April 15 – 21, 2017
News
Comment
Comment
Nicholas Gruen
Making the Reserve Bank a “people’s bank”
“Right now the Reserve Bank could provide us all with cheap, basic “exchange settlement accounts” enabling us to make payments to each other as we do today using our banks’ online facilities. It would be faster – instant, instead of 24 hours or more – cheaper and safer than the electronic cobweb connecting banks today. The central bank could also lend to people and businesses that provide super-safe collateral. They could fund your home up to, say, 65 per cent of its value, or 45 per cent for prime business real estate. ”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Malcolm Turnbull, Gautam Adani and the Carmichael mine
“Turnbull is caught between the wily billionaire Gautam Adani and the hyperventilation of the Nationals prepared to give the businessman whatever he wants to get the giant Carmichael mine project in Queensland going. And, by the way, assist other billionaires such as Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart develop their stakes in opening up the Galilee Basin as a gigantic new coal precinct.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Author George Saunders on learning about mortality
Acclaimed short fiction author George Saunders – whose debut novel Lincoln in the Bardo deepens his interest in mortality and grief – talks about youth, fame, and the pleasure of every minute in which you’re not dead.
Film
Kristen Stewart and Olivier Assayas’s ‘Personal Shopper’
Although at times a slightly confused ghost story, Personal Shopper trades on the talent of Kristen Stewart and her connection with director Olivier Assayas.
Portrait
Dance psychotherapist Liz Foster
“Liz Foster watches her group of dancers carefully. She’s a teacher, clearly, and one deeply invested in the progress of her students. She stands at the edge of the class with her fingers pressed just above her clavicle, that universal sign of quiet pride. ”
Food
I never tire of this recipe. I started cooking it when I started my apprenticeship. It was one of the first things I learnt to cook. This week in the restaurant we cooked the same recipe as a snack at the bar. Admittedly, the one I cooked 25 years ago used local cheddar. The one we cooked this week used 18-month-aged Gruyere de comté.
Books
Life
Travel
The cats of Kuching, Malaysia
In Malaysia’s ‘city of cats’, Kuching, the author finds a feline museum surprisingly lacking finesse.
The Quiz
Quotes
HOUSING
“It’s not something you’re meant to get – the two-car garage – when you’re 22.”
The senator reminds young people that home ownership is only a dream. Speaking of greed: Hinch has four ex-wives and someone else’s liver.
WAR
“I was sitting at the table. We had finished dinner, we’re now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake.”
The United States president describes the moment he bombed Syria. It was no doubt a delicious cake, but nothing tastes as good as military aggression feels.
PRESS
“I made a mistake. There’s no other way to say it.”
The White House spokesman apologises for saying that Bashar al-Assad is worse than Hitler. Despite the beliefs of some Trump supporters, it’s not a competition.
CRIME
“They should be apologising to me for the shell in the oyster shot, the overpriced food and the lobster was overcooked.”
The Gold Coast man who fled into the sea rather than pay for $621 worth of lobster mornay, oyster shooters and baby octopus complains about the quality of the food. He was charged with stealing, assault and rapping under the name 2Pec.
AVIATION
“I apologise for having to re-accommodate these passengers.”
The chief executive of United Airlines apologises for a man being beaten near unconscious after he refused to get off an overbooked flight. Re-accommodate is an ugly word, but it still doesn’t quite do the situation justice.
DEATHS
“We always knew we were lucky; we always felt lucky. He was a great dad.”
The daughter of John Clarke mourns the death of her father. He was 68.
