January 17 – 23, 2026

News

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth leads out Australian Minister for Defence Richard Marles at an AUKUS press conference last month.

News

Image for article: Inside the Adelaide Writers’ Week collapse

News

Inside the Adelaide Writers’ Week collapse

The implosion of one of the country’s most storied writers’ festivals has led to a series of apologies and counterclaims about hypocrisy and censorship.

Danielle McMullen.

News

Is private healthcare facing an exodus?

As fees for private healthcare surge and cause many to cancel their plans, insurers blame inefficiencies in the private hospital system.

Iranians gather on the streets of Tehran.

Comment

Letters, Cartoon & Editorial

Cartoon

ReadCartoon image, links to full cartoon page

Editorial
Dead parrot sketch

It is difficult to know which numbers are the more appalling, the very large ones or the ones that are tragically small. Is it the scale of the destruction of threatened species habitat approved by the Albanese government, or is it the fact that the surviving population of night parrots could be counted by most children under 10?

Letters

AUKUS charade

Thank you, Rick Morton, for your excellent report on the government’s agenda to cut funding to NDIS recipients or deny access to others (“Exclusive: One third of reassessed NDIS plans see cuts to funding”, …

Measured definition

Royal commission or not, we need a working definition of anti-Semitism (Marcia Langton, “Action over words”, January 10-16). Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal uses …

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Culture

Life

Image for article: Steak au poivre with wild fennel

Food

Steak au poivre with wild fennel

Monica Seles on court.

Sport

Revisiting Monica Seles’s Australian Open comeback

When Monica Seles arrived in Melbourne in January 1996 to chase her fourth AO title, her biggest obstacles were the mental scars from a courtside stabbing three years earlier.

Puzzles

Quotes

Diplomacy

“No-brainer.”

Joe HockeyThe former treasurer recommends Peter Dutton as the next ambassador to the United States. He means “no-brainer” in the sense that anyone making that decision would likely have had a lobotomy with a rusty spoon.

Decorum

“There’s a scandal, and there’s far more to it.”

Jane HowlettThe Tasmanian racing minister demands an inquiry into three Labor MPs, including the federal assistant minister for women, overheard playing a version of the game Fuck, Marry, Kill about their Liberal colleagues. For Eric Abetz, the former would also be the latter.

Media

“This extraordinary, aggressive action is deeply concerning and raises profound questions and concern around the constitutional protections for our work.”

Matt MurrayThe Washington Post’s executive editor responds after the FBI raided the home of a reporter who covers national security. That strongly worded editorial is only about 18 months late.

Crime

“Last year I announced my No. 1 target – an alleged offshore offender who I called a national security threat to this country.”

Krissy BarrettThe Australian Federal Police commissioner announces her key international target has been arrested in Iraq. He is believed to be Kazem “Kaz” Hamad, a kingpin in the tobacco wars, who could probably go a smoke about now.

Money

“It’s an absolute break from tradition.”

Douglas MuddThe curator and director of the Money Museum, run by the American Numismatic Association, comments after the United States Mint rejected coins commemorating the end of slavery, school desegregation and women’s suffrage and instead proposed a coin depicting Donald Trump. In fairness, the US president makes you think about all three things.

Legislation

“The proposed laws are undemocratic, unconstitutional and so vague that they could easily be used to unjustly silence legitimate criticism of government policy.”

Matt CanavanThe Queensland senator announces he will not support the government’s hate speech laws. He is going to be upset when he finds out he agrees with the Greens.

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