Work for the dole is back, and this time it's less connected to reality than ever before! But perceptions rule when it comes to welfare - and Australia hates dole bludgers, writes Shirley M. Jackson
Paul Howes thinks it's time to sit down with the Coalition and big business to bash out a new compact. Doing so will only put us on the path to US-style inequality, writes Ben Eltham
Joe Hockey's appointments to the Productivity Commission should have raised eyebrows - a former staffer, a staffer's spouse, and the victim of a shareholder revolt, reports Adam Brereton
Last time the Olympic Games were held in Russia, Australia almost didn't attend. 1980 was a year of strange alliances - and a victory for both athletes and workers, writes Lee Rhiannon
Migration is one of Australia's great success stories, so why do so many Australians keep working for companies and a Department that persecutes migrants, asks Ann Deslandes
The relentless attacks on the ABC over bias and the quality of its news gathering show how weak the Coalition's reheated culture war really is, writes Ben Eltham
Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd have been summonsed to appear before the Coalition's pink batts Royal Commission. But who's running the show? Adam Brereton on Ian Hanger QC
The Federal Government's decision to deny SPC Ardmona the $25 million for modernisation promised to them under Labor will hit Northern Victoria hard, reports Dylan Bird
The Federal Government can't afford to help SPC modernise? That's nonsense. They pay plenty of industry assistance already - just not to companies with unionised workforces, writes Ian McAuley
The push for GM food is a stitch-up by government and agribusiness. Where are the massive crop yields we were promised? Tasmania should continue its moratorium, writes Katherine Wilson
The failure of the European 'austerity' solution is plain to see - millions are unemployed and living in poverty. But toxic ideas are hard to kill, especially when they benefit the rich, writes Guy Beres
From the perspective of a Coalition Government, exploiting public irrationality over house prices is a great idea. We're returning to bone-headed Howard-Costello economics, writes Ian McAuley
In the corporate world, the more ruthless you are the higher you go. Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett - ex-Woolies CEO and erstwhile political pundit - is a good example, writes Evan Jones
If Public Private Partnerships are meant to take risk off the government's hands, then why does the public end up paying for them? Economists Jim Crosthwaite and Sarah Lumley on the patchy history of joint projects
Partisan hacks who blame Kevin Rudd for the pink batts deaths have got it wrong. The deregulators who eroded the insulation industry's safeguards deserve scrutiny, writes Ian McAuley
Burma's reputation is on the up and the country is keen to do business. There are profits to be made by the elites – but for ordinary Burmese people, little has changed, writes Stuart Rees
Did you know that during World War II the Anzacs apparently fought a bitter battle at home against unionised sabotage? Adam Brereton reviews Hal Colebatch's book, Australia's Secret War
'She was so dehydrated that her veins had collapsed.' Disease spreads quickly in crowded refugee compounds, writes MSF's Forbes Sharp from Tomping refugee camp, Juba
Australia is in a unique position to make a stand for human rights by boycotting Russia's Winter Olympics - and the decision to do so would serve our national interest, argues Tim Forster
Australian academics concerned about our disregard for human rights abuses should follow the lead of their colleagues in America and elsewhere, and boycott Israel, writes Stuart Rees
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine's decision to expunge historic convictions for homosexual sex has profound symbolic and practical consequences, writes William Leonard
The 'West' was created through cultural and trade links with the great civilisations of the world. Our modern multiculturalism demands we teach children about them, writes Fotis Kapetopoulos
The racial elements in the case of Minh Duong were downplayed in his trial, but the far-right is more persistent and organised in Australia than people think, writes Andy Fleming
The Press Gallery got what it wanted last night - a spill. Kevin Rudd is back in charge. It's time for the media to ease up on the gossip and start paying attention to the way the country is being governed
Notice anything different? We've upgraded the site. Read on to find out about our exciting new features - and please be patient as we iron out the bugs!
It's been a grim year for many in the media, but at NM we're going gangbusters! It's been our most successful year yet. As we pack up for a summer break, we have you - our supporters and readers - to thank
It's nearly Christmas and New Matilda has a bumper crop of festive giveaways for our loyal paid-up supporters. If you haven't funded NM yet, it's not too late to sign up now and go into the draw
Rising electricity prices, climate change and the renewables boom - energy is changing, but how does it work? Our series, Future Shock, has all you need to know about what will be powering your home in 10 years
A hefty majority of MPs today voted against marriage equality. They're out of step with community sentiment - and they're fighting a battle they can't hope to win
Today we launch Future Shock, an investigative series devoted to the rapidly changing nature of energy in Australia. Ben Eltham on what you can expect from a month of data-driven journalism
The Federal Government has given the go-ahead for yet another wind farm review. It won't shut up the conspiracy theorists, but will keep them in the spotlight, writes Ketan Joshi
John Howard managed to combine populism with serious policymaking, and left an impressive environmental legacy. His protege has failed to meet the same standard, writes Dugald Murray
Alarmist panic over potential gas shortages should not be used to justify growing the gas sector. Cutting demand and switching to clean fuels is the way forward, argues Greens MP John Kaye
In his speech to the Australian Carbon Expo, Greg Hunt inadvertently highlighted the main flaws in the Coalition's climate policy. Economist Dugald Murray explains why direct action alone won't work
The debate over genetically modified foods is still raging, but pro-GM scientists are backed by a big agribusiness lobby and PR machine. Dissenters run serious risks, writes Katherine Wilson
Australia is deliberately undermining international moves to support clean development in the third world - arguably the crucial issue for action on climate change, writes Jamie Hanson
The COP19 talks are underway in Warsaw. What led world leaders to take climate change seriously? Matthew Rimmer reviews climate activist Bill McKibben's new book
John Howard's speech to white-haired blue-bloods on climate zealots was a rare public outing for our former PM. Karl Mathiesen attended the lecture, and saw an ageing culture warrior in his element
Tourists who travel to developing nations to dig wells or assemble wheelchairs might be well intentioned, but is their feelgood experience at the expense of the locals, asks Weh Yeoh
The final environmental report for the controversial Keystone Pipeline was released over the weekend. It's no more than a fig leaf for a horrendously dirty project, writes Simon Copland
European politicians are worried that the skirmishes in the Ukraine are the start of another major revolution. Charles McPhedran explains what led protesters to occupy Kiev
Author and activist Jeremy Bally cycled 12,000km over six months, through seven countries - and into an Indonesian prison - to raise awareness for West Papuan freedom
Rising rent and gentrification is causing social unrest across Europe. Winter riots over a squat in Hamburg could lead into a violent Spring, writes Charles McPhedran
Five years on from the devastation of Operation Cast Lead, the picture of Israeli victimhood painted by official propaganda remains the dominant image of the conflict, writes Peter Slezak
The leaked environment chapter of the Trans-Pacfic Partnerships agreement confirms our worst fears - a sellout to fossil fuels and no enforcement ability, write Matthew Rimmer and Charlotte Wood
John Pilger's new film, Utopia, is a chilling expose of our collective failure to address the ongoing crimes committed against Indigenous Australians, writes Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon
The old certainties in entertainment are gone. In their place are fragmented markets, new technology, and the panic of old TV and film executives, writes Raena Lea-Shannon
The UN has backed a global alliance to help female journalists fight back against discrimination. Julie Posetti presented NM's Women in the Media project as a case study to its founding meeting
Engaging in soft diplomacy in Asia is not in the ABC's remit, as Mark Scott thinks. They should stick to newsgathering - which includes publishing uncomfortable leaks, writes Ben Eltham
This year women cleaned up at the Walkleys - but surveys show discrimination in the media is still rife. Wendy Bacon on the surprising results of our Women in the Media study into TV current affairs
Clickbait is everywhere online, and it's big business. Is there any way to avoid it in the search for something decent to read? Sarah Burnside on how we can crack down on trollumnists
When you criticise Rupert Murdoch's News Corp you should expect a backlash, as Wendy Bacon found when she published her report on the coverage of climate change at Australian newspapers
Did Aussie comedy 100 Bloody Acres deserve to pull only $10K at the box office? Audiences have changed their viewing habits, and it's about time the industry caught up, writes Lauren Caroll Harris
The PM says the national broadcaster un-Australian, and he's spot on. The taxpayer funded saboteurs from Ultimo need sorting out and media guru Ben Pobjie is the man for the job
Since being appointed to Christopher Pyne's curriculum review panel, Ben Pobjie has found a great outlet for his many feelings about the ANZACs. He outlines the panel's plan today
As 2013 comes to an end, one question is on everyone's lips: how can next year be even better? Ben Pobjie is here to help with his completely accurate timeline of 2014's major milestones
The Australian has lashed out against the forces of cheap comment, the Triple J set and callow young reporters. This was the plan all along, writes evil new media mastermind Ben Pobjie
For a while Australia felt boring and irrelevant, but now we've made the Indonesians mad and might get into an exciting war! Australia's a player again, writes Ben Pobjie
Is John Howard right about climate change being a new religion? Who can say? Climate scientists probably, but let's go with our favourite PM's gut feeling instead, writes Ben Pobjie
Worried about asylum seekers being officially rebranded as 'illegals'? Wait until you hear about 'capitalism-enriched oxygen' and 'climate same-staying', writes Ben Pobjie
After saying sorry to Asia, will Tony Abbott crawl home on hands and knees to beg forgiveness from his own people? He should - governing by apology definitely has its advantages, writes Ben Pobjie
Work for the dole is back, and this time it's less connected to reality than ever before! But perceptions rule when it comes to welfare - and Australia hates dole bludgers, writes Shirley M. Jackson
Did you know that during World War II the Anzacs apparently fought a bitter battle at home against unionised sabotage? Adam Brereton reviews Hal Colebatch's book, Australia's Secret War
'She was so dehydrated that her veins had collapsed.' Disease spreads quickly in crowded refugee compounds, writes MSF's Forbes Sharp from Tomping refugee camp, Juba
Paul Howes thinks it's time to sit down with the Coalition and big business to bash out a new compact. Doing so will only put us on the path to US-style inequality, writes Ben Eltham
Tourists who travel to developing nations to dig wells or assemble wheelchairs might be well intentioned, but is their feelgood experience at the expense of the locals, asks Weh Yeoh
Joe Hockey's appointments to the Productivity Commission should have raised eyebrows - a former staffer, a staffer's spouse, and the victim of a shareholder revolt, reports Adam Brereton
Last time the Olympic Games were held in Russia, Australia almost didn't attend. 1980 was a year of strange alliances - and a victory for both athletes and workers, writes Lee Rhiannon
Migration is one of Australia's great success stories, so why do so many Australians keep working for companies and a Department that persecutes migrants, asks Ann Deslandes
While Tony Abbott sang the praises of free market orthodoxy at Davos, other voices joined in the chorus back home. We need to start calling this for what it is - a religion, writes Sarah Burnside
It's only a culture war if your enemy is copping most of the damage - this is an incompetent mess. The left needs to stop panicking over Abbott and start strategising, writes Guy Rundle
Peter Cosgrove was today made Governor-General, replacing Quentin Bryce. He's a safe pair of hands at home, but Indonesia won't have forgotten his role in East Timor, writes Ben Eltham
The relentless attacks on the ABC over bias and the quality of its news gathering show how weak the Coalition's reheated culture war really is, writes Ben Eltham
Paul Howes thinks it's time to sit down with the Coalition and big business to bash out a new compact. Doing so will only put us on the path to US-style inequality, writes Ben Eltham
Reports of corruption in Australia's most powerful union have been the catalyst for the Coalition to go on another industrial relations binge - but does the electorate want to join in, asks Ben Eltham