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SMH Editorials

Still the Lucky Country, despite the stumbles

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When Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States in January 2017, he set the tone for what has emerged as a chaotic year for global politics, upending accepted norms on discourse and diplomacy.

Boxing Day a test of stamina and skill

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Once upon a time, nothing vied for our sporting attention against the powerful one-two punch of the Boxing Day Test and the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. But it doesn't begin and end there, at least not any more.

The difference Christmas makes

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Are we there yet? The eternal cry from the back seat could apply just as well to the rush before Christmas as it does to the long, hot drive to the holidays that follow. The answer – reliable only in never being very reassuring – is usually the same too: not long now.

Bennelong gives Turnbull another chance

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Nothing was going to overshadow the result in the Bennelong byelection for Malcolm Turnbull – not the swing against the government, not his re-elected member's questionable attempt at humour, nothing.

We cannot stand by as genocide takes place on our doorstep

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The extreme cruelty by Myanmar's armed forces, local militia and even Buddhist monks is almost beyond comprehension, but believe it we must. The deliberate killing of a specific ethnic group has gone far beyond a mere humanitarian crisis.

Faceless man in hopeless strife

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If Sam Dastyari had dealt with his role in the promulgation of Chinese influence openly and contritely, he might have survived.

Law must adapt to deal with sexual harassment claims

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In the two months since The New York Times published its groundbreaking expose of Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, dozens of high-profile men across the world have been outed as alleged sexual predators.

Government moves to curb modern slavery

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Slavery is the world's second-biggest illicit market. In the past, slaves were shackled in metal chains. Today, they are exploited in supply chains.

Gold at the end of rainbow week

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The applause that erupted on Thursday from MPs on both sides in the House of Representatives after the same-sex marriage bill was passed came like a cloudburst after a long drought.

Less risk-averse Turnbull key to his poll recovery

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Malcolm Turnbull is admirable at a number of levels. His drive, his personal ambition, his self-belief, even his sense of destiny. Together, these harden him against the tide of self-doubt that would inundate lesser figures.

The PM turns retreat into a rout

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Malcolm Turnbull right now should be on a high. He has set up a royal commission into banking which, even though he has been opposed to the idea, is a popular move across the nation in city and country alike.

Senator Dastyari has to go

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Senator Sam Dastyari cannot be trusted to observe his own party's policy, let alone to respect Australia's national interest.