May 10 – 16, 2025
News
Comment
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
What Albanese can learn from Caesar
“Colleagues have no doubt the prime minister has seared into his brain the ephemeral nature of success and the need to continue showing the same focus and discipline that has seen Labor deliver a similar drubbing to the opposition as the one meted out by Howard in ’96 and Tony Abbott in 2013.”
Comment
Michael Gawenda
Confronting anti-Semitism
“Flyers were distributed by a neo-Nazi group in Melbourne electorates with significant numbers of Jews, including in Macnamara – the most ‘Jewish’ electorate in Victoria, held by the Jewish MP Josh Burns. Posters of Burns were defaced with red stars painted across his face.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Singer-songwriter Marlon Williams
On the eve of his Australian tour, Marlon Williams discusses how his very personal fourth album, Te Whare Tīwekaweka, brings together the different facets of his life.
Fiction
Solid rump
“The Hawks are running hot, that’s three goals to one in the third quarter and the lead’s been cut to five. Ball goes up in the middle, Ripley taps down, Walker has it, quick handball to Jones, then over to Richards –
Smooth as butter, T. B.
Certainly is, Keggo – Richards back to Walker again and Walker sends a long, long raking punt into the empty paddock of the forward pocket, and now the footrace is on.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Bugs
“In all the years we’ve being doing that, we’ve never encountered it.”
An official at New Zealand’s Department of Conservation describes a carnivorous snail that lays eggs from its neck. It’s a cruel but not inaccurate description of Christopher Luxon.
Politics
“I believe I will be more eff ective … if I am a member of the Liberal Party.”
The Northern Territory senator announces she has defected to sit in the Liberal party room. She’s never met a group she hasn’t been keen to sell out.
Religion
“As my mother would have said: ‘Where are you going looking like that?’ ”
The Italian cardinal jokes about getting a haircut before heading into the conclave. To lead the Catholic Church, Mum.
Animals
“There’s no way known it could have come through however many days without being fed and watered.”
The mayor of Kangaroo Island comments on the physique of a dachshund found after 529 days in the wilderness. He did not elaborate on what kind of accomplice he was suggesting.
Trade
“The interest of Chinese beef traders in Australian beef is dramatically increasing.”
The sales manager of beef importer Tenderplus speculates on Australian cows making up the shortfall in China’s eff ective ban on American imports. The decision is worth a delicious $2.4 billion.
Crime
“I’d like to thank the 91 witnesses, and may I say most of them were young children that are scarred for life, and they helped my son on the day.”
The mother of Cassius Turvey comments after two men were convicted of beating her son to death. They will be sentenced on June 26.
