A narrower lens in a time that demands breadth

August 20, 2025

As a long-time reader and occasional contributor, I have valued Pearls and Irritations for its breadth, politics, policy, economy, climate, defence, religion, arts, Asia, Palestine-Israel, the United States and more. That diversity gave the publication a unique richness and influence, connecting Australia’s domestic challenges with international realities.

Since the change of editor in March, there has been a clear and signalled shift. The site has given greater space to foreign affairs, defence and the moral dimensions of global conflict, especially Gaza, AUKUS, and shifting power balances. These are important issues, but the narrowing has sometimes come at the cost of the domestic balance that once distinguished the publication.

My concern is not with the quality of the foreign affairs coverage, which is consistently strong, but with the risk that a retreat into one policy domain may limit Pearls and Irritations’ reach and influence. At a time when Australia faces converging pressures, housing stress, educational inequality, climate change and economic concentration, the public square needs outlets that keep breadth as well as depth.

I remain a committed reader and contributor, and I offer this observation in the hope that Pearls and Irritations continues to host wide-ranging conversations.