July 5 – 11, 2025
News
Comment
Comment
Kim Williams
The case for investment in the ABC
“The Scandinavian countries punch like heavyweights in entertainment, while we, with a far larger population, are currently bantamweights. Australia needs to win back its reputation for gripping storytelling. We can, if we believe in ourselves and invest in that belief.”
Comment
John Hewson
The need for a national debate on defence
“As opinions about our defence posture gather force, the case for complete transparency of the process has become overwhelming. The Australian people have a right to know what discussions are being undertaken, and what deals, commitments and understandings are being entered into.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Musician Lisa Simone
Lisa Simone has long stepped out of the shadow of her famous mother, Nina Simone, but keeps her promise to continue her heritage.
Podcasts
Diversity Work
One of the most original Australian podcasts of recent years, Pearl Tan’s award-winning Diversity Work is a savagely funny look at institutional racism.
Poetry
Four poems
“Some tired nights are just a put-on for sleeping / if wake-ups sometimes unfurl in uppercase bold / or wallow in triggering charades or hectic sense.
Shuttling through dreams and their unruly debriefings / I’m pieced together barely, as a funky slippage told / with an addition of madcap or cryptic interest.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Universities
“I do like a good pair of shoes. I own a lot of them.”
The vice-chancellor of the Australian National University opens up about her love of shoes. She offered that she owned fewer than Imelda Marcos, but who’s talking about kleptocratic dictators anyway?
Money
“Let me put it in language and in a way that the Queensland treasurer can understand – it’s just bullshit, right?”
The Victorian premier responds after Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki claimed his state’s GST contributions were “going to Victoria to keep their hospital lights on”. It is not clear how this impacts Flo Bjelke-Petersen’s curtains.
Stadiums
“If it’s of singular use in terms of its purpose and its singular use, there is certainly less visual clutter to deal with.”
The architect lends his support to Hobart’s proposed stadium. He says razing the old buildings on Macquarie Point will give a “calmer” effect to the neighbourhood.
Council
“There were a lot of issues with the process, conflict of interest ...”
The Melbourne City councillor complains that the lord mayor acted unilaterally in giving Robbie Williams the keys to the city. The real issue was finding a bump big enough to do off them, which at least one new hospitality megaplex is looking to address.
Fruit
“What we would really like to achieve out of this is for it to be a structure that is in the shape of the pear …”
The spokesman for Shepparton’s steering group on building a three-storey fibreglass pear explains his vision for the project. No word on how it’s intended to taste.
Art
“To Khaled and Michael – I’ve done it in person, but to say it here very publicly, I want to apologise to them for the hurt …”
The acting chair of Creative Australia apologises to Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino. A report found no major failure in the decision to sack the pair, which is why their commission for the Venice Biennale was reinstated.
