November 24–30, 2018
News
Comment
Comment
Nyadol Nyuon
The Victorian election and the politics of fear
“When the voting is done, and political careers are secured or lost, when the journalists put down their “pens” and head to their families or bed, and when the publishers are onto the next story, the resultant scars from this episode of moral panic will still be carved into our lives. And they will still be there, weakening the ties that bind us into a shared identity as Victorians.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Populist Morrison reverses policies
“Politicians staring down the barrel of defeat inexplicably think the way to avert the harsh judgement of the voters is to abandon the policies and positions that they have argued are best for the nation and do whatever it takes to give the mob what it wants. Consider this: as treasurer, Morrison spent most of the past 12 months arguing against a cut in the migrant intake and for an energy policy called the national energy guarantee. ”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
The passions of artist Saskia Boddeke
The immersive works of multimedia artist Saskia Boddeke reflect her belief in the need for deep, emotional engagement in art. It was a passion shared by Matisse’s Russian patron Sergey Shchukin, the subject of Boddeke’s film installation in the Masters of modern art from the Hermitage exhibition. “Art is an absolute necessity; it is a universal thing we share. All over the world, we express ourselves in painting, in music, in speaking, in putting words in an order that touch your heart. That is how we recognise things. Art makes us civil. Art makes us look – not only at paintings, but at other people. It shows us the beauty in difference.”
Television
House of Cards
The final season of House of Cards may have lost every plot save for the one the former president is buried in, but with Robin Wright’s perfectly costumed and coiffured Oval Office connivances it remains a delight to the eye.
Portrait
Opera director Sarah Giles
“When we speak, Giles is in the home stretch of rehearsals for Lorelei, an opera-cabaret that subverts the traditional German tale of a drowned woman who lures sailors to their death. Comparing their version with the original fable, Giles smiles and says: ‘We just like the idea of going, “Maybe the boats crash because the sailors are shit at, you know, sailing” – as opposed to, you know, blaming everything on women.’ Giles studied directing at NIDA and works in both theatre and opera – a combination that, she tells me, is actually quite common. She asks me about Elysium – a dystopic film where most of the human race is left to languish on an overpopulated Earth while a select few live in luxury in a space habitat called Elysium – because there is a good comparison to be made. ”
Books
Life
The Quiz
Quotes
LIMERICKS
“There once was a former prime minister / who held the seat of Warringah / he sold out to the crazy/ voters thought he was lazy / and at the election their verdict was nah!”
The son of the former prime minister continues to criticise his father’s party. Like Malcolm, the rhyme starts with promise but loses its rhythm and perhaps even confidence in what it set out to do.
ADOPTION
“This is a very mischievous Opposition playing politics with the lives of very vulnerable children.”
The NSW minister for family and community services rejects a suggestion that her bill on foster care could produce another Stolen Generation. Coincidently, Goward has rejected calls for a special commissioner to reduce forced removal of Indigenous children and another Stolen Generation.
MIGRATION
“We want people out of cars, spending more time with their families.”
The Home Affairs minister attempts to explain his prime minister’s migration cut. Scott Morrison’s not racist, he just hates all modes of transport: cars, boats, buses...
DIPLOMACY
“We may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The United States president sides with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the killing and dismemberment of a journalist. Lying to America is like getting kids to eat vegetables: you just have to cut everything into small enough pieces.
ADVOCACY
“We are in the position of the battle of Stalingrad … we have retreated to such an extent we need to hold our ground.”
The global cooling advocate announces the foundation of centre-right advocacy group Advance Australia. Casting right-wing activists as communists and left-wing voters as Nazis demonstrates his trademark disregard for facts, salesmanship and history, which is odd, because that’s clearly where he’d rather be living.
CRIME
“Our courts and judges must be in touch with public sentiment.”
The Victorian Opposition leader pledges a tough-on-crime approach ahead of today’s election. To start with, he’s going to be meeting with criminals frequently.
