April 28 – May 4, 2018
News
Comment
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
Turnbull’s about-face on the banks
“The government attacks the unions, particularly the CFMMEU, for seeing fines as the cost of doing unlawful business. It has now been exposed as being far more tolerant of its corporate mates doing the same thing. No wonder Labor can throw back at the Liberals the charge of running a protection racket for the banks. The stench coming from the royal commission is souring the government’s attempts to have the Senate pass the final $35 billion stage of its corporate tax cuts. The big banks stand to be major beneficiaries, to the tune of $13.2 billion in tax savings over the next decade.”
Comment
Julian Burnside
A silk terse at a sow’s ear
“Dutton, who spends billions of dollars to keep innocent people in misery for years, spends more taxpayer dollars to resist attempts to get appropriate medical care for the children the minister has harmed. He also criticises lawyers who try to help the people he is harming. In August 2017, Dutton declared that lawyers helping asylum seekers were “unAustralian”. Speaking for myself, his comment made being “unAustralian” a badge of honour.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Nick Mitzevich’s vision for the NGA
As he prepares to take the reins as artistic director of the National Gallery of Australia, Nick Mitzevich talks about a fresh and controversial approach to the nation’s largest art collection. “As a national institution that has a responsibility in leading debate and a cultural agenda, it’s important there is a strong point of view. I don’t mean bias, I mean passion for putting artists at the centre of things.”
Food
“I have never been a fruit guy, but my girlfriend is a fruit bat – we have a fig tree in the backyard and she’s out there every morning. Now I really appreciate eating a fig that is ripened straight from the tree, which has never come in contact with a fridge. The senses are different in this situation and the smells really kick. This recipe is about trying to capture that point of harvest, hence the use of the fig leaf to really heighten the scent that is almost reminiscent of green tea and coconut.”
Books
Life
The Quiz
Quotes
POLITICS
“Like termites, they’ll get in and they’ll eat us from the inside out unless we do something.”
The assistant treasurer describes the threat of “socialists” infiltrating the Liberal Party. Like termites, socialists are also able to construct large and harmonious societies.
MEDIA
“It is regrettable that this story was published.”
The head of content at website Mamamia confirms she has removed a specious piece about “post abortion syndrome”. Her retraction is actually not a bad strapline for the entire company.
MUSIC
“You don’t have to agree with Trump but the mob can’t make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother.”
The musician continues his newfound affection for right wing politics. This is the same man who once demanded Getty Images delete all the photos it had of him in a leather skirt, which is not a bad description of Donald Trump.
MONARCHY
“Have you thought of the name Alexander?”
The Australian high commissioner to the United Kingdom suggests to Prince William that they name the royal baby after him. Apparently John Howard used to say he was a royal baby all the time.
TELEVISION
“These guys are already planning their comebacks.”
The media figure reflects on being asked to co-host a series with serial abuser Charlie Rose, interviewing celebrities who had been outed by the #MeToo movement. Brown said no and presumably some other words.
TERRORISM
“The Incel Rebellion has already begun!”
The man charged with killing 10 people in a van attack in Toronto claims responsibility on behalf of the misogynist “Incel” movement. Incel is a contraction of “involuntarily celibate”, which is not the half of it.
