October 6 – 12, 2018
News
Comment
Comment
Thomas Mayo
Getting the people behind the Uluru statement
“We carefully considered the history of our struggle, the many broken promises, and the way the Constitution and political system excluded us. We learnt from the way our representative bodies have been repealed in the past. We contemplated why so many royal commission and expert panel recommendations have disappeared into the abyss in Canberra. After all we went through, does Snowdon really believe we are so detached from the realpolitik?”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
The haunting of Scott Morrison
“Turnbull allies in the parliamentary party are increasingly sceptical of Scott Morrison’s ‘I knew nothing’ stance. One says Morrison confidant Stuart Robert, a former soldier, planned the manoeuvre with military precision, dudding Peter Dutton and Turnbull in the process. So with emotions still so raw it is little wonder the newly minted prime minister runs for fairly unconvincing cover every time the issue of the ‘coup’ is raised. ”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
The stocking truth of Polly Borland
Living in different places around the world has left artist Polly Borland feeling like an outsider with unwanted opinions, but she’s happy to let the subversion of her work speak for itself. “She grew up alone in this apartment with this doll,” Borland said of Dare Wright, creator of the Lonely Doll books. “Her mother would go out, leave her alone. Eventually she became a model and started taking photos. It’s no wonder I’m into dress-up. I get a lot from childhood. What might look childlike is not. There’s a sinister undertow to a lot of my imagery.”
Television
Guthrie, Milne and ABC programming
The current chaotic state of the ABC cannot be blamed on a single high-ranking person. And nor can its woefully mundane programming. Instead, it’s the fault of the c-word – compromise.
Portrait
Theatre designer Tracy Grant Lord
“Grant Lord’s role is to blur the lines between art, design and fashion as she honours the vision of the director, the capacity of the performer, the intention of the writer, and the experience of the audience. ‘[Designers] plant the seed, we transport people to a fantastical place, but the performers have to pull it off and create the magic. It’s like working out a puzzle. The essence is important: what is the audience going to believe? What is the best way of telling this story?’”
Books
Life
The Quiz
Quotes
EQUALITY
“The state and territory treasurers had a very good dinner last night where we discussed this issue, and there seems to be strong agreement that we should proceed to remove the GST from feminine hygiene products.”
The treasurer announces that tampons will join condoms, lubricant and Viagra as products exempt from GST. “Equal pay” and “seats in parliament” remain “luxury items”.
ALCOHOL
“I can honestly say I’ve never had a beer in my life… Can you imagine if I had, what a mess I’d be?”
The United States president slips in a little light relief while discussing sexual assault allegations against his Supreme Court nominee. It’s a chilling reminder that he is doing all this sober.
ELECTIONS
“If you look at my policy, and you look at the donkey votes, then I’ll win.”
The candidate for Katter’s Australian Party in the Wentworth byelection expresses his confidence after being placed first on the ballot paper. It’s rare to run on such an honest platform.
MEDIA
“An emotional campaign with Kylie singing a song... I thought that could be cool.”
The former ABC chairman reveals his thwarted plans to pay Kylie Minogue $750,000 to sing a song about the ABC. Who knew Malcolm Turnbull had such middle-of-the-road tastes.
CHILDREN
“Keeping our kids safe is the priority of every parent & it’s our Govt’s priority as well.”
The Home Affairs minister shares a story about child grooming, encouraging people to be aware of the dangers of the internet. Speaking of keeping children safe, how’s Nauru?
PROGRESS
“What we heard today is the type of thing you’d hear in a developing country.”
The Liberal political hopeful responds to suggestions people turn off their swimming pool pumps to save energy. Every home in the world having its swimming pool pump operating 24/7 is, of course, one of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals.
