November 30 – December 6, 2024

News

‘Don’t do it’: The man calling the shots on gambling reform

“Anthony has known Peter V’landys for a long time, and he takes his views very seriously … It should be no surprise that Anthony has listened carefully to that advice.”

Jason Koutsoukis The decision not to implement a ban on gambling advertising comes after intense lobbying and draws on a close relationship between the PM and Peter V’landys.

News

Exclusive: Welfare payments cancelled unlawfully

Rick Morton An error in the interpretation of welfare legislation has led to the unlawful cancellation of payments, as the department fails to manage its own compliance system.

News

Labor confronts Rinehart-led push to cut public service

Karen Barlow The government’s pledge to restore confidence in the bureaucracy is under attack as the Coalition embraces the mining magnate’s Trumpian vision for deep cuts.

News

How the social media ban harms children

Maggie Perry The government’s plan to prevent under 16s using social media will not protect them – instead it will cut off many vulnerable and isolated children from vital online support communities.

News

Trump’s WrestleMania politics

Joseph Earp Donald Trump is a longstanding fan of World Wrestling Entertainment, whose larger-than-life characters and drama have shaped his political persona.

News

How not to battle inflation

Stephen Long Economists including former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser are increasingly convinced there are more effective tools than interest rates to fight inflation – but what are they?

News

Why Anthony Albanese killed the Nature Positive deal with the Greens

Mike Seccombe The prime minister bowed to mining interests and poor polling in Western Australia with a last-minute decision to upend a deal with the Greens on the Nature Positive laws.

World

Hope for peace as Israel and Hezbollah agree to ceasefire

Jonathan Pearlman Pacific Islands nations attack COP29 results. Feud escalates between Philippine leaders. Trump threatens trade war.

Comment

Jennifer Robinson
The trial of Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai

“The world watched as Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong’s oldest and most prominent political prisoner, finally took the stand last week to give evidence in his trial under the controversial and far-reaching National Security Law.”

Comment

Stan Grant
Identity is a fortress

“Identity is a shroud. It conceals contradiction, complexity and soul-affirming idiosyncrasy.”

Comment

Paul Bongiorno
The Canberra dogs keep barking as parliament rises

“Sources in Canberra say Albanese was looking for a big bang start to 2025, similar to his stage three tax cuts announcement this year. The idea was to provide a springboard into an early poll, but Trump’s economic policies are an added motivation.”

Comment

John Hewson
The economy is personal

“The Albanese government may tout its solid economic achievements but it must remember what decided the election in the United States: the disconnect between the data and the lived experience of most Americans.”

Letters, Cartoon & Editorial

Cartoon

Read

Editorial
Bills of shame

The treatment of asylum seekers is a national sickness. There are no limits to the vindictiveness. Nothing is too immoral. No measures are beyond the brutality of our ferret-eyed politicians.

Letters

Loss to democracy

Carried in on a wave of hope for Labor, Anthony Albanese – initially disappointing through his inability to lead or inspire and creating the tragic wreck of the Voice – now looks determined to work with …

Spend up

A strong riposte to the proposed changes to the electoral donation laws, which favour the two-party system, is offered by Barry Jones (“Insufficiency of reason”, November 23-29) in the same issue. He writes …

Culture

Sylvia Plath specialist Peter Steinberg.

Profile

Plath archivist Peter Steinberg

Philippa Hawker Decades after his first visit to a Sylvia Plath archive, Peter Steinberg has edited the book he dreamt of from the beginning: an edition of her collected prose.

Image for article: Pultizer Prize-winning <em>Sweat</em>

Theatre

Pultizer Prize-winning Sweat

Kath Kenny With its themes of declining living standards and racial tension, Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage’s 2015 play Sweat speaks to the present moment.

Image for article: <em>My City Is Yours</em> at AGNSW

Visual Art

My City Is Yours at AGNSW

Patrick Lau In My City Is Yours at the Art Gallery of NSW, Beijing artist Cao Fei offers uncanny visions of lost futures and melancholy presents.

Television

Shrinking

Sarah Krasnostein Apple TV+’s Shrinking is a glorious study of connection, and of friendship through life’s inescapable transitions and difficult initiations.

Visual Art

Bagan bariwariganyan: echoes of country

Claire G. Coleman Bagan bariwariganyan: echoes of country at Bundanon offers a unique opportunity to see top contemporary Aboriginal artists on Country, in dialogue with the exquisite 19th century drawings of Mickey of Ulladulla.

Fiction

The sun falls foul

“Okay, let’s just say the temperature is on the snug side. Let me check the notes… a little over 10,000 degrees. But only 5000 if we’re talking Celsius, and we are. Plus, it will be so far away. You’ll get wrinkles, maybe freckles, but freckles are super cute. Don’t you think? Anyway. Where were we? Miles away. More than you can count. Sorry, could you repeat that? There’s a buzzing. Okay, yes. It is still hot enough to burn skin. We get it. Nobody likes burnt skin. Youch. But you know: wear a hat. Put on a shirt – after all, nobody wants to see that. If you have to wander about, just rub this tube of cream all over your body.”

Ben Walter

Books

Helen Garner
The Season

Rosalie Ham
Molly

Rick Morton
Mean Streak

Life

Food

Chicken baked in bread

David Moyle

Travel

How the ‘murder capital of the world’ became Surf City

Kye Halford The president of El Salvador is turning his nation from the ‘murder capital of the world’ into a tax-free surf zone in a bid to attract bitcoin tech bros to its shores.

Sport

Australia’s humiliating first Test defeat against India

Martin McKenzie-Murray The first Test against India started promisingly enough, but Australia’s humiliating capitulation raises tough questions for selectors over the form and age of supposedly star players.

Puzzles

The Cryptic

$link to this week\'s crossword$

Crossword No. 528

The Quiz

1. Is the first name of Dr Frankenstein in the Mary Shelley novel: (a) Hector; (b) Igor; or (c) Victor?

2. Appearing on menus, the Spanish word huevos translates to what in English?

3. What type of creature is a Goliath birdeater?

4. Which singer’s 1990 concert tour was titled Blond Ambition?

5. Which newspaper is also known by the abbreviation WSJ?

6. Okra is known in some English-speaking countries as [what] fingers?

7. Which TV sitcom features the characters Richie Cunningham and Arthur Fonzarelli? (Bonus point for naming the Oscar-winning director who played Cunningham.)

8. True or false: this week the Australian men’s cricket team lost the first Test against India by more than 300 runs.

9. Which vitamin would you be lacking if suffering from scurvy?

10. Hellenic refers to which European country?

Click through for answers.

Quotes

Democracy

“I do fear that the world is headed into an era where populism trumps good policy.”

Simon BirminghamThe retiring senator shares his concerns for the future of democracy. He should know: he served both Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton.

Politics

“I’ve got the day off today. I’ve been suspended. I’ve been censured and I wear those disciplinary colonial actions like a badge of honour.”

Lidia ThorpeThe independent senator addresses a crowd after being suspended from parliament. In fairness, she only threw papers at Pauline Hanson.

Media

“LOL WUT”

Joe RoganThe podcaster responds after ABC chair Kim Williams describes him as “deeply repulsive”. Curiously, Williams looks like Rogan might if he were interested in chamber music rather than mixed martial arts.

Youth

“We’re talking about children who still have their baby teeth.”

Scott McDougallThe Queensland human rights commissioner criticises the state’s new youth crime laws. The premier, David Crisafulli, looks like he also still has his baby teeth.

Law

“It is absolutely undeniable that Mr Rolfe is a racist.”

Ian FreckeltonThe lawyer representing Northern Territory Police Force addresses the inquest into the killing of Kumanjayi Walker by Zachary Rolfe. He also noted that Rolfe “lacks insight” and is “sexist, misogynistic, homophobic”.

Literature

“I’m a socialist. I don’t mind paying tax. I just wish it would all go to housing and hospitals, not bloody AUKUS.”

Melissa LucashenkoThe novelist celebrates winning the Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award for her book Edenglassie. Of course, if it were a sporting prize, she’d get to keep the lot.