Explainers
Explainer
Coronavirus pandemic
How would paid pandemic leave work?
Is the government's $1500 payment the same as paid pandemic leave? Who is backing a new type of payment? What problem is it supposed to fix?
- by Nick Bonyhady
Latest
Explainer
Coronavirus pandemic
Victoria is in a state of disaster. What does that mean and what are the rules now?
Lockdown 2.0 has taken a new turn in Melbourne, with a curfew and locals told to stay within five kilometres of their homes. What does it mean for you?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
US votes 2020
Can you trust the US election polls?
How much attention should you pay to the polls ahead of election day? And what has and hasn’t changed since the surprise result in 2016?
- by Matthew Knott
Explainer
South China Sea
Why is the South China Sea such a hotspot?
Why are there so many tensions over this body of water? What is the 'nine-dash line'? And why does it matter to Australia?
- by James Massola
Explainer
Space
Why are so many nations blasting off to Mars?
International travel is largely grounded, yet interplanetary travel is taking off. Why are nations heading to the red planet? And when will humans follow?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Coronavirus pandemic
Who is responsible for aged care homes?
Who funds and runs aged care facilities? How have they become the epicentre of this crisis? And what is the best way to fix the problems?
- by Michael Bachelard
Explainer
Coronavirus pandemic
Do you have a right to not wear a mask?
Can police detain people for breaches of government directions? Do Victorians have legally enforceable civil rights not to wear a mask?
- by David Estcourt
Explainer
Coronavirus pandemic
Could Australia eliminate COVID-19 like NZ and how would it work?
Australia's politicians and top scientists are split over whether we should go all in on a hard elimination plan while Melbourne shuts down. If it works, life could (almost) go back to normal. But what are the risks?
- by Sherryn Groch
Explainer
Biodiversity
Why is Australia a global leader in wildlife extinctions?
Plant and animal species in Australia are becoming extinct as fast as ever. Why is it happening? And what would it take to reverse the decline?
- by Mike Foley
Explainer
Coronavirus pandemic
The same coronavirus strain turned up in an Australian and a tiger. How?
Tracking a virus's “genetic passport” has revolutionised how we fight pandemics. What does genomic testing tell us about COVID-19's journey around the world – and the latest outbreaks in Australia?
- by Sherryn Groch and Liam Mannix
Explainer
The Dismissal
What are the Palace Letters, in a nutshell?
Why has the release of 1200 pages of letters from the '70s caused such a stir? Who wrote them? And what do they say?
- by Nick Bonyhady