https://publish.pearlsandirritations.com/ Public policy journal Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:10:55 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://johnmenadue.com/favicon.png https://publish.pearlsandirritations.com/ 32 32 https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/easters-message-in-a-time-of-war George Browning Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:59:10 +0000 Politics Religion https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/easters-message-in-a-time-of-war As global conflicts intensify, Easter offers a counterpoint – a call to reject violence and embrace light, mercy and transformation. Iran and the war, (not forgetting Lebanon Ukraine, Palestine and Sudan) are the unwelcome global backdrops to this year’s celebration of Easter. The suffering unleashed and gloated over by the Israeli Prime minister, the US […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/albaneses-big-moment-a-clanger-message-from-the-editor Catriona Jackson Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:54:49 +0000 Politics https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/albaneses-big-moment-a-clanger-message-from-the-editor Everybody’s doing it: Albanese, Starmer, and Trump. National addresses on serious matters in troubled times. For his part Trump meandered through 21 minutes of distortions and outright untruths. There was little we hadn’t heard before, although I did startle when he said Straits of Hormuz would open ‘naturally’ after the war! The UK Prime Minister […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/national-press-club-under-fire-for-disgraceful-invitation-to-israeli-envoy Alex McKinnon - Deep Cut News Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:49:37 +0000 Israel Palestine Media Politics https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/national-press-club-under-fire-for-disgraceful-invitation-to-israeli-envoy The National Press Club is under fire for hosting Israel’s ambassador after cancelling other speakers and remaining largely silent on the killing of journalists in Gaza. The National Press Club is fielding heavy criticism for extending a speaking invitation to the Israeli ambassador. Hillel Newman, Israel’s new envoy to Canberra, addressed the press club on […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/a-war-crime-un-rights-chief-urges-immediate-repeal-of-israels-new-death-penalty-law Brett Wilkins Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:44:56 +0000 Israel Palestine Politics https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/a-war-crime-un-rights-chief-urges-immediate-repeal-of-israels-new-death-penalty-law A new Israeli law mandating the execution of Palestinians convicted of certain offences has drawn condemnation from the UN and human rights groups. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has urged Israel to repeal legislation legalising the hanging of Palestinians convicted of terrorism-related killing of Israelis – a law critics contend will not […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/why-china-is-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented Alex Lo Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:39:43 +0000 China Politics https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/why-china-is-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented By insisting on the superiority of its own standards of judgment and experience, western dominance distorts the realities of other societies. Why didn’t China develop its own scientific and industrial revolutions when it made so many discoveries and advances over millennia? That is often called ‘Needham’s question’, named after the historian of Chinese science and […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/does-ai-mean-more-uni-students-are-plagiarising-their-work Guy Curtis Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:34:24 +0000 Education Politics https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/does-ai-mean-more-uni-students-are-plagiarising-their-work Long-term research suggests student plagiarism has declined over two decades, despite concerns about AI. But more than half of students still engage in it at some point. People using other peoples’ ideas, words and creations without acknowledgement is a widespread problem. Plagiarism occurs everywhere from restaurant menus to political speeches and music. Within academia, plagiarism is seen as a serious […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/allies-are-learning-the-cost-of-relying-on-the-us Paul Malone Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:29:50 +0000 Politics USA World https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/allies-are-learning-the-cost-of-relying-on-the-us US alliances are exposing partner nations to conflict without giving them control over decisions. From the Gulf to Australia, the risks of strategic dependence are becoming clearer. Until a month ago the gulf states of Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia may have felt that hosting US military bases, made them […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/school-funding-is-undermining-equality-and-cohesion Lyndsay Connors and Jim McMorrow Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:59:49 +0000 Education Politics Top 5 https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/school-funding-is-undermining-equality-and-cohesion Australia’s school funding model is widening inequality and weakening public education. Without reform, it risks undermining social cohesion, productivity and democratic stability. Like many grandparents, we worry about the world we are leaving to our grandchildren. Climate change, geopolitical breakdown, nuclear weapons, pandemics – these are enormous challenges for democracies already facing threats from authoritarianism. […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/productivity-inequality-and-the-rise-of-populism Michael Keating Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:54:56 +0000 Economy Politics Top 5 https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/productivity-inequality-and-the-rise-of-populism The rise in populism in numerous advanced economies has been driven by cost-of-living pressures. To protect our democracy, we will need faster productivity growth and all wages to rise with productivity. Just over a week ago Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party came second in the South Australian election with 22 per cent of the vote. […] https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/what-good-friday-and-the-book-of-job-reveal-about-a-world-in-crisis Adrian Rosenfeldt Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:49:13 +0000 Politics Religion https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/what-good-friday-and-the-book-of-job-reveal-about-a-world-in-crisis Modern society assumes suffering can be solved through policy, technology and progress. But this belief leaves us unprepared for the reality that tragedy is an enduring part of human life. Rising petrol prices, geopolitical instability and the threat of wider conflict in the Middle East remind us how quickly things can unravel. These are not […]