May 22, 2024

US in high-risk legal gamble as court grants Assange leave to appeal extradition

The US is playing a high-risk legal game in refusing to fold its tent and walk away from the prosecution of Australian citizen Julian Assange for exposing US war crimes.

September 17, 2023

Smothered indigenous voices

This is a story of what a voice can achieve and how easily it is undone by external forces.

December 20, 2020

For the Love of Donald

Since losing the election, Donald Trump has raised $207 million, in a campaign ostensibly to pay for his hopeless lawsuits alleging electoral fraud. It recalls a phrase made famous a century ago, No one ever lost money underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

November 14, 2020

Something to think about other than that election

In the past 75 years, there have been two authors who have profoundly demonstrated the effects when language is mangled and distorted and, conversely, how to write clearly and powerfully.

October 11, 2020

Uncivil society: women's contributions grossly undervalued

Judging by last weeks budget, the federal government grossly undervalues the contributions made by female workers, both unpaid and paid. Given the huge contribution of women in care jobs during the worst of the pandemic, the absence of support is seen as deeply offensive.

August 13, 2023

Will the media miss another massive grassroots campaign?

A great illustration of how much of the media totally overlooks the huge grassroots campaign for Yes is the fact that the Jewish communitys far-reaching campaign has been unsighted in mainstream media coverage of the referendum.

July 17, 2023

Australian Values its your choice, and there is an easy way to make it

Some readers may recall that under the Morrison government in 2020 the Department of Home Affairs released a document called Life in Australia: Australian values and principles.

June 9, 2023

Brand Loyalty

I am in complete sympathy with Jennifer Bush Pearls and Irritations 5, June 2023 in resigning from the Labor Party because of Prime Minister Albaneses congratulations to Israel despite its governments disgraceful treatment of Palestinian people.

April 8, 2023

Public housing options for Australia

Figures show that the level of public housing has hardly increased in more than 20 years, even though the Australian population has increased markedly (by about 30%).

September 2, 2021

The Covid pandemic as a force for change in Australian society and governance

The pandemic can teach us how to have a more economically and culturally equitable community.

May 12, 2022

If I were the Federal Minister for Health

I would introduce a new way of paying health providers, address the Commonwealth/State blame game and reform the health workforce.

September 17, 2024

For a pacific Pacific: thoughts about how to promote peace

Naval and air standoffs, sabre-rattling and accusations of underhand dealings are heightening tensions in the Asia-Pacific region and causing a security dilemma. It does not have to be like this. Diplomacy and referral to international dispute resolution mechanisms can make a difference.

June 14, 2024

In the face of disinformation and democratic decay, humanities graduates are more important than ever

As university history lecturers, we like to imagine that we are instilling in our students a deep interest in the subjects we teach. We want to foster a lifelong curiosity about the world, as well as the ability to pursue knowledge and refine understanding. Happily, these capacities also happen to be those needed in modern workplaces, such as being able to evaluate information, think independently and communicate effectively.

April 20, 2024

Dutton plays to his base while Albanese neglects his

Next month marks two years since the Albanese Government came to power on 22 May 2022, leaving just one year remaining for his government to implement its agenda. At this critical time, significant numbers of Labor Party members and supporters have found themselves thinking of his government in power as Liberal-lite.

August 4, 2023

On the Voice, supporters urged to be loud and proud

Campaigners for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament believe the referendum may be just 75 days away, and have urged supporters to step up, and be loud and proud in championing a yes vote.

July 20, 2023

Racism, the 'No' campaign and the Americanisation of Australian politics

There may be some Coalition politicians and Murdoch employers who are motivated by genuine racism to oppose the Voice to Parliament. Some might believe First Nations Australians are unworthy. Some probably believe in reverse racism. That, of course, is the belief that there is a correct direction for racism to travel.

July 1, 2023

The ineptitude of childcare policies

Monday next week starts a new childrens services funding program by increasing the government subsidies to parents, as described below.

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is changing from July 2023. For the average family on about $120,000 with a child in care three days a week, the changes will cut costs by about $1,700 a year. Most families using early childhood education and care will get more subsidy.

June 21, 2023

Like the Hydra: Strategic incapacitation fails to decapitate the climate movement

Blockade Australias return this week, in larger numbers and across three locations, represents a victory over Strategic incapacitation, a policing technique that aims to smash the organising ability of a group of people, such that the group can no longer function. Like the hydra, we are back threefold. You cannot decapitate the climate movement, they stated.

June 5, 2023

Catholics should go where the government isnt

I do hope that the Catholic Church remains closely involved in providing health care to Canberra citizens, particularly the poorer ones, after the takeover by the government of Calvary public hospital. Indeed I suspect it could be making for itself, and Canberra citizens, greater treasure in heaven if it got entirely out of the provision of government-funded health care and concentrated on areas where the less well-off were not as well served by government as they could be and should be.

May 12, 2023

Budget focus on primary health care; a missed opportunity for ageing Australia

We need a radical rethink of the way we structure a 100-year life.

July 12, 2024

Rodents in the ranks

The experience of recent injuries to the pro-integrity culture in the federal public service are rather like sensations, in dream or reality, of rodents scurrying up the legs of one’s pyjama pants. Disconcerting, unwelcome and potentially eye-watering.

April 23, 2024

Capitalism is the single greatest source of violence

What the present moment reveals, once again, is that Western aggression during the “Cold War” was never about destroying socialism, as such. It was about destroying movements and governments in the periphery that sought economic sovereignty. Why? Because economic sovereignty in the periphery threatens capital accumulation in the core.

September 22, 2023

Has Australian Catholic University just lost the right to call itself Catholic"?

Wheres Cardinal George Pell when you need him? Gone to God, I know, but as one of the founders and a former Chancellor of Australian Catholic University (ACU), he would be horrified at what is currently happening there. Why?

July 10, 2022

The mass ethnic cleansing of Syrian Kurds is collateral damage from the war in Ukraine

Kurds are suffering the greatest collateral damage form the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian refugees attract global attention, but the Ukraine war has opened the door wide to the mass expulsion of two million Syrian Kurds, which is likely to take place in the coming months. Turkey is threatening to complete the ethnic cleansing of Kurds from northern Syria which it began five years ago.

May 15, 2021

Budget Blues and what's not in the news

This week we had Budget night, with the anticipated cash splurge which is expected to set the Government up for re-election in the next 12-months. The last budget was in October 2020, with special emergency budgeting required to manage Covid-19 over the last 12 months. Just 7 months later, and despite the much improved economic and budget position, I could just as easily have copied and pasted my comments from October last year as the analysis for what we saw announced last night.

September 25, 2024

South Australia joins Denmark in elite club of two, 'pushing the boundaries' of renewable energy integration

South Australia has joined an elite global club, after being listed alongside Denmark as the only other energy system in the world to be successfully managing significant volumes of surplus variable renewable energy across the year – albeit with a lot of hard work ahead.

August 3, 2024

US buttresses anti-China wall – Asian Media Report

In Asian media this week: America bolsters defence ties with Tokyo, Seoul and Manila. Plus: Diplomat a strong voice for polite countries; India planning Ukraine peace effort; BRICS nations interested in Belt and Road scheme; Beijing to unleash domestic demand; Olympic swimmers awesome but archers more so.

June 24, 2024

Private schools serving richest NSW families over-funded by millions

New figures reveal scandalous over-funding of NSW Independent schools serving the richest families in the state. Hundreds of millions of taxpayer funds are being squandered on just 52 highly privileged schools while public schools go begging.

August 17, 2023

3 ways the Victorian governments bail reforms fall short and why it must embrace Poccums Law

The bail reform billtabledin the Victorian parliament this week seeks to undo some of the worst parts of the Bail Act, which was condemned as a complete and unmitigated disaster in thecoronial inquestinto the passing of Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman Veronica Nelson in 2020.

July 10, 2023

The case for universal early childhood education

The implementation of universal high-quality early childhood education could be a game changer for Australian families and the economy.

May 23, 2023

Tax cuts and JobSeeker a different view

There is understandable disappointment that the Government did not do more to improve the adequacy of JobSeeker, with many highlighting how this could have been done by scrapping the Stage 3 tax cuts. But the revenues from scrapping Stage 3 are not as great as most commentators suggest; and, though the Budgets welfare measures provide some welcomerelief, they leave fundamental problems in the structure of the welfare system and add to its complexity one of the many issues that contributed to Robodebt and the difficulties welfare recipients have in dealing with Centrelink.

October 28, 2020

A first-use US nuclear posture would be dangerous for the world and for Australia.

First use confronts Australia and the region with a real possibility of utter catastrophe, and ambiguity is almost as bad. We must base our policies on the truism that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.

August 27, 2024

Would Harris adopt the militarism of the failed Biden Doctrine?

Past experience of Donald Trump is fuelling intense anxiety among the allies and partners of America; that oddly fearful collection of wealthy supplicant states. As Trump’s prospects of electoral success seem to fade, the issue becomes, will Kamala Harris carve out a different foreign policy path as president from Biden’s failed doctrine?

July 2, 2024

Labor cannot afford to ignore the recognition of Palestine

The Australian Labor Party will debate recognition of the State of Palestine at the upcoming NSW Labor State Conference, scheduled for 27 and 28 July at Sydney Town Hall. This State Conference will provide another forum for Labor members to consider, discuss and push for recognition of the State of Palestine in spite of pressure from right wing and Israel lobbyists.

September 19, 2023

Why The Voice will lead to better government decision-making

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to parliament will result in systemic and sustainable change in government decision-making and policy formulation affecting First Nations peoples. Here are four reasons why.

June 7, 2023

Chinese tourists turn their backs on Oz

The evidence is now in Chinese tourists are largely boycotting Australia.

June 3, 2023

Adam Goodes - If I'm only known for football then I've failed: must watch interview

You be the bigger person, and you walk away. AFL Legend and Co-Founder of the GO Foundation, Adam Goodes Gets Real with former Manchester United player and England Football Captain, Rio Ferdinand covering family, leadership, racism, culture and identity, and his love for sport.

February 27, 2020

DAVID SOLOMON. Sports rorts - illegal, unconstitutional and shonky

Illegal, unconstitutional and shonky. The sports rorts affair, like climate change, is not fading away. Both raise major political challenges for the government, but in somewhat different ways.

April 16, 2024

XR blocking arteries of capitalism labelled “catastrophic inconvenience”

One month ago, three Extinction Rebellion protesters led by Deana ‘Violet’ Coco blocked the Westgate Bridge to deliver a desperate plea to all Australians. ‘Climate Breakdown has Begun.’

September 14, 2023

Crossing the William Barak Bridge

The woman with the Yes pamphlets outside the MCG on Saturday was unwavering.

August 25, 2023

Growing concern at Gusmão’s direction for Timor-Leste

Australia’s leading financial media platform, the Australian Financial Review, raised the red flag about the future of Timor-Leste this month, with International Editor Professor James Curran’s article, Timor-Leste on brink of failure.

August 15, 2023

Housing crisis, what housing crisis?

Newspapers decry it; yet market-led inflation more broadly is tut-tutted away as a sacred mystery central to a free and working capitalist system. Government mandated inflation however, which society must pay to maintain a balanced economy, does not please anyone.

September 8, 2022

The medium is the message: Marshall McLuhan saw the catastrophe coming

_It is more than 50 years since the astute cultural critic Marshall McLuhan burst into the academic world with his perplexing insights into the meaning of communications and how they would affect mankind. He declaimed, The medium is the message. I had just turned 30 and was enrolled for an MA in the Stanford University Communications Department. I didnt understand what McLuhan meant, but as another popular truth at the time was, Dont trust anyone over thirty, I kept my mouth shut and listened.

October 28, 2020

Threats or inducements in dealing with China?

The day after__US State Secretary Mike Pompeo announced hell be visiting__India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia this month to try and keep the Indian Ocean nations on side, his rival for the regions attention ,China, was making its pitch courtesy of an Indonesian think tank. The approaches were remarkably unalike one a clenched fist, the other an apparently open hand.

October 4, 2024

Why I can't celebrate the Jewish new year

I am a cultural Jew because I am an atheist. I cannot celebrate the Jewish New Year because of the continuing horror in Gaza, and now in Lebanon.

September 8, 2024

Not all deaths at sea are equal

Dave Kellaway reports from Italy, and reflects on the media coverage of the sinking of the luxury yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily compared to the way the deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean are usually reported.

September 6, 2024

From Deng to Xi, the China miracle

On 22 August, China commemorated the 120th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping’s birth. The third Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China in 1978 marked the beginning of China’s reform and opening-up under the leadership of Deng. His reforms transformed China from one of the poorest countries to the world’s second-largest economy. China’s gross domestic product expanded at what economists have described as a “miracle rate”.__

August 24, 2024

Australia should lead the world in tackling the climate emergency

The scientific advice is clear; the world is tracking towards a climate catastrophe. Shamefully, the Australian government is contributing to the risk of a catastrophe with its support for fossil fuels, especially with its plan for a long-term expansion of gas production. This is a major policy failure.

August 26, 2023

The World Cup and the folly of media laws

Long departed architects of media laws have left a lasting stain on the media landscape and the intellectual and cultural milieu of Australia.

Pearls and Irritations

John Menadue's Public Policy Journal