February 6 – 12, 2021
News
Comment
Comment
Richard Ackland
How Covid-19 transformed the courts
“The suffering has been intense. No costumes, no theatre, no crowds, no greasepaint. Barristers have been beside themselves for months as Covid-19 cancelled performances in courtrooms throughout the land. To have one’s stage so cruelly confiscated is a bitter pill for legal thespians who spent the best years of their life perfecting special flourishes and routines.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Election fever grips parliament’s return
“Try as he might, Scott Morrison can’t help letting slip his early-election ambitions. His most telling giveaway was in his first pep talk of the year to the Coalition party room in the Great Hall at Parliament House. But the prime minister merely confirmed the buzz of expectation that was already spreading through the corridors of power.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Magician James Galea
Magic – one of the most traditional arts – has been slow to embrace inclusivity, but magicians such as James Galea are changing the culture.
In Progress
Mo’Ju
Over the past year, parenthood and the pandemic have given ARIA award-winning artist Mo’Ju the chance to think big about her next album.
Fiction
Emily
“It was a short walk to the field. Do you remember the field, as you remember me? Small and plain – but good? Thankfully, it was no longer thick with snow. Just green and brown and pink under blues. As I told you, it was always my chapel where I gave thanks to God. Now it was holy again. I was resolved to meet Him soon. On two plain card tables shaded by cherry trees near the verge of wildflowers were slices of black cake and rye bread with butter. (No prize winners, these.) Also weak ale in cracked china mugs. Mr and Mrs E. D. had little to give – but they gave. Guests stood and ate politely. Then, in the field’s dewy middle: a mahogany gaming table from the last century, heavy, with fine marquetry. Satin pillows, with embroidery. And sitting on these: two sabres.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Business
“Invention is the root of our success. We’ve done crazy things together, and then made them normal.”
The Amazon founder announces he is stepping down as chief executive. The line is alarmingly similar to messages he sent Lauren Sánchez, but mercifully did not include a picture of his penis.
Errata
“I apologise to Mr Rudd for any damage caused by him – to him – by my false statement.”
The Sky News host apologises for suggesting Kevin Rudd planned to misuse the email addresses from his petition for a royal commission into media influence. Next up, an apology for the “brutal retail politics” of framing the carbon price as a tax.
Sport
“I said it was a proud day for Collingwood and I shouldn’t have.”
The Collingwood president apologises for his response to a report into the racist culture of the club under his leadership. He now understands “structural racism” is not “the good one you can build things out of”.
Science
“Craig Kelly MP is sharing the truth over and over again and keeps moving forward without fear.”
The conspiracy theorist and chef finds accord with coronavirus misinformation being posted by the member for Hughes. Interestingly, activated almond is a popular nickname for Craig Kelly’s brain.
Covid-19
“We’ll be crossing to a press conference with Dan Murphy – uh, Dan Andrews, soon.”
The ABC news anchor confuses the Victorian premier with a bottle shop. Which says a lot about state parliament on Wednesday night.
Welfare
“Ray, good to talk to you. Never thought you and I would be talking about prostitutes.”
The minister for the NDIS tells Ray Hadley he will pass legislation to prevent the insurance scheme from covering sex work. Hadley joked that if he did expect to talk about sex workers with the minister, it would not be in this context.
