November 23 – 29, 2024
News
Comment
Comment
Barry Jones
Can Trumpism survive Trump?
“Trump’s resurrection demonstrates the insufficiency of reason, which often lacks the psychological carrying power needed to effect far-reaching reforms and take people with them. I doubt that Trump has read Sigmund Freud, or even heard of him, but he demonstrates Freud’s insight about the id, the power of instinctive sub-rational factors in decision-making.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
The facts according to Peter Dutton
“Parliament’s last sitting fortnight of the year is off to a depressing start for anyone deluded enough to think our politicians put national interests ahead of their own. The over-riding preoccupation of the temporary residents in the big house on Capital Hill is who will get to run the place in six months’ time.”
Comment
John Hewson
A plea for competent government
“People want competent government and, to cut through all the rhetoric and political posturing, elections come down to a choice as to who is better able and most likely to deliver it. Populist governments always fall in the end, when their performance fails to match the rhetoric. I believe this is what is ahead for Donald Trump.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Artist Julie Mehretu
A major retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art features the astonishing work of Julie Mehretu – one of the world’s most acclaimed artists – in her first solo show in Australia.
Fiction
Border town
“The cane steamed past, so fast it just looked like two fat lines, one green, the other a strip of golden against the blue sky. As we slowed at an intersection, a lady looked down at me from the cab of a truck. I saw her arm squashed against the sill, peeking out of acrylic floral. Her face that lowly with disapproval. The deafening roar of the engine. I grinned, happy despite it all just to be free.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Politics
“I think that would be a Pandora’s box.”
The speaker of the United States House of Representatives resists calls for the House Committee on Ethics to release its investigation into Matt Gaetz. In fairness to Pandora, when she opened the box, she had no idea it contained Donald Trump’s entire administration.
Law
“Certain journalists employed by Nine newspapers have been resentful of our client’s prominence as a commentator…”
A lawyer representing Alan Jones alleges professional jealousy is behind allegations of sexual assault made against his client. There are at least 26 other reasons, but it’s easier not to talk about them.
Labor
“Oh, what I would give to go back to Election Day 2016 and turn that sausage in bread around the right way.”
The former Labor leader gives his valedictory speech in parliament. Even the fact he’s still calling it “sausage in bread” is weird – like he’s translating from the original German.
Music
“Go have a one-night stand with someone, you never know what could happen.”
The pop star celebrates a string of ARIA Awards by explaining his album was based on a hook-up between Melbourne lockdowns. Of course, you don’t hear right-wing commentators giving Daniel Andrews credit for that.
Business
“I can’t stress enough how much I hate what I’ve done.”
The mining magnate addresses shareholders at an annual general meeting. If the tax office had just let him get away with it like they promised, he’d never have been in this mess.
Police
“At the police academy we are taught ‘any person with a knife is a danger’.”
The police officer gives evidence after tasering 95-year-old Clare Nowland. She later died of head injuries.
