Starting again: the Albanese interview
“A cutthroat political player, Albanese is also an accomplished parliamentary tactician and negotiator and is not averse to compromise if it will achieve an ultimate objective.”
As he takes over as Labor’s new leader, Anthony Albanese outlines how he plans to reshape his party and win back Australia’s trust.
News
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Inside the broad church of Scott Morrison
“Needing to replace a clutch of cabinet ministers who resigned from parliament ahead of the election, Morrison has taken the opportunity to ensure that three of the five new faces in his cabinet are those who backed him over Peter Dutton.”
With a stunning election victory behind him, Scott Morrison has further consolidated his power by elevating key allies into his ministry.
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Corrections system in lockdown
With the Victorian prison and custodial system full to bursting, the Andrews government has pledged $1.8 billion for Corrections. But will pouring in money do anything to temper criminality?
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“The tragic death of Courtney Herron comes in the context of a housing affordability crisis right around the country. It’s not something that is specific to Victoria.”
Discussions about housing affordability have frequently omitted those who are most severely affected by the crisis: people experiencing homelessness. Advocates in the homelessness sector are calling on the government to act.
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Brexit Party hearty after European vote
Trump’s undiplomatic visit to Japan. New PNG prime minister. Brexit Party gains EU seats. Narendra Modi’s mandate for India.
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Gadfly
Ministry of silly dorks
Schmo has unveiled his ministry littered with any number of stale and pale third-raters. In particular, we’ll have to keep our eye on Stuart “Train Crash” Robert and Fantastic Angus Taylor. Gus is already out of the box with a cry that he has a “clear mandate” to do nothing much about carbon emissions. It seems we’re still stuck with the Abbott-era strategy of no carbon price and a few trees as a way of meeting the 2030 target of a 26 per cent greenhouse gas reduction.
Opinion
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Kon Karapanagiotidis and Jana Favero
Saving asylum seekers’ lives
“While we grapple with the on-ground reality of the election result, nothing is weighing more heavily than what this means for the men and women stranded on Manus and Nauru. Policy change after nearly six years of being imprisoned, being denied freedom and justice, was the last hope many held out for. That hope has now vanished.”
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Sarah Krasnostein
Character assessment in sentencing decisions
“Some time between 8.58am and 10.43am on June 29, 2016, after Borce and Karen Ristevski’s daughter, Sarah, left for work, Borce killed Karen, his wife of 27 years, in a manner known only to himself. He then moved her body from their home, placed it in the boot of her car, drove to Mount Macedon Regional Park, north-west of Melbourne, and concealed it before proceeding to lie about his actions to their family, the police and the public for years. By the time investigators found Karen’s body in the isolated bushland where it had been hidden by Ristevski, it was no longer possible to determine a cause of death.”
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Paul Bongiorno
Morrison and Albanese set out their plans
“Already, the race is on for the next election. Both a jubilant Scott Morrison and a perky Anthony Albanese are off and running. Morrison has set himself the task of winning a fourth term for the Coalition, while Albanese is determined to learn from the wreckage of the unloseable election and keep the focus as much as possible on the government.”
Letters, Poem & Editorial
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Sis, I have a ghost story:
A river flows fat of bream and cod and perch. Here where the soil has parted for the belly of creators, the stones in the shape of the foot of god, the river ripples songs for their journeys through the land. Black bodies splash shards of golden light, there is enough and enough and enough.
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The ritual has a familiar shape by now. Four women killed in Melbourne, four public deaths in less than a year. Eurydice Dixon, Aya Maasarwe, Natalina Angok and Courtney Herron. With each there was a shading in of the question of vulnerability – of the violence faced by women of colour, and international students, and the twin complications of addiction and homelessness. But all four of these women were killed by men.
Culture
Actress Kat Stewart’s realms of possibility
Although Kat Stewart is well known for playing dark, in-your-face characters, her life experience has led her to a greater appreciation of hope and contentment. Her latest stage role is in Melbourne Theatre Company’s Heisenberg. “The idea I really love is that we spend all this energy trying to control our lives and take comfort in that … but we have very, very, very little control and what this play confronts you with is: What if that is not a bad thing?”
On her fourth album, Dedicated, Canadian popstar Carly Rae Jepsen continues to explore heartbreak, love and infatuation against a backdrop of disco synths and catchy melodies.
Bill Henson at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery
Following a seven-year hiatus, Bill Henson returns to Sydney with a show of carnal adolescence at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery. But despite the technical prowess evident in Henson’s work, the exhibition leaves the visitor questioning the Eurocentric world it portrays.
Life
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With studies showing too much time on smartphones adversely affects children’s mental and social development, is it time for teens to be forced to disconnect – at least occasionally – from their online lives?
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Stan Tsaikos’s knack in the saddle
Far from the glamour of Melbourne Cup mounting yards, Stan Tsaikos ekes out a living as a journeyman jockey, travelling the length and breadth of the country to get rides. But despite the gruelling graft, it’s a life he loves.
Books
Puzzles
1. Dragonfly in Amber is the second of eight novels in which historical fantasy series by Diana Gabaldon?
2. Which wireless technology was named after a 10th-century Danish king?
3. In Olympic archery events, what is the distance from the archer to the target: (a) 30 metres; (b) 50 metres; or (c) 70 metres?
4. Who directed the 1975 film Barry Lyndon? (Bonus point for naming whose novel it was based on.)
5. The Gilbert Islands form the main part of which Pacific republic?
6. The Bata shoe company was founded in Zlín in 1894. Which country is Zlín in?
7. Last month marked the 50th anniversary of which album by The Who?
8. What are the given names of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby?
9. The cat Tardar Sauce was better known by what name?
10. What is the singular of data?
Quotes
MEDIA
“Like ScoMo, I just want to get back on the horse.”
The broadcaster renews a two-year contract with 2GB, on $4 million a year. The figure set aside for baseless defamations was not disclosed.
MUSIC
“But as Billy Bragg said, not everything that counts can be counted.”
The new leader of the Labor Party quotes the British singer-songwriter on value. Bragg also said if you can’t say it in three minutes, it’s not worth saying.
RACE
“Some years ago I opined that London was not really an English city any more. Since then, virtually all my friends from abroad have confirmed my observation.”
The resident of the Caribbean island of Nevis complains about the cultural make-up of London. John Cleese is not really a comedian anymore – and virtually all our friends have confirmed it.
POLITICS
“We must burn for the Australian people every day.”
The prime minister restates his willingness to burn for his country. Be it climate policy or offshore detention, it’s a tasteless reference.
SPACE
“I’m going to go away for awhile.”
The singer decides to take a break from public life. He’ll be fine, though: he’s just going to pretend he’s dating someone really nice.
JUSTICE
“I decided to donate all monies to help provide some relief to the victims of the massacre... It wasn’t mine to keep.”
The boy who smashed an egg on Fraser Anning donates the money that was crowdfunded for him to victims of the Christchurch massacre. Anning donated back his senate seat, which was nice, too.
