June 2 – 8, 2018
News
Comment
Comment
Imran Mohammad
Manus Island and post-traumatic stress
“Simple things, which were completely normal, caused them shock and disturbance. The men had suffered mental torment for so long they imagined they were still on Manus in the detention centre, and so couldn’t put themselves into the real world. They had become institutionalised by the processes that took place in offshore detention. As a consequence, they were constantly concerned there would be no food left, so they all lined up at the same time for their meals. They could not remember simple behavioural practices. ”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Barnaby Joyce wreaks havoc again
“The exasperation in the government is palpable. ‘The only thing anyone is talking about this week is the Barnaby Joyce soap opera,’ was the reaction of one fed-up backbencher. But it is not only the distraction that is the issue; it is the spectre of the former deputy prime minister out for payback against his own side of politics.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Yolanda Ramke’s auteur layers
Screenwriter and actor Yolanda Ramke has now added directing to her list of achievements, turning her 2013 Tropfest zombie short Cargo into a feature-length film with the backing of Netflix, and bringing a distinctly Australian subtext to international viewers. “Ultimately, this is a story about parents and children, and about what we’ll do to protect and preserve those we love.”
Theatre
‘The Wizard of Oz’
A tricked-up Andrew Lloyd Webber version of a timeless classic has the viewer realising they’re not in Kansas anymore.
Portrait
Writer Eileen Myles
“The other side effect of success is that it has the potential to undermine the kind of embattled tenacity that often keeps marginal writers going for long enough to finally achieve it. I ask Myles what the impact of success has been on their work and identity. ‘Well… I mean, it’s the real thing of, say, being on trips like this, and having conversations like this… I think one of the difficulties of getting the attention that we all want so much is that increasingly your job is to be ‘you’, as opposed to being that person.’”
Food
“Pithivier is more a work of design than an absolute on how and what it’s made of. There are a few absolutes, though. It must be made with puff pastry. It must be circular. And it must have the rays of the sun etched into the top of the pastry so that, when baked, it represents a golden sun motif. Other than that, you can go your own way, fill it with all manner of sweet and savoury fillings, and make small ones or large ones.”
Books
Life
Health
Opt-out organ donation
While Britain looks set to pass an ‘opt-out’ organ donation law – reversing the principle of volunteering – even some transplant recipients are unconvinced such a system should be adopted in Australia.
The Quiz
Quotes
PRIVACY
“Like most mothers she said: ‘Seeing as I am being screwed over and there are drones and everything over my house … then [I am] going to make money out of it.’ ”
The backbencher blames his partner for the paid television interview they are doing together. It’s rude to question a man directly responsible for at least two mothers, but “most” mothers seems a stretch here.
PRISON
“Great meeting with @KimKardashian today, talked about prison reform and sentencing.”
The reality television star takes advice from a reality television star. A lot of people have been mean spirited about this, but someone has to explain to Trump where he is going.
TELEVISION
“There was only one thing to do here, and that was the right thing.”
The chief executive of Disney endorses the cancelling of Roseanne by ABC, a division of his company. It sends a strong message: that it is okay to be tedious and racist on television, but not on Twitter.
BIGOTS
“By working together, conservatives across our state can put a handbrake on the extreme elite ideologies that have infected Canberra.”
The face of the “No” campaign announces he is running for Cory Bernardi in Queensland. The man is down on same-sex unions and very okay with mixed metaphors.
UNITY
“Actually I didn’t realise she walked away. So I think I’ll be walking away too now.”
The One Nation senator ends a press conference about party unity after his leader walked away without him noticing. Pauline Hanson says the party is a bloc, which is true insofar as its members are all white.
MINISTERS
“I have complete faith in the minister, Senator Cash.”
The prime minister defends Michaelia Cash after she was subpoenaed by the Federal Court to give evidence in the AWU raids case. Turnbull’s complete faith protected Barnaby Joyce from the Constitution, so this is good news.
