You might think Eddie McGuire would be good at issuing public apologies by now; after all, he's had so much practice.

This year saw the end of a remarkable life which encompassed teaching, establishing a scuba school, fundraising for medical research and finally serving the community of Queenscliff; a full and exciting life with many friends and admirers gathered along the way.

The last straw was the tragic murder of Jo Cox, the British MP, by a man yelling "Britain first". Was this not a radical, lone wolf Brexit supporter's act of terrorism? Not to my friends.

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There was a startling development at last week's Defence debate at the National Press Club.

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It would be a dire mistake for Australia to import the anger, fear and hatred that's now running amok among our civilisational cousins.

The critics have rushed to condemn it, but Karl Quinn thinks The Briefcase may be the most uplifting show on television.

And Medicare is either definitely or definitely not being privatised, a bit. Your election news of the day, reduced to a snarky rant.

I grew up in the country, so I know what local fire brigades mean to families and towns across Victoria.

The issues surrounding WestConnex are too big to ignore and attempting to sweep them under the rug by telling people they should be proud that it is going ahead does Sydney no favours at all.

Over three years ago, when it was announced that Australia would export live cattle to Vietnam, I wrote in The Canberra Times that the decision would result in "…the final layer of credibility" being stripped from the live exports industry. At the time, a succession of barbaric incidents had been exposed and the public was outraged. "To send live Australian animals to Vietnam to slaughter," I wrote "is to invite further disaster." Yet, here we are.

Have our expectations of the timing of an email reply become unrealistic?

Lois Duncan, who held generations of young readers spellbound with suspense novels such as I Know What You Did Last Summer and Killing Mr. Griffin, has died aged 82 in Florida.

Laws restricting the sale and promotion of e-cigarettes are essential.

Rendell sorted out a dog's breakfast of early current affairs programs and played a crucial part in changing the BBC World Service.

Do you want to be a domestic goddess?

The very fact that the father of a convicted rapist is actually defending his son's actions and sees his son as the supposed victim in the case is outrageous.

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Is this Katter's last stand?

Richard Di Natale is a politician ... but doesn't want to be thought of as a normal politician.

The fear is coming from overseas politics, not our own, and it's unnerving.

Your view of the election campaign, reduced to a snarky rant.

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Here in Australia, our own skewed value system was apparent last Sunday.

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The polls point to a narrow Coalition victory but either side could yet crash and burn.

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It was 13 months ago that Steven Freeman, a young Aboriginal man on remand in the Alexander Maconochie Centre, was bashed so severely that he almost died.

A handful of famous lives that have ended in recent days.

 A significant, credible report has come out to state that genetically engingeered crops present no more risk to human health than conventionally bred crops.

Seventy years after it happened, bomber pilot thanked colleague who applied leg tourniquet when their Wellington bomber was hit

Barack Obama is clearly wrong when he refuses to use the word Islam in reference to Islamist terrorism.

Might Brexit be a good thing for Europe? There's a comic wrinkle in watching the British Remain campaign translate the argument that Brexit would be devastating for Europe, when Europe itself is not so sure.

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I have been in this toll road game too long. Through Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Melbourne City Link, EastLink and now WestConnex, I have heard the same critics spouting the same untruths and unsubstantiated rubbish. They have all proved to be wrong. Sydney could not operate without the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and Melbourne would be a joke without Melbourne City Link. WestConnex is going through the same vilification by the same anti-progress naysayers who believe we can survive without modern road networks.