April 6 – 12, 2019
News
Comment
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Remaking history with novelist Jordy Rosenberg
In his intricate debut novel, Confessions of the Fox, Jordy Rosenberg entwines the lives of an 18th-century transgender thief and the academic who becomes obsessed with his story. In doing so, Rosenberg aims to counteract the historical erasure – and the continuing persecution – of trans people. “There are many things missing from archives but sometimes even what is there can obscure more than it reveals.”
Film
Waiting: The Van Duren Story
A chance introduction to little-known ’70s Memphis power pop musician Van Duren on YouTube led two Australian fans on their own journey of filmmaking discovery.
Portrait
Vegan chef Joey Astorga
“Astorga says he had nothing to prove when he opened Paperbark. Yeah, look, he was pretty confident. He and his partners didn’t approach it as though they were opening a vegan restaurant. They just approached it as though they were opening any restaurant. To do that you have to be pretty confident – and also slightly insane. But it’s fun. ”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
DIGNITY
“I know what Borat would think of the Labor Party’s policies on emissions reduction, Mr Speaker. ‘Very nice!’ ”
The prime minister invokes Sacha Baron Cohen’s Kazakh character to attack the opposition’s environment announcements. While not a great impression, it was still more convincing than his attempts to impersonate Robert Menzies.
POLITICS
“It has been disappointing to see some government ministers being prepared to fan prejudice for political purposes.”
The senator speaks on a motion to censure Fraser Anning for his comments after the Christchurch massacre. In the other chamber, the prime minister practised his Borat impression.
TRADE
“You couldn’t pick a worse time of year because Mexico supplies virtually 100 per cent of the avocados in the US right now.”
The executive of the world’s largest avocado supplier warns America would run out of avocados in three weeks if Trump closed the border. If anything can get out the millennial vote, it’s this.
ECONOMY
“Every permutation of identity politics [is] catered for from the ‘diverse’ families to the woman in a hard hat and high-viz tending to a concrete mixer.”
The News Corp columnist criticises Josh Frydenberg’s first budget for being “ostentatiously woke”. She’s the only person left who believes this government is insufficiently cruel or small-minded.
RETIREMENT
“I don’t have a log cabin story like so many in this place. Although I did have to get my own lemon for a gin and tonic once.”
The member for Sturt gives his valedictory speech to parliament. At age 51, he’s excited to decide what he will do when he grows up.
REINVENTION
“A pseudonym including the word ‘Frontbottom’ was used, which I found to be inappropriate.”
The broadcaster responds to allegations he bullied staff at his top-rated 2GB show. Hadley said you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who hadn’t “lost their cool” in the workplace – and he will scream profanities at anyone who claims otherwise.
