April 26 – May 2, 2025
News
Comment
Comment
Barry Jones
The last majority government
“The likeliest result on May 3 will be a small majority for Labor, but it will almost certainly be the last victory for a hegemonic party … All future parliaments will have a three-way split in the House of Representatives, as is the case already in the Senate, except where Labor and the Coalition gang up to pursue their own party interests.”
Comment
Stan Grant
My grandfather’s war
“Pa was in his 30s when he signed up. My grandmother was scared and furious. She had three little kids and they lived on an Aboriginal mission in a remote New South Wales town. They were locked out of Australia. Why would he fight for it? What has this country done for us? she asked him.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Performer Paul Capsis
Bullied as a child for being different, Paul Capsis – set to star in Oscar Wilde’s De Profundis – rose to become one of Australia’s iconic theatre artists.
Poetry
Four poems
“In Antwerp he asks the truck drivers
but in vain. The day starts fading
& they, without being trapped by
retrospective, exert no influence upon
judgements of distance. He walks away
from them. All totalitarian dystopias,
in life & in art, seem to be obsessed
with the everyday crimes of the
middle classes. The Texas Chain-
saw Massacre keeps looping in ”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Fear
“I just don’t think we can belittle the lived experience of people.”
The opposition leader echoes the concerns of one of his candidates, who said people in Victoria are afraid to go to the shops. That’s true, but it’s mostly to do with the cost of eggs.
Campaigning
“I laughed about it at the time, I’ve laughed about it since. It’s no big deal.”
The prime minister responds to ongoing questions about falling off a stage at a campaign event. He was miming Coalition polling.
Messages
“This is what the media does, they take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees…”
The United States defence secretary responds after he was shown to have shared sensitive military information in another group chat. Thank God he only controls the world’s most powerful military.
Military
“So much of our wealth and opportunity ... stands at risk from the modern aspirations of others, their modern behaviour…”
The mining billionaire uses an address at an Anzac Day event to call for more sea mines. The gathering was held the day before Anzac Day, presumably to give it the element of surprise.
Religion
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis!”
The US president exclaims his condolences after the death of Pope Francis. It’s almost like he doesn’t realise the pontiff thought he was a despicable oaf.
Music
“There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides…”
The guitarist explains that The Who’s drummer Zak Starkey has not been sacked, despite an onstage falling out with Roger Daltrey. Keith Moon did not immediately return calls.
