Letters to the Editor
Lies and political sleight of hand
March 24, 2026
Once again i find myself yelling at the TV and Netanyahu . When the much praised Israeli missile defence system allowed “not one but two” missiles to hit the ground in Israel Mr Netanyahu was highly critical of the Iranians targeting civilian infrastructure he threatening retaliation I could not help but help but question when retaliation started. Pots calling kettles black . Using a team sport analogy If the other side has found a regular way past the Iron Dome defence system maybe we have gone into extra time and the other side has the ball . ...
Bob Pearce from Adelaide SA
In response to: lies-that-fuel-war
Iran War outlook
March 24, 2026
Just a note to say thanks for all your great work. It occurs to me that this article on the Iran War may be of interest to P&I readers. https://kasperbenjamin.substack.com/p/why-the-us-will-lose-to-iran best wishes Pete
Pete Fry from Central Coast NSW 2256
In response to: https://kasperbenjamin.substack.com/p/why-the-us-will-lose-to-iranJust
ACT justice system
March 23, 2026
How unfortunate that the only view of the ACT justice system is given to us by one of the people to profit from its existence. Andrew Fraser (barrister) should declare his interest, and P&I would do well to balance Mr Fraser’s views with those of an independent and trained investigative journalist.
Greg Bray from Sydney
In response to: ACT Justice System
University funding
March 23, 2026
Governments encourage students to participate in higher education. The rationale is expressed in terms which highlight the benefits to the economy and employers. More simply put all of us benefit from a well educated and well qualified workforce. Given that we all benefit does it not follow that we should all contribute to the cost? Furthermore those who benefit most are the corporations or more crudely put those who hold 1 per cent of the wealth. It follows therefore that they should contribute the most. In an ideal world all education is 100 per cent free from cradle to grave....
john tons from adelaide
In response to: Bill Shorten's university proposal
Australia's awful unnecessary US dependence
March 23, 2026
I'm 87 yrs old, Sydney born, now a Canberran. Re world affairs, I cannot overstate my disgust at the sycophantic Australian support (by both ALP and Coalition) for the US / Israeli invasion of Iran. The Netanyahu intent (US backed) seems to be the conversion of the entire Arab region, including Iran, into Israeli / US military dependency. Aus is a Southern continent, geographically remote from Arabia – so why is Albo so desperate to please the US by giving the US and Britain billions of non-refundable Aus $ ? Has our current crop of political leaders been quietly...
Vincent Patulny from Canberra
In response to: Australia’s six pathways to the war with Iran:
The US / Israeli war on Iran and Australians at war
March 23, 2026
This war has been planned for some time with Australia implicitly involved. We could trace back our recent involvement to the visit of Herzog, Israel's President, whose stated purpose was to provide support to Australia’s Jewish community. I suggest that rather than coming as Herzog stated,“in goodwill and with a message that the people of Australia and Israel are close friends and allies since the days of old,” his visit was much more clandestine. It has been confirmed that Herzog, had a secret meeting with Australian Security Intelligence Organisation [ASIO] and Australia’s director general of security, Mike Burgess. ASIO...
Andrea Coney from Port Fairy
In response to: Australia’s six pathways to the war with Iran: Part 1
Non carbon alternative energy sources
March 23, 2026
Many would agree with Bruce Hardy's assertion that to achieve non carbon energy independence Australia is to draw upon the natural resources we have an abundance of. it's natural resources. However, to limit these to solar and wind is myopic, prejudiced and ignores other important and relevant resources such as hydropower, green hydrogen & geothermal amongst others . Recognition and promotion of these alternatives, particularly green hydrogen where is Australia is making substantial contribution, development and progress. Atomic energy is the most obvious but unbalanced and unjustified hysteria needs to be revisited and objectively debated and assessed. Perhaps...
Peter Helene from Big Hill NSW 2579 Australia
In response to: Australia's Fuel Security Crisis needs less diesel by Bruce Hardy
Gone is the illusion of sovereignty and democracy
March 23, 2026
On nowhere near the scale and at a local level but I draw your attention to the victory speech of the Premier when he said that his govt was pro business, his govt was committed to collaboration with the private sector. Like AUKUS this is a loss of sovereignty that has lead to all the problems that Australians now face – crisis' in schools, hospitals, aged care, public transport, health insurance, power generation, banking, social housing etc. All sacrificed on the alter of PROMISED lower taxes and improved services only to achieve far worse services, higher public costs, poverty and...
Bob Pearce from Adelaide SA
In response to: aukus-so-many-questions-so-few-answers/?utm
Private health insurance isn't working
March 23, 2026
The author has hit the nail on the head by suggesting the Singapore model. It offers the fair dinkum choice in the truest sense of the free market while affording total control by the citizen. What we have is a guided and pseudo choice(s) to benefit vested interests and lobby groups. In addition,our system has the support of the political class who misguidedly subscribes to extremist free market idealogy without pragmatism. The politicians are uncomfortable learning good and beneficial ideas from ASEAN (non-western) countries despite making statements (lip service) that Oz is part of Asia and are friends...
Cjeng Toh from Melbourne
In response to: Private Health Insurance isn't working
David Solomon 1, Tom Hughes 0
March 23, 2026
Thank you, Andrew Fraser, for tickling the old memory bank. As a very young junior member of staff at the National Library, I was tasked to take and manage the NLA's bound copies of the Canberra Times to Court in the Gorton defamation case – nothing less than originals was acceptable. Barrister for the plaintiff was Tom Hughes QC – a man whose pomposity exceeded even the best of Charles Laughton in full flight. Hughes played the gallery shamelessly, with palpable arrogance. David Solomon in the witness stand; Hughes leaned forward, his robe and QC dribble-bibble swinging...
Richard Llewellyn from Colo Vale
In response to: The wisdom of David Solomon (plus priceless insights, grace and humour)
Avoiding misinformation
March 23, 2026
Producing a daily newsletter 24/7 is an enormous task and I am an admirer. However, I do not expect to read in Pearls and Irritations the same type of inaccuracies that appear in the legacy press. The following article should have received a minor edit. George Browning’s article The dangerous stories driving war in Iran contained the following statement: The stories that people and nations tell themselves have enormous consequences. Vladimir Putin tells himself that the natural jurisdiction of the Russian communist party is the area that approximates to the old Soviet Union. Anything less than that is, in his story,...
Berenice Nyland from St Kilda
In response to: The dangerous stories driving Iran
The common good
March 20, 2026
Commendable as it is, the 'common good' has a poor history in democratic institutions, the strength of which depends on vigorous debate designed to take policy battles off the street. Common good inclinations, encouraging collaborative initiatives described as corporatist, often miss out on this realisation as opponents strive towards agreement around the centre. Catholic political parties, following 'Quadragesimo Anno', were 'common good' entities, which classically failed to address complex social problems facing global polities at the time. In the US, Congress agreed to an unprecedented suspension of the Constitution to enable President Roosevelt to push through his much-needed New Deal....
Dr Michael FURTADO from Brisbane, Qld.
In response to: Reclaiming the common good from neoliberalism
The moral error of exceptionalism
March 20, 2026
In 2007 a groundbreaking work by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt burst onto the world. The Israel Lobby was the book's title, and for the first time the fact of an overpowering force at work behind the scenes in US foreign policy became mainstream. Underpinning that force is the moral error of exceptionalism. It means we do not all stand equal before the law. Historically it means we study the Holocaust but memory hole the Nakba. In the present it gives us Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran. These are war crimes and crimes against humanity, perhaps quaint...
Hal Duell from Alice Springs
In response to: From hubris to holy war – the dangerous logic behind the Iran conflict
Reform taxation to strengthen social cohesion
March 20, 2026
Inheritance perpetuates financial inequality. With current taxation and policy settings this inequality is set to grow substantially over coming decades. This will encourage social instability as society is divided more permanently into the haves and have-nots. There are two ways in which this situation can be alleviated. Firstly, government must remove those taxation benefits designed to benefit those who already have capital wealth – negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount. Had government not foregone taxation revenue through granting those concessions, and invested equivalent amounts directly into social housing instead, our society might look very different today....
Chris Young from Surrey Hills, Vic
In response to: Australia’s great wealth transfer divide isn’t between generations
Fuel security crossroads
March 20, 2026
Australia is at a crossroads of fuel security. Recent reporting by Isobel Roe shows the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is considering new levies on gas companies and reforms to resource taxation in response to the Middle East war. While taxing profits may provide short-term relief, it does not address the core issue. Australia remains dangerously dependent on imported fuel, leaving us exposed to global shocks, price spikes and supply disruptions, as seen in recent surging demand and panic buying. We have a choice in how we respond. We can look backward and consider rebuilding...
Julia Paxino from Beaumaris, Victoria 3193
In response to: Australia’s fuel security crisis needs less diesel, not more refineries
Playground politics
March 19, 2026
Australian politics has become an insular playground game of political personality gangs: jostling individuals angling to retain their seat without any thought of their constituents needs or understanding of their electorates views. Policies have become Trumpian sound bite one liners regurgitated to tamed reporters who won’t question the spin. As far as I can see, the only fully costed policies, displaying any depth or understanding of the issues, emanate from the Greens. Let’s hope they can counter the last two decades of false propaganda from the major parties, and avoid falling victim to the in-house Labor / Liberal preference deals...
Alyssa Aleksanian from Hazelbrook
In response to: Grandstanding government right off-side – Message from the Editor
Words from a forgotten man
March 19, 2026
PM Albanese has expressed his strong support for the US and Israel in their illegal war on Iran. Just to refresh his memory here's what he said about the illegal war on Iraq in 2003. Our government is about to redefine us in the eyes of the world as willing backers of US militarism… This is an unjust war without UN backing. Iraq does not represent a threat to Australia. What does that say about the sort of nation that we are? We are a multicultural nation, and yet here we are sending a message, particularly to the Islamic...
Julian Cribb from Canberra, ACT
In response to: After the Iran war, Gulf nations face tough decisions on the US
Can the government stand up to the fossil fuel lobby?
March 19, 2026
As luck would have it, the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group’s recent open letter linking climate change and “fossil fuel use and subsidies” appeared the day after The Australia Institute’s latest report on these subsidies. AI found that in 2025-26 our governments handed $16.3 billion to “some of the biggest, most profitable companies in Australia at a time when ordinary Australians are struggling with surging petrol and electricity prices”. Meanwhile, a significant majority of voters of all persuasions are calling for a 25 per cent gas export levy. A levy on big polluters – to pay for the...
Lesley Walker from Northcote
In response to: Former defence leaders say oil wars threaten our security, and climate change de
Resistance is not terrorism
March 19, 2026
At last, an Australian, Paul Heywood Smith, has been brave enough to describe Hezbollah and Hamas for what they are – resistance groups AND a media organisation has been brave enough to publish! Israeli-American activist Miko Peled, author of The General’s Son similarly refers to Hamas as ‘freedom fighters.’
Judy Attwood from Brisbane
In response to: Iran war – controlling the narrative
Action, not more reports or more expert advice
March 19, 2026
The authors of this piece can’t understand why there is so much opposition to and complacency about their dire warnings. Well, look at their three suggestions. • The first will be read as “Establish another bureaucratic body with jobs and status for our mates” • The second as “Produce a document for politicians to read” • And the third as “Create more jobs for our mates to produce more alarmist reports – that will not be acted upon so we’ll need more bureaucratic bodies and more reports” Nothing about mitigating risks (Clive Hamilton style) with, for example,...
Keith Thomas from Canberra
In response to: Former defence leaders say oil wars threaten our security, and climate change de
Building a better society for all
March 19, 2026
I heartily agree with Stewart Sweeney when he advocates for taxation ... according to income, wealth and capacity to pay, irrespective of age, and use that revenue to build a better society for all. Can he be persuaded to write about HOW to build that better society? To me, his first step would need to be arguing against the Liberal small government mantra. What has privatisation brought us besides poor, fractured services and private provider shysters who are adept at ripping off government and taxpayers? Could/Would Sweeney advocate for bringing essential services back under government control 'and' operation,...
Margaret Callinan from Hawthorn VIC 3122
In response to: Allegra Spender reopens the tax debate – but the real divide is wealth, not gene
Tax incentive to share assets
March 19, 2026
I agree that “the real divide is wealth, not generations” because the concentration of assets concentrates political power to undermine our democracy. It is a dimension neglected by economists around the world. It is neglected because on page 353 of his 2017 book, Picketty could not explain how “through most of human history, the inescapable fact is that the rate of return on capital was always at least 10 to 20 times greater the rate of growth output (and income).” Asset inequality explains how the Oxfam Press Release of 2017 could report “eight men own more assets than half...
Shann Turnbull from Paddington, Sydney
In response to: Allegra Spender tax debate – but real divide is wealth, not generationsAllegra S
The road to climate change denial
March 19, 2026
It makes sense: “belittling existential climate threat is a misguided strategy”, especially in regional Australia where farmers and others see first-hand the effects of rising temperatures and unpredictable extreme weather. However it is also a mistake to assume that any debate about energy policy is rational, or honest. The Gina Rinehart-backed Liontown lithium mine in Western Australia is 80 per cent powered by one of Australia’s largest off-grid wind farms, and also has extensive solar and battery storage. In its reporting, the Murdoch press lauded Gina’s foresight in the midst of oil shortages. The mine is already at a...
Fiona Colin from Melbourne
In response to: Matt Canavan’s climate scepticism is a policy dead end for the Coalition
Peter Slezak nailed it
March 19, 2026
Peter Slezak has nailed it. The correlation between antisemitism and the appalling genocidal Israeli behaviour is crystal clear. It can only be hoped that the Royal Commission will note his comments and his comprehensive quotations. Our community is being played by the zionists with new hate laws and right to protest restrictions that we simply did not need. Excessive police brutality has been an early outcome. Who demanded these regulations and laws? Zionists. As Peter says, we have lived in harmony with our Jewish community since the Second World War. How utterly ironic that the rules...
MICHAEL JOHNSTON from Summer Hill, NSW, 2130
In response to: Antisemitism: “it’s a trick, we always use it”
The NACC'ered Corruption Commission
March 19, 2026
An excellent summary by Jack of the lack of the skepticism and doubt that should be a hallmark of a body designed to root out corruption in this report. It reflects back on the motives of the politicians on both sides of the Parliament. The idea was to create an anti-corruption body designed to create the impression in the public mind that something important was being done to counter the corruption at both political and bureaucratic levels. These problems had become so obvious to the public during the Abbott and Morrison periods of government that public outrage needed to be...
Les Macdonald from Balmain NSW 2041
In response to: Freedom at last for the Robodebt Six, thanks to the NACC
Yes Minister in our time is turbocharged BS
March 19, 2026
Jack Waterford's article sits as the pile of evidence beneath the immortal words of Sir Humphrey: Minister, two basic rules of government: Never look into anything you don't have to. And never set up an inquiry unless you know in advance what its findings will be. Absolutely everything that has proceeded from the establishment of the NACC creates cascading levels of utter disbelief in the veracity, competence and honesty of the NACC. The only mitigating factor has been the finding that the Commissioner, Paul Brereton, failed to discharge his responsibilities properly. If the Albanese government is content...
Richard Llewellyn from Colo Vale
In response to: Freedom at last for the Robodebt Six, thanks to the NACC
The March of Folly
March 19, 2026
Years ago, Barbara Tuchman, an American historian, wrote a book called The March of Folly. In it she detailed a number of examples where governments had under taken a particular scheme knowing that or should have known it was going to fail. Yet they persisted until the program totally and completely failed. Hence a complete folly right from the beginning. In Australia we do not call such a program Folly, we call it Robodebt. Or perhaps you may prefer the name, Black Swan. Another book, this time written by Nassim Nicholas Taleb called Black Swan in which he...
Peter Sheehy from Blackheath NSW
In response to: Freedom at last for the Robodebt Six, thanks to the NACC
Albanese’s politics of avoidance
March 19, 2026
John Menadue's article is an excellent summary describing Albanese's lack of leadership, right wing populism and his cowardice. Albanese is the best Liberal leader since John Howard.
Tony Simons from Balmain
In response to: Albanese’s politics of avoidance
The real reason for the US-Iran War
March 19, 2026
Michael Keating – and many other well-informed sources – still seem perplexed about the motive for the US-Iran war. The core aim of the Trump War against Iran has been in plain sight since well before its start. It is the acquisition of $15 trillion worth of Iranian oil reserves. This was made clear by the US National Energy Dominance Council months ago (Sept 2025). It is the biggest planned theft in human history, with the proceeds going to favoured US oil companies and the Trump crime family. Its main disadvantage is that it is very difficult to...
Julian Cribb from Canberra, ACT
In response to: A war without clear objectives is turning against Trump
Albanese’s politics of avoidance
March 19, 2026
Albanese has shamefully appropriated the harsh asylum seeker policies of Howard, Abbott and Morrison. Now he has passed legislation to block Iranians from landing in Australia. A big change from 2001 when he publicly protested against Howard. Why is Albanese fixated on not being wedged while Labor is certain to win the 2028 election and likely to win 2031? The Labor government is now Coalition lite.
Tony Simons from Balmain NSW 2041
In response to: John Menadue and Albanese's fear of the wedge
Zionism is now causing problems worldwide
March 19, 2026
Sue Wareham’s article makes some good points. However I hope our government is genuinely trying to stay out of an offensive war against Iran. Whether one is pro-Zionism or not, there is no denying that it has led to a new war with flow on effects throughout the world. Among others, every Australian now knows the personal cost of that. Family debt strains are about to threaten “soco”. Some of the about 70 per cent of Jewish Australians shown in two Monash University surveys to support Zionism won’t be immune. Turning to the human side of the bloodletting since the...
Geoff Taylor from Borlu (Perth)
In response to: The government is sanitising Australia’s involvement in the Iran war
AUKUS boondoggle
March 19, 2026
Can I here add my name and wholehearted support to Doug Cameron and the campaign he is co-authoring against the swindle of AUKUS imposed upon us by that Dodgy Brother Scott Morrison and now supported by a supine Labor government. If we can kill this financial dissimulation and fraud it will enable scarce resources to be committed to things that will benefit the Australian population rather than the US and UK failing military-industrial complexes. Hundreds of schools, hospitals, universities and further education institutions so badly needed in an under-educated Australia, high-speed rail networks, power networks and generation (green) and...
Les Macdonald from Balmain NSW 2041
In response to: AUKUS: So many questions, so few answers
The coming energy crisis
March 12, 2026
I am grateful to Eugene Doyle for spelling out the details of the coming energy shock arising from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It's a case of batten down the hatches, though I'm not sure the Albanese government fully understands the gravity of the crisis at hand. Energy analyst Matt Mushalik wrote to his local federal MP Jerome Laxale recommending or noting the following: (1) Reduce or stop permanent migration. Every migrant will increase the length of petrol lines and demand for goods in shopping centres. (2) Diesel is most important. Government must think of priorities. Agriculture,...
Jenny Goldie from Cooma NSW
In response to: Going for the jugular – the energy shock is coming
Albo's cowardice is painting a target on our backs
March 12, 2026
The comment by Paul Dibb that: “The joint US–Australia intelligence facility at Pine Gap near Alice Springs will be by far China’s most important and time-urgent nuclear target. should send an ice-spike of fear down Albanese's backbone, if indeed he has such a thing. Many years ago, I was a student at ANU of what is now known as geopolitics and Des Ball was one of my tutors. I have written of this before but it needs repetition. Pine Gap is unquestionably a highly prime target for any entity involved in combat with the USA that has the...
Richard Llewellyn from Colo Vale
In response to: How US bases make Australia part of the Iran war
Gas companies are ripping us off
March 11, 2026
Thank you to Peter Sainsbury for shining a light on Australia’s LNG exporters, who are reaping windfall profits from conflict in the Middle East. Companies such as Santos and Woodside have played a major role in making Australia the second‑largest exporter of climate pollution globally. The resulting climate impacts – intensifying floods, fires and heatwaves – are hitting communities hard, yet the public receives very little benefit from the gas being extracted. Senator David Pocock has revealed that the beer excise brings in more revenue than the petroleum resource rent tax. This is deeply unfair. When the Albanese government curb...
Amy Hiller from Melbourne, Victoria
In response to: Environment: A hotter Middle East, a warming Arctic and heatwaves that won't ret
Australian doomcasters
March 11, 2026
The club of Australian doom forecasters that come out of the woodwork every so often to predict the end of civilisation as we know it, can always be relied upon to do their acts on cue for their masters in the MSPO (Main stream propaganda organs) and the MIC (Military-Industrial complex) when orders for new military hardware and are not doing so well and when the Murdoch and SMH/Age sewers want to frighten the bejesus out of the bewildered herd to boost their readership and to control the public mind. But like Chicken Little they have done it so often...
Les Macdonald from Balmain NSW 2041
In response to: Three years on, where is the China war we were warned of?
Touche!
March 11, 2026
In his inimitable combative style Keating disembowels the pompous and self-aggrandising scribbler Hartcher. It really is a tribute to the incapacity of the new ownership of the SMH and The Age to cope with the role of the Fourth Estate, to hold power to account and to report honestly and without bias. Paul eviscerates them forensically!!
Les Macdonald from Balmain NSW 2041
In response to: Herald, Age news abuse shamefully exposed
Thanks to John Menadue on the 'Red Alert' anniversary
March 10, 2026
Three years since 'Red Alert' marks the third anniversary of my consigning mainstream newspapers (as they once were) to oblivion. Yes, I still read bits, so I know what others are talking about, and almost always readers' letters for a (biased) selection of community views. Free-to-air TV news is no better. (I won't mention S**.) So for factual content, expanded context, informed commentary, as little bias as possible (because we're all biased to some degree), then I choose alternative news media, all online. For me, Pearls and Irritations leads the pack. There are a few others I read more...
Margaret Callinan from Hawthorn VIC 3122
In response to: Message from the Editor, March 7, 2026
Robowar
March 10, 2026
Re Donald Rothwell’s article: Rubio said that the US launched an armed attack on Iran because Israel was going to. After Penny Wong’s initial hosedown, we find Australian sailors embedded in a US submarine, and our military in Bahrain involved. They are committed to Trump and Hegseth-rules war without any say from us, because (Richard Marles) we weren't warned in advance. So we couldn't say no. The submarine sinks an Iranian vessel inside Sri Lanka's EEZ, communications with the submarine going through Harold Holt station at Exmouth, WA run by our government's CASG. Not even the murder of 160 schoolgirls in Minab,...
Geoff Taylor from Borlu (Perth)
In response to: International law or ‘might is right’? Australia’s choice on Iran
Antisemitisim Royal Commission and free speech
March 10, 2026
I made a submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion with an emphasis on the inadequacy of the limits of the IHRA definition of antisemitism and suggested that the Royal Commission should examine, instead, the alternative Jerusalem Declaration which has an equal focus on antisemitism and free speech. Apparently the Commissioner has already declared and decided that the controversial IHRA definition is not controversial – indicating the Commission has already decided to join the campaign of Zionists and Labor government to censor free speech about Israel's apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
David Griffiths from Mordialloc, Victoria 3195
In response to: nia Bell, the head of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion,
An Australian Pledge
March 10, 2026
I wonder about the lack of respect we seem to be developing with differing opinions others hold. It was even highlighted in parliament the other day. There is also the amount of litter and rubbish that is now spreading across the land. I also have seen a lot of information on how indoctrination takes hold. So I have thought why not begin our country's own indoctrination? I'd love people's ideas – I have tried not to make it to complex. Hand on heart We Australians believe that all of us have the right to live in harmony, respecting...
Peter Bolton from nsw
In response to: An Australian Pledge
Thank you, Gareth Evans
March 10, 2026
Thank you, Gareth for your clear-eyed discussion of the nuances of legitimacy and illegality of war. I’ve been dismayed (to say the least) by the line being trod by the Australian government to not upset Donald Trump. I’ve written to the Prime Minister, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister to say the same. David Pope’s ‘tits on a bull’ cartoon expressed my sentiments very nicely. Thanks Pearls and Irritations for publishing thoughtful and challenging pieces.
Leah Nichles from Brisbane
In response to: When is an illegal war morally defensible?
Which flag Tony and Angus ?
March 10, 2026
While I don't have an intimate knowledge of T Abbott or A Taylor's family history's but on their performance in Parliament and in particular when leading the charge of Opposition for opposition sake i would be very surprised if their ancestors fought under the Southern Cross flag and not at all surprised that the fought under the Union Jack as second son commission purchased officers. I doubt they consider the Southern Cross flag as Australian and I have no doubt that they would be leading the charge against changing our out dated colonial flag and as such they should keep...
Bob Pearce from Adelaide SA
In response to: the-southern-cross
Someone has put the blinkers on us
March 10, 2026
All of this recent talk of a fractured world order is not new. The United Nations-brokered Cold War was replaced by a uni-polar moment. That is now evolving into a dance of hegemons. Calls for like-minded middle powers such as Canada and Australia to find common cause make common sense. Five Eyes will remain our default setting through ties of history, culture and language, but that needn't be all we see. BRICS has also emerged as a result of the fractured world-as-was order. It offers an alternative way forward. It allows like-minded countries, including some middle and some emerging powers,...
Hal Duell from Alice Springs
In response to: Canada and Australia: working together – without the US
Gareth Evans on morality
March 10, 2026
Dear Gareth. As someone who has been arrested multiple times for acts of peaceful, civil disobedience, I concur with Gareth Evans that conscience and morality sometimes demand that one ignore the law, though one expects to be prosecuted regardless. That's the trade-off a moral man agrees to when he commits the offence. If you believe in your cause, then you must be prepared to wear the punishment and not care, for your cause is just. But what if governments wilfully break the law in pursuit of immoral, inhuman, despicable aims? If a government illegally maintained diplomatic, political,...
Rick Pass from Yarrawonga, Vic, Yorta Yorta country.
In response to: When is an illegal war morally defensible?
Monarchy is 'Cruel and Unusual Punishment'
March 10, 2026
Jenny Hocking convincingly lays out the social, political and constitutional problems with granting power and privilege to the members of the British royal family. But there is another side to the case against the existence of a hereditary monarchy. Quite simply, it ruins lives. Princess Margaret was forbidden to marry a divorced RAF Group Captain (who was posted overseas to get him out of the way). Prince Charles was not permitted to marry Camilla Parker-Bowles but was pressed into a contrived marriage with Diana Spencer. Prince Harry was hounded out of the royal family, in part for his choice...
Hugh Smith from Canberra
In response to: 'Rude, arrogant and entitled’: ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest is the inevitable concl
Promoting death and destruction
March 10, 2026
While in P&I Refaat Ibrahim discusses the duplicity of Israel and the US in negotiations with Iran, over in the mainstream media, The Age has the attitude-shaping headline Australia could help defend gulf states against Iran:Wong. More dishonesty. Iran is the baddie, many will believe. While the governance of Iran was – we have to say 'was' – horrific, it is reliably reported that Iran was sincere and cooperative in its cut-short negotiations. The only honest broker at the table was attacked by the other two. So, that headline ... Shouldn't we be defending Iran from attack? Isn't calling...
Margaret Callinan from Hawthorn VIC 3122
In response to: Diplomacy as cover – how the road to war with Iran was paved
US attacking unarmed vessels
March 10, 2026
This Iranian vessel was participating at the invitation of India in a mock battle exercise along with vessels of other friendly nations with India, including the US. As the US well knows the condition for vessels so participating is that they be unarmed to avoid errors. The US knew that but went ahead to torpedo the Iranian vessel off the coast of Sri Lanka. Hegseth's grotesque boasting about a US nuclear powered submarines attacking an unarmed vessel and killing nearly 100 sailors as though it were some sort of achievement is a monstrous illustration of the moral character of the...
Les Macdonald from Balmain NSW 2041
In response to: Wong took it at face value (dare one ever do otherwise with the Trump administra
Yes but FIFA has given its Peace Prize...
March 10, 2026
You might point out Jack to the Parliament House insider who passed on the suggestion made by a senior and influential minister that Australia nominate the Trump for the Nobel peace Prize, that the Government's public affirmation of Socceroo participation in the forthcoming FIFA jamboree, will do enough to send the right signals to the White House, to the Felon and his gang, that Australian fealty is assured to the one who decreed (Jan 20, 2025) that his proudest legacy will be that of peace-maker. Since the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize that inauguration promise has surely been fulfilled!
Bruce Wearne from BALLARAT CENTRAL
In response to: Cowardice and kowtowing risk Australia becoming the fall guy in Trump’s wars and