June 1 – 7, 2019
News
Comment
Comment
Kon Karapanagiotidis and Jana Favero
Saving asylum seekers’ lives
“While we grapple with the on-ground reality of the election result, nothing is weighing more heavily than what this means for the men and women stranded on Manus and Nauru. Policy change after nearly six years of being imprisoned, being denied freedom and justice, was the last hope many held out for. That hope has now vanished.”
Comment
Sarah Krasnostein
Character assessment in sentencing decisions
“Some time between 8.58am and 10.43am on June 29, 2016, after Borce and Karen Ristevski’s daughter, Sarah, left for work, Borce killed Karen, his wife of 27 years, in a manner known only to himself. He then moved her body from their home, placed it in the boot of her car, drove to Mount Macedon Regional Park, north-west of Melbourne, and concealed it before proceeding to lie about his actions to their family, the police and the public for years. By the time investigators found Karen’s body in the isolated bushland where it had been hidden by Ristevski, it was no longer possible to determine a cause of death.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Morrison and Albanese set out their plans
“Already, the race is on for the next election. Both a jubilant Scott Morrison and a perky Anthony Albanese are off and running. Morrison has set himself the task of winning a fourth term for the Coalition, while Albanese is determined to learn from the wreckage of the unloseable election and keep the focus as much as possible on the government.”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Actress Kat Stewart’s realms of possibility
Although Kat Stewart is well known for playing dark, in-your-face characters, her life experience has led her to a greater appreciation of hope and contentment. Her latest stage role is in Melbourne Theatre Company’s Heisenberg. “The idea I really love is that we spend all this energy trying to control our lives and take comfort in that … but we have very, very, very little control and what this play confronts you with is: What if that is not a bad thing?”
Visual Art
Bill Henson at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery
Following a seven-year hiatus, Bill Henson returns to Sydney with a show of carnal adolescence at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery. But despite the technical prowess evident in Henson’s work, the exhibition leaves the visitor questioning the Eurocentric world it portrays.
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
MEDIA
“Like ScoMo, I just want to get back on the horse.”
The broadcaster renews a two-year contract with 2GB, on $4 million a year. The figure set aside for baseless defamations was not disclosed.
MUSIC
“But as Billy Bragg said, not everything that counts can be counted.”
The new leader of the Labor Party quotes the British singer-songwriter on value. Bragg also said if you can’t say it in three minutes, it’s not worth saying.
RACE
“Some years ago I opined that London was not really an English city any more. Since then, virtually all my friends from abroad have confirmed my observation.”
The resident of the Caribbean island of Nevis complains about the cultural make-up of London. John Cleese is not really a comedian anymore – and virtually all our friends have confirmed it.
POLITICS
“We must burn for the Australian people every day.”
The prime minister restates his willingness to burn for his country. Be it climate policy or offshore detention, it’s a tasteless reference.
SPACE
“I’m going to go away for awhile.”
The singer decides to take a break from public life. He’ll be fine, though: he’s just going to pretend he’s dating someone really nice.
JUSTICE
“I decided to donate all monies to help provide some relief to the victims of the massacre... It wasn’t mine to keep.”
The boy who smashed an egg on Fraser Anning donates the money that was crowdfunded for him to victims of the Christchurch massacre. Anning donated back his senate seat, which was nice, too.