August 24 – 30, 2019
News
Comment
Comment
Emele Ugavule
The real threat of climate change
“Oceanic peoples, my peoples, are threaded through the backbone of the British colony’s economic success in Australia, and Scott Morrison’s recent actions at the Pacific Islands Forum in Funafuti, Tuvalu, only reinforce how they continually attempt to sever our tongues. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack’s comments after the forum, which reduced Pacific peoples to nothing more than labour for Australia’s economy, were similarly hurtful and unsurprising.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Testing Scott Morrison’s diplomacy
“In a frank admission – rare for prime ministers, who like to impress they are confidently in charge – Scott Morrison has revealed what keeps him awake at night. That is the feud between our biggest customer and our closest friend. The problem for him is he doesn’t seem to have a clear idea of what to do about it, and as such it is a nightmare for the nation.”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Film director Jennifer Kent
Five years after her much-lauded The Babadook, director Jennifer Kent has returned with The Nightingale, which tackles Australia’s brutal colonial history. She reveals what drew her to tell this story – and what she thinks of audience reactions to the film’s violence. “The whole point of The Nightingale is what happens when that rage winds down. What are you left with? That to me is the most interesting part of the story: what lies underneath it is a broken heart.”
Books
Life
Health
Natural therapies under attack
As natural therapies grow in popularity, efforts to regulate the industry and curtail public use have increased. But are these efforts about control rather than science, and are they restricting our access to well-researched, low-risk therapies that may improve public health?
Puzzles
Quotes
WOMEN'S ISSUES
“Barnaby Joyce here. I’m calling on behalf of the Foundation for Human Development about the abortion bill in the NSW parliament. This allows sex-selective abortions. It legalises abortions for any reason right up until the day of birth.”
The Nationals MP, who asked for his personal life to remain private until offered $150,000 to share details, robocalls the women of New South Wales, encouraging them to oppose abortion law reform.
ENERGY
“Coal remains an important industry for Australia.”
The Labor senator disappoints everyone who was hoping an alternative government would take action on the climate crisis.
SPORT
“He’s a champion and has handled the events of the past year with a real humility.”
The prime minister commends Australian cricketer Steve Smith for keeping a low profile during his ban from cricket after “Sandpapergate”.
AMERICA
“The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling.”
The United States president postpones a meeting with the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, because she told him Denmark isn’t interested in selling Greenland to America.
CENSORSHIP
“I don’t see how my tweet was somehow offensive and potentially harmful, if those tweets wishing I’d fall off Uluru are not.”
The One Nation leader expresses disbelief that she violated the site’s rules on “hateful content” for suggesting cattle prods should be used to disperse protesters in Brisbane.
SPACE
“Nuke Mars ... It’s a step in the right direction.”
The founder of Tesla and Space X proposes shooting nuclear weapons at Mars in order to “warm it up” and make it suitable for human habitation. Many citizens of Earth look forward to the day he is fired into space.
