May 25 – 31, 2024
News
Comment
Comment
Enele Sopoaga
Australia’s clumsy Pacific diplomacy
“Australia’s attempts to keep China out of the Pacific region have put my people in the middle of a fight we don’t want and didn’t ask for. The irony of Australia’s efforts to create ‘security’ is that so many of Australia’s actions actively undermine it, in my country and through the region.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Making little of Big Australia
“It is clear Dutton sees talk of a ‘better Australia’, not a ‘bigger Australia’, as a powerful campaign tool. He is utilising immigration and its history of stirring prejudice and xenophobic sentiment, emulating John Howard’s success in the 2001 election when he tied threats to national security to Middle Eastern asylum seekers.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Filmmaker George Miller
For four decades, George Miller has been a giant of Australian cinema. His latest film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, is his biggest yet.
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Film
“There’s one scream in that movie, and I am not joking when I tell you that I fought for that scream for three months.”
The actor describes her fight to include female rage in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. At least by that stage she didn’t have to act it.
Conservation
“It’s a very clear breach of the Marine Mammals Protection Act.”
The investigator at New Zealand’s Department of Conservation announces a $600 fine for a man who tried to “body slam” an orca. A more effective way to address recidivism would be a dare on a great white shark.
Health
“Towards the end of each year, we have this kind of seismic shift, or a new [variant] turns up.”
The virologist comments on FLiRT, the new Covid-causing subvariants sweeping the US, which have been detected in Australia. A note to the teams classifying these waves – no one is ready for whimsy.
Broadcasting
“Don’t say anything horrible about James Paterson.”
The environment minister’s off-screen comment was picked up by a live microphone during a Sky News interview with the shadow minister for home affairs. It’s adorable really – that’s how Sky News does all its sound checks.
Politics
“Stop the chaos.”
The British opposition leader launches one of his slogans for the July 4 election. Conservatives can counter that there was nothing chaotic about the head of lettuce.
Airlines
“Just went to the loo, came back, sat down, bit of turbulence and suddenly the plane plunged.”
The 68-year-old Singapore Airlines passenger describes the scene on a flight that was forced to land after hitting severe turbulence. One person died and dozens are being treated in hospital in Bangkok.
