October 17 – 23, 2020
News
Comment
Comment
Natasha Stott Despoja
After the virus: A plan for women
“If ever we needed a gender lens on government policy, it is now. The impact of Covid-19 is being felt severely by many, but it is affecting women and men differently. This pandemic has highlighted, and exacerbated, existing inequalities in the home and the workforce.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Dark clouds descend on PM in the Sunshine State
“A beaming Scott Morrison gave the TV news crews the sort of picture opportunity they really appreciate. Perched behind a machinegun in the turret of a military tank, the prime minister was having a fun ride. The fun, however, didn’t last and the image became an apt metaphor for Morrison’s six days of scheduled campaigning in Queensland.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
José Roca, artistic director of the 23rd Sydney Biennale
In his first interview since his appointment, celebrated Colombian curator José Roca speaks about bringing a sense of radical urgency to his new role. “I intend to look for practices that are already under way and let the biennale be a catalyst for the process. One of my guiding principles is to build upon what is already built.”
Opera
The Diary of One Who Disappeared
The Sydney Chamber Opera discovers a new intimacy in its filmed performance of Leoš Janáček’s feverish song cycle.
Fiction
Jacaranda
“The track through the vacant block is well used by commuters but no one else had been there that morning, a few months ago now, when the woman’s body stiffened and arched. Carolyn had watched, fascinated. She had never seen anyone have a seizure and had often wondered what it looked like. It didn’t last long – a couple of minutes at the most. Carolyn stayed until the woman was still, then hurried up the path towards the sound of her train. On the platform her heart raced as she realised how easily a seizure could be misconstrued as madness or drunkenness. She should have gone to her, called for help, but the sight of the woman’s body contorting and the awful groaning made Carolyn recoil. She had to get away.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Reunion
“Good to see you.”
The pontiff welcomes Cardinal George Pell back to the Vatican. Embezzlement, it seems, is the only truly unforgivable sin.
Politics
“If he wants to come, I’m more than happy, but I don’t need someone to hold my hand for a week.”
The Queensland premier says she doesn’t need Anthony Albanese to campaign with her. She does, however, need sexist clichés to upbraid her opponent, Deb Frecklington.
Power
“The Supreme Court can’t control whether or not the president obeys.”
Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee is asked whether the United States president has “absolute power”. To confirm, the court can control whether women have reproductive freedom.
Regrets
“My efforts and sincerity have not been sufficient enough to rid our people of the difficulties in their life.”
The dictator becomes emotional as he apologises to the North Korean people for failing to improve their lives. He went on to say their suffering is the fault of the rest of the world, and typhoons.
Judgement
“We’re all human, and particularly in those areas of our lives…”
The prime minister throws his support behind New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian after it was revealed she had had a secret five-year relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire. If only Barnaby Joyce had thought of this defence.
Election
“Do you know what is heartless? Thinking that someone else can cure these issues.”
The New Zealand opposition leader says obesity is a “personal choice”, just like torpedoing your own election campaign.
