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A Christmas Homily
On September 16th, 1919, the already world-famous physicist, Albert Einstein, was conducting a seminar with graduate students at Princeton University in the United States. Continue reading »
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The rub of the (very) green at the ‘Gabba
“It’s not cricket” is a term that originates from the idea of the importance of fairness. In the first cricket Test against South Africa we’ve just seen a case of alleged lack of fairness, of a kind, demonstrated at the ‘Gabba in Brisbane. Continue reading »
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True love never coerces: a meditation for Christmas 2022
Imagine if we did not need to pray for those who die today, violently and unprepared. Imagine if the United Nations members convened in deep silence and resolved to rid the planet of all weapons of mass destruction and to prevent catastrophic climate change. Imagine if the cruelty being inflicted on the people of Ukraine, Continue reading »
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Christmas: the uncherished gift
In the irreverent Monty Python film: the Life of Brian, the crowd is listening to Jesus speaking, but because of the hubbub mishear what he says. Instead of “blessed are the peace makers“ they hear “blessed are the cheese makers“. The crowd wonders what this means; the phrase is symbolic says one, “it involves all Continue reading »
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We are facing the most dangerous crisis humanity has seen
Last Tuesday, I was released on bail pending appeal in March. While my sentence is outrageous – as are the anti-democratic laws that allowed it to happen – I urge you not to lose sight of the reason I was jailed. Our way of life is under threat from the greatest, most dangerous crisis humanity Continue reading »
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Deaths from heat waves can be prevented by community shelters
Australia has no national policy to prevent the rising death toll in heatwaves. The provision of insulated and air conditioned housing in many remote communities will take years. In the meantime heat shelters must be urgently provided. Continue reading »
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Celebrating the life of Bruce McFarlane
Humphrey McQueen started a tribute to Bruce McFarlane two years ago with the following paragraph. Continue reading »
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Jean Calder AC obituary
In a week full of politics and with a heavy focus on soccer and cricket, the ABC brought news from Gaza. News from this part of the world is usually tragic and while last week’s report was sad, it was also uplifting. Dr Jean Calder AC, an extraordinary Australian, died at Khan Younis in the Continue reading »
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11,000 children killed or maimed in Yemen: UN report
“Ultimately,” said the UNICEF chief, “only a sustained peace will allow families to rebuild their shattered lives and begin to plan for the future.” Continue reading »
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Australia – the last colonial power?
It’s time to take a closer look at how the origins of Australia’s relationship with its three island territories is structured by past centuries of colonialism. Continue reading »
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The crisis in youth justice?
If ever we need a federal government to intervene in a human rights crisis in this nation, then it is now. There are almost daily headlines about the appalling abuse of children in detention centres and the preparedness of state governments, and the Northern Territory to cynically and callously play the ‘law and order’ card Continue reading »
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Remembering Bruce Grant: An advocate of Australian self-reliant defence capability
Bruce Grant, who died in August at the great age of 97, made an extraordinary contribution, as a writer and thinker, to Australia’s understanding of itself as a nation, and our place in the world. His richly well-lived life – with its multiple incarnations as journalist, author, university lecturer, diplomat and ministerial adviser – was Continue reading »
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From marriage equality to the Voice
Discussion about the Voice often stresses the difficulty of passing Constitutional referenda, which require a majority of voters in a majority of states. The last successful change came in 1977 to ensure that a retiring Senator would be replaced by someone from the same party. Continue reading »
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The War Memorial is again running away from the Frontier Wars
The Australian War Memorial has passed from then Council Chair Brendan Nelson’s 29 September announcement of a “much broader, much deeper” treatment of Australian frontier violence to today’s buzzwords of “proportionate” and “modest”. The people who welcomed what looked like a change in direction at the Memorial have the right to feel dudded. Continue reading »
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NSW, ACT Baptists in vote to prevent celebrations of love between LGBTQIA+ people
The NSW and ACT branches of the Baptist church have narrowly passed a resolution which prevents Baptist Christians who want to show hospitality to gay and lesbian people, and allow them, what we claim for ourselves, to celebrate their love for each other in a lifelong faithful union. Continue reading »
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Disability is not a hobby: our mutual obligation to society is paid richly and in full
Why shouldn’t my participation in the development of (disability) social policy through academic research and writing – voluntary or not – be viewed as a substantial contribution to Australia? I do not understand “mutual obligation” in the individualistic way that government and neo-liberal social policy interprets it. Continue reading »
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