Australia Post salary scandal highlights our nation’s growing wage inequality
It’s not just that Ahmed Fahour earns a lot of money. Australia Post had, until this week, been able to keep its CEO's salary top secret.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Analysis and Comment
Increased private health insurance premiums don’t mean increased value
Each year private health insurance funds lobby the government to increase private health insurance premiums. They claim increases are warranted because of increasing costs.
Why did energy regulators deliberately turn out the lights in South Australia?
South Australia's government was angry about the blackouts enforced by electricity regulators. But with much of the state's gas power offline, the regulators had little choice.
Black holes are even stranger than you can imagine
The discovery of a new black hole adds to our understanding of these celestial objects that fascinate in both fact and fiction.
New deal on torture a step in the right direction for Australia’s human rights law
The announcement that Australia will implement a United Nations optional protocol adds an important safeguard for the proper treatment of prisoners and other detainees.
South Australia’s gambling tax highlights the regulatory mess of online betting
No state wants to see its revenue base decline – particularly when the jurisdiction benefiting doesn’t even tax (or regulate) its bookies as well as it might.
Grattan on Friday: Liberals get high on bubbles and billionaires
Remember that large sinkhole that appeared this week in Point Piper, the suburb of Malcolm Turnbull's harbourside mansion?
The stress of sitting in traffic can lead to more crime
Traffic wastes time, creates pollution and costs money. But can it also affect us psychologically? A new study suggests that unexpected traffic can increase the incidence of domestic violence.
Shared ownership can help make housing affordable for people with disability
Shared ownership schemes can unlock access to suitable housing, although these are less common in Australia than overseas. And most are not specifically tailored for people with disability.
Friday essay: Putin, memory wars and the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution
How is Vladimir Putin - for whom uprisings are anathema - treating this year's centenary of the Russian revolution?
Drugs don’t cure everything – doctors can be helped to prescribe other options
In many cases, the most appropriate treatment for a health condition isn't a drug. It could be a recommendation for a dietary change, a specific exercise, or even a phone app.
Delving through settlers’ diaries can reveal Australia’s colonial-era climate
High-quality climate records only go back to the start of the 20th century. But using handwritten letters, journals and tables, researchers have access to data going back to the 18th century.
How to find success as a woman in science
There are many challenges for young women embarking on a career in science. Here are some tips for how to make it work.
Vital Signs: the case of the missing investment
It is a puzzle as to why businesses are reasonably confident but not willing to invest.
Back to school – understanding challenges faced by Indigenous children
Teachers – get to really know your kids, their families, their community and its history, and what’s going on at home. While school policies are important, relationships are the real keys to success.
FactCheck: are bulk-billing rates falling, or at record levels?
In twin speeches to the National Press Club, Labor leader Bill Shorten said bulk-billing rates are falling, while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said bulk-billing is at record levels. Who was right?
Fifty Shades Darker: an abusive fairy tale that robs women of sexual freedom
After Fifty Shades of Grey there was debate about its romanticisation of an abusive relationship. The sequel confirms that this wasn’t a misconception.
Australia’s innovation report card shows the nation can do better, and hints at how
Australia still struggles when it comes to innovation. No surprises there. But a new report on innovation shows some areas where we can improve.
Stop focusing on ‘the problem’ in Indigenous education, and start looking at learning opportunities
Focusing on the opportunity to learn gap removes the emphasis from locating "the problem" in the person, and turns our attention to the differences in access to educational resources.
God bless the footy: dissent and distractions
Footy isn’t just the dominant spectator sport and topic of conversation in South Australia. It’s a salve.
Omnibus welfare bill shows the always-tricky politics of budget savings
By far the most significant projected savings in the government's omnibus bill is the phasing out of end-of-year supplements for family tax benefit recipients.
Unusual conditions: delusional infestation with insects or spiders
Some people have terrifying delusions they are infested with insects, spiders or even small animals. But help is available.
Australian government challenged to advocate for its citizen on death row in Thailand
The Australian government must distinguish between horrific crime and a barbaric sentence.
Research and News
Abbott hasn’t convinced own electors on Senate curb
Tony Abbott's proposal for a constitutional change to make it easier for a government to pass legislation blocked by the Senate does not have support in his own electorate, according to polling.
Bernardi says his new party will offer a ‘principled’ alternative for disillusioned conservative voters
Cory Bernardi says he aims to provide the many disillusioned conservative voters with 'a principled, credible and stable alternative in which they can vest their vote'.
Newspoll shows Coalition trailing 46-54% at start of new parliamentary session
With parliament resuming this week, the first Newspoll of 2017 has the government trailing Labor 46-54% on the two-party vote and the Coalition's primary vote falling four points to 35%.
Podcasts
Politics with Michelle Grattan
Talking politics with politicians and experts, from Capital Hill.
Listen to the podcast
Business Briefing
Brief analysis of what's making news in Business and Economy.
Listen to the podcast
Change Agents
A podcast series about change and the people who make it happen
Listen to the podcast
Speaking with…
Ideas and analysis from the sharpest minds in the academic and research world.
Listen to the podcast
Bernardi defection
Politics podcast: Cory Bernardi on why he spurned the Liberals
A day after moving to the crossbench, Cory Bernardi is feeling the heat. The media, former Liberal colleagues and South Australian voters all have a view on his defection.
Bernardi should have resigned his Senate seat: here’s why
Cory Bernardi leaving Liberal fold without parliamentary followers
Bernardi exits stage right: mayhem now, obscurity later
Bernardi says his new party will offer a ‘principled’ alternative for disillusioned conservative voters
Bernardi split is symptomatic of a fractured political system, here and abroad
Sport
From banned to international glory, women’s soccer has sown a rich field for the future
Women's soccer had just found its feet in the roaring '20s when state ruling bodies began to force female players from the field.
Cities
Hospitals feel the heat too from extreme weather and its health impacts
Most of our hospitals were not designed to cope with the health impacts of future extreme weather. And hospital infrastructure has not been adapted to secure health care during such events.
Shared ownership can help make housing affordable for people with disability
Big data is adding a whole new dimension to public spaces – here’s how
We can learn a lot from disasters, and we now know some areas don’t recover
Sensible reform to finance affordable housing deserves cross-party support
Make housing affordable and cut road congestion all at once? Here’s a way
Columnists
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“ One Nation surges to 23% in a Qld Galaxy poll; likely to win the balance of power.
Adrian Beaumont -
“ Is NBN Co’s CEO right that Australians aren’t interested in ultra-fast broadband?
David Glance -
Simon Chapman — “Every researcher I know receives dozens of gushing emails every week”
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Tanya Hill — “The bright star Regulus plays peek-a-boo with the Full Moon this weekend”
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Tony Walker — “When political parties splinter, the consequences can linger for generations”
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Michelle Grattan — “Turnbull lets fly on Shorten but still has to sell unpopular cuts”
Research and Expert Database
Editors’ Picks
Ross River breakout
Explainer: what is Ross River virus?
Ross River virus infection is the most commonly reported mosquito-borne disease in Australia, with more than 4,000 cases of illness are reported every year. Activity has been recorded from every state…
Medicine
Drugs don’t cure everything – doctors can be helped to prescribe other options
In many cases, the most appropriate treatment for a health condition isn't a drug. It could be a recommendation for a dietary change, a specific exercise, or even a phone app.
Cinema
Coming soon to a cinema near you? Ticket prices shaped by demand
Imagine if you could pay less to see films that are less popular. Dynamic ticket pricing already happens in China – and it's about to start here in over 100 Australian cinemas.
Coal power
New coal plants wouldn’t be clean, and would cost billions in taxpayer subsidies
Nobody in business wants to touch new "clean" coal plants, which means taxpayers would be left to foot the billion-dollar bills.
Depression
Hugh Mackay: the state of the nation starts in your street
Australia is a place that prides itself on the fair go. And yet, all is clearly not well.
Political donations
Why, only now, are we finding out who the biggest donors in an election year were?
Disclosures add to transparency. They allow us to follow the money and scrutinise who has made large donations. But mere disclosure does not remedy the inequity in Australia’s current system.
Smoking
It’s time to focus on an endgame for tobacco regulation
An "endgame" approach focuses on ending the tobacco pandemic, and foresees a tobacco-free future.
FactCheck
FactCheck: What are the facts on Australia’s foreign aid spending?
We check the facts on how Australia's foreign aid spend has changed over time.
Phonics
Explainer: what is phonics and why is it important?
Phonics instruction gives children letter-sound knowledge, a skill that is essential for them to read unfamiliar words by themselves.
Housing affordability
FactCheck: are average earners the main beneficiaries of negative gearing?
Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer told the ABC that "average income earners largely are the people who do get to take advantage of negative gearing." Is that a fact?
Climate change
Changing climate has stalled Australian wheat yields: study
Australia's wheat harvest has stalled over the past 26 years, and worsening weather is to blame.
Bourke Street
Police pursuits: when does the end justify the means?
Any policy governing police pursuits must balance the need to apprehend offenders with the safety of the community.
Job Board
Where experts find jobs
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Lecturer in Private Law, Corporate and Commercial Law, Administrative Law (2 positions)
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Research Fellow In Spatial Data Integration
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Postdoctoral Research Associate in Complex Systems (two positions)
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Lecturer, Organisational Psychology
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Senior Section Editor / Science + Technology
Events
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NSW Collaboration for Defence Symposium — University of Technology Sydney
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Australasian Housing Researchers Conference — RMIT University
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The Deliberative Democracy Summer School — University of Canberra
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Improving Residential Energy Efficiency (IREE) International Conference — University of Wollongong
How we are different
10 reasons
Most Read past week
- Did we used to have two sleeps rather than one? Should we again?
- Declining sport viewership shows why we should keep it on free TV
- Do vegetarians live longer? Probably, but not because they’re vegetarian
- Maybe moderate drinking isn’t so good for you after all
- Female genital mutilation is hurting Australian girls and we must work together to stamp it out
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