Politics
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INGEBORG van TEESELING. When white Australians fought against the Maori for control of their land. (The Big Smoke 4.6.2018)
The ANZACS fought together first, not in 1915 but much earlier in the 1840/60s in the Maori Wars. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 26 April 2020
Ecosystems are likely to collapse sooner and more abruptly than previously thought, which is not surprising considering Trump continues to destroy the environmental in the USA. We can do better: the post-COVID recovery can be used to promote environmental sustainability and we have the technology to halve greenhouse gas emissions every decade. You can do Continue reading »
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SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
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Anzac and the Great Deception in Australasian History
This year, Anzac Day marches have been suspended for the first time in almost a century. Because of the coronavirus the Australian War Memorial (AWM) will broadcast a socially distanced Dawn ‘Service’. The New Zealand National Memorials will represent their Dawn and Citizens’ ‘Services’ on media and on-line. At State Memorials in Australia, Governors will Continue reading »
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NOEL TURNBULL. The origins of Anzackery
In the late 1950s and early 1960s Anzac Day was in decline – a malaise exemplified by Alan Seymour’s play “The One Day of the Year”, the origins of Anzackery. Continue reading »
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Thoughts on an unusual Anzac Day
This Anzac Day we should question the relentless militarisation of our history and the cult of the digger. These ideals make it easier for Australian governments to commit to wars overseas and more difficult for critics to engage in serious debate. Continue reading »
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DAVID SOLOMON. Privacy should be protected
If I thought my privacy would genuinely be protected, I would have little hesitation in downloading the coronavirus tracing app being developed for the national cabinet. Continue reading »
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CAVAN HOGUE. Kishore Mahbubani on China and the US
In a most interesting article in The Economist, Kishore Mahbubani argues that the post-COVIC-19 world will be characterized by an accelerated shift in power from the West to East Asia. Continue reading »
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DAVID STEPHENS. Anzac Day and History as What we Choose to Remember
The Covid-19 pandemic has been compared with the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-19. That many of us knew nothing about that disaster of a century ago shows that history is what we choose to remember. Continue reading »
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MICHAEL McKINLEY. Arse-backwards: Surveying Australia’s future submarine debate and finding that it doesn ’t start with Australia. Part 5 of 5.
In the course of studying the arguments for and against the decision to acquire the Shortfin Barracuda submarine to replace the Collins Class boats the sense has emerged that almost every aspect of the debates was concerned with the need to please strategies determined elsewhere. This applies, moreover, to both the bureaucratic inarticulacy of government Continue reading »
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ALEX MITCHELL: Changing of the guard in NSW
Damien Tudehope, ultra-conservative Minister for Finance and Small Business, is the new Leader of the Government in the NSW Upper House. He replaces former Arts Minister Don Harwin who quit in disgrace. The Liberal Party’s right-wing faction is now calling the shots. Continue reading »
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SOOK JONG LEE. COVID-19 infects international organisations (East Asia Forum 21.4.20)
On 14 April 2020, US President Donald Trump announced a halt on US funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) as his administration reviews its handling of COVID-19. Continue reading »
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WILLIAM BRIGGS. ANZAC Day 2020: why they died and for what?
It is now 105 years since Gallipoli. We have had more than a century to reflect and possibly learn the odd lesson or two. But it seems that nothing has been learned. Continue reading »
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SEAN INNIS. COVID-19 HAS CHANGED OUR WORLD, IT IS UP TO US TO DESIGN A NEW ONE
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world. We need to approach the future consciously and deliberately, and not let a virus drift us into a world we might regret . Continue reading »
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LIONEL ORCHARD. COVID-19 and the Role of Government
The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the fragilities and inequalities in our economy and society. It has driven dramatic public policy responses careful not to disrupt the underlying economic balances. Will we be more willing to be bolder particularly about the role of government? Continue reading »
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LINDA SIMONS. Now is the time to support the public provider of VET
The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the importance of strong public institutions in Australia, both to help deal with critical health and economic challenges, and to make sure all Australian residents are given opportunities to be part of the economic recovery. This is particularly true of public vocational education and training, TAFE. Continue reading »
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MICHAEL McKINLEY. Arse-backwards: Questions which should have preceded the decision on the future submarine. Part 4 of 5
The enemification of China and Russia in US, and thus, alliance statements and documents on international security can now reasonably be described as an idée fixe: a persistent preoccupation which has become a delusional idea that dominates all proceedings and is demonstrably and firmly resistant to any attempt to modify it no matter the dangers Continue reading »
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ISABELLE REINECKE & BELINDA LOWE. Strong democratic systems will see us through COVID-19
The COVID-19 crisis has rapidly hit every aspect of our lives. Governments are making life or death decisions during this emergency period that will reshape the face of our nation for decades to come. Strong democratic systems that enable transparency, scrutiny and accountability are key to success on all these fronts. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. A matter of clout, and of egos
When Bret Walker is trying to find out who can be held responsible for Ruby Princess stuff-ups, he will probably look for his own team of investigators, even at the risk of tripping over others with fingers in the accountability pie. Continue reading »
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MICHAEL McKINLEY. Arse-backwards: Substituting the Strategic Dreamtime for the Berthold Brecht Principles of Strategic Analysis. Part 3 of 5.
Sometimes important strategic issues and questions are made more intelligible and transparent when viewed from the perspectives not normally associated with national security and defence policies. Now is one of those times. Continue reading »
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IAN DUNLOP. Fatal Calculations: How Economics has Underestimated Climate Damage and Encouraged Inaction
A rational response from Australia’s leaders to the unprecedented and disastrous 2019-20 megafires would have recognised, first, that they are another warning— and the strongest yet — that the catastrophic impacts of human-induced climate change are here now as lives are lost and livelihoods destroyed. Second, it would accept the need for emergency action. Continue reading »
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Social Distancing and Princess Cruises
Who wants to go cruising anymore? Continue reading »
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COVID-19: Another consequence of exceeding the limits to growth
Consumer–capitalist society is blindly committed to limitless growth in production and consumption. This is unsustainable and is generating a range of alarming global problems. However, little attention has been given to how is a cause of viral pandemics. Continue reading »
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MUNGO MACCALLUM. The Cost of a Job.
It has only taken a week for the simple beauty of JobKeepers to become a little tarnished. Continue reading »
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LIZ GRIFFIN. Why has the Republic of Korea’s campaign against coronavirus been so successful?
Korea has won plaudits globally for its response to COVID-19. Despite Korea being one of the first countries hit hard by the pandemic, its swift response is paying dividends as its population have been able to avoid large scale lockdown and high fatality rates. With a high reliance on exports, South Korea has also managed Continue reading »
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GARETH EVANS. Cambodia’s Coronavirus Excuse for Human Rights Abuse
Cambodia is not the only country to declare a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the legislation passed last week by Hun Sen’s government – like that in Orban’s Hungary – should be ringing alarm bells for anyone anywhere concerned with the erosion of human rights and democracy. Continue reading »
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ABUL RIZVI.Who are the missing 473,000 temporary entrants?
Minister Tudge says there were 2.17 Million temporary entrants in Australia in early April 2020. He explains that 1.697 million of these are NZ citizens, students, tourists, working holiday makers and skilled temporary entrants. But who are the remaining 473,000? Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Has Gladys got Peter, or Scott in the cross-hairs?
Peter Dutton has been heard – usually whistling to the dogs – but not much seen over recent weeks, and there have been some who have ventured to suggest that his coyness may have something to do with the Ruby Princess debacle – the one, and the most important boat he failed to stop. Were Continue reading »
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MICHAEL McKINLEY. Arse-backwards: The SEA 1000 Attack Class future submarine project and the emergence of the neo-Carrollian School of Maritime Strategy. Part 2 of 5.
In a reproach to all reason the Red Queen in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland famously demanded verdict first, evidence later. In an evolutionary turn, the decision to acquire the Shortfin Barracuda for the Royal Australian Navy has taken the Carrollian principle one step further: evidence of a strategic-operational nature which had a direct bearing Continue reading »
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MUNGO MACCALLUM. George Pell and the faithful choristers at The Australian.
Cardinal George Pell (we must resume his proper title now) is out of prison and is seeking asylum with an order of Carmelite nuns in Sydney. But his real protectors are the loyalists who always refused to believe he was guilty, and are now running a fierce campaign for his immediate canonisation. Continue reading »