May 14 – 20, 2022
News
Comment
Comment
John Hewson
We are in the mud
“Whether or not Scott Morrison can engineer the miracle of his second coming on May 21, he will leave significant negatives in terms of the Liberal Party and public policy in our country. The standard of political debate, and the respectability and responsibility of candidates, has nosedived to its murkiest levels. We are there – we are in the mud.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
The Influence
Gary Abrahams
For director and playwright Gary Abrahams, the physical expressiveness of Pina Bausch’s dance theatre work Café Müller is a revelation.
Fiction
Completing the 1080 project
“I have recently taken it upon myself to work my way through the internet in search of my ancestry. I call it my 1080 Project. As a wise old tech-savvy male elder of the family Rattus rattus, and with no chance of a pleasant natural death, I’m planning to avail myself of our voluntary euthanasia as soon as I’ve completed the project.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Race
“I don’t know what a white power symbol looks like.”
The One Nation senator explains that he was not aware the young men behind him in a photograph were making racist hand gestures. He said he rejects “all forms of racism” – except the ones that are party policy or make him laugh.
Puzzles
“We want Wordle to remain distinct from the news.”
The newspaper apologises for the word game’s solution – fetus – coinciding with a national debate over abortion. Meanwhile, women are switching in droves to a new four-letter word game inspired by the same events.
Technology
“Today, the spirit of iPod lives on.”
Apple’s senior vice-president of worldwide marketing announces the company’s decision to discontinue the music player. Finally, it has shuffled off this mortal coil.
Politics
“Anthony Albanese is a loose unit.”
The prime minister attempts to tighten the screws on his political opponent. Possibly he overestimates the Australian people’s affection for uptight micromanagers.
Sport
“Look, we’ve all made mistakes and you just want to learn from those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward.”
The golf promoter excuses the murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi government. Speaking of mistakes, taking money from a bloodthirsty regime to set up a breakaway golf tournament is right up there.
Preferences
“We can’t be everything for everybody.”
The deputy prime minister explains why he is giving his first preferences to One Nation. The party has changed, he says, but he hasn’t.
