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Opinion

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Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally in Arizona on Wednesday.

It's up to people power to mend a system that Trump has trashed

Historians looking back on this US election may see the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the critical turning point. Or they may see a reassertion of people power that even an activist judiciary could not overcome.

  • by Chloe Ward and Emma Shortis

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A polarising moment in politics -  the then treasurer Scott Morrison with a lump of coal during question time in Parliament in February 2017.
Letters

PM stuck in 20th century as the world moves on

Scott Morrison's pugnacious response to Boris Johnson's plea for Australia to take bold action on climate change is to be expected from someone who is beholden to the fossil fuel industry.

Inflation has been slayed.
Opinion
Bills

Rise and fall: How the inflation dragon has been slayed

There’s been a fundamental shift in the factors bearing down on the economy – the implications of which we’re yet to fully realise, let alone fix.

  • by Ross Gittins
The Trump administration has weighed in on a piece of legislation that would regulate US tech giants Google and Facebook.
Analysis
Google

A Trump win is bad news for Big Tech break-up

The US technology giants are in for a reckoning irrespective of who wins the race to the White House, the only consideration is which administration hit them harder.

  • by Supratim Adhikari
It's been 25 years since I was witness to blatant cheating by a manager at work.
Opinion
Startups

Why cheaters at work suffer the most

The shame that follows dishonest behaviour has the power to rip teams apart.

  • by James Adonis
“Nothing less than the transformation of the state itself" ... Michael Pezzullo, secretary of the Department of Home Affairs.
Opinion
National security

The most powerful mandarin in our 'extended' security state

Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo has advocated that the state must "embed itself invisibly" to defend its citizens. The liberal tradition might prefer the state derived its powers from the consent of the governed.

  • by Brian Toohey
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Illustration by John Shakespeare
Opinion
Work therapy

How to maintain a quiet space in a chatty office

What can a company do to help people concentrate during a busy day?

  • by Jonathan Rivett
The Minister for Women, Marise Payne.
Opinion
Political Leadership

Why Morrison needs to quickly fix the Liberal Party's gender imbalance

An analysis of women in politics that shows Labor has the edge. But it also shows things don't have to stay that way.

  • by David Crowe
A COVID-19 patient at Avignon  is evacuated on a French Air Force plane to Brest. As hospitals near capacity in France, patients requiring urgent treatment are being transferred across the country.
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic

COVID-19 gap widens between Australia and the rest of the world

The news coming out of Europe and the United States is shocking. The graphs are startling. Don't count on travel beyond the Asia-Pacific region any time soon.

  • by Mike Toole
Game one on Wednesday at Adelaide Oval will be the first time in the series' history the anthem will not be played. 
Opinion
Australia

Fossil fuels are the new cigarettes - and sport must take a stand

Using sport to advertise cigarettes to children is unthinkable these days. But another cashed-up, unhealthy industry is taking its place. And the latest target is the State of Origin.

  • by Belinda Noble
 Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations Christian Porter during Question Time at Parliament House.
Opinion
Anti-corruption

Reasons for delaying an integrity commission are blatant nonsense

To stubbornly ignore the views of experts and enlightened parliamentarians is to place personal and party interests before the public interest.

  • by Colleen Lewis
Column 8 Granny dinkus with mask.
Opinion
Column 8

Wednesday's car is top of the heap

Spending the working week looking wistfully at windows that will never open.

The NRL announced it was to go without the national anthem for the State of Origin series ... then hours later said it would be played.
Analysis
State of Origin

PM tackles the NRL over Origin national anthem and forces a turnover

The NRL attempted to swing the ball wide to skirt controversy - but just ended up turned around by none other than the Prime Minister.

  • by Peter FitzSimons
Essendon players take in their loss to Geelong on Sunday.
Analysis
AFL 2020

Richardson sacking raises questions of Bombers

Essendon's decision to sack Dan Richardson raises searching questions for chairman Paul Brasher's review of the club about other senior positions and direction.

  • by Michael Gleeson
DFAT Secretary Frances Adamson on Thursday.
Analysis
China relations

An intolerant, divisive Australian image is damaging us in China

"The cameras in Beijing will form an opinion of us which is very different I think of the way we would want ourselves to be portrayed."

  • by Eryk Bagshaw
An old directory lists Judge Amy Coney Barrett as a "handmaid", a term for high-ranking female leaders, in the People of Praise religious group.
Editorial
High Court of Australia

High Court must stay well away from partisan politics

Recent appointments to the High Court have avoided the hyper-partisanship of the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Court.

  • The Herald's View
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South Sydney boss Blake Solly appears to consider himself a future NRL CEO.
Opinion
NRL 2020

How did South Sydney let Joseph Suaalii slip through their fingers?

Souths chief executive Blake Solly thinks he can run the NRL —then he missed out on signing the hottest talent in decades.

  • by Andrew Webster
Myer shares surged as its results came through stronger than expected.
Opinion
Executive shake-up

The 11th hour coup: how Myer's board got rolled

Only hours before Myer's virtual annual meeting was set to begin, chairman Garry Hounsell had no choice but to be counted as a no-show.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
This is it - the final debate.
Analysis
Please Explain podcast

Please Explain podcast: Presidential strategies differ as crunch-time nears

National editor Tory Maguire joins North America correspondent Matthew Knott to discuss the impact of vastly different presidential campaigns.

  • by Tory Maguire
Photo of ANZ Australian and New Zealand Banking Corp building on Castlereagh Street, Sydney, 2 October 2020   Credit: Will Willitts
Opinion
Big four

ANZ's bad news day better than expected

A surprise element of the result has been the way customers have responded to the dire threats to their finances.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
An image of Trump stands over his supporters at a Michigan rally.
Analysis
US votes 2020

Trump's narrow - but not impossible - path to victory

If Donald Trump scores a second upset election victory next week, how will it happen? Two states hold the key: Florida and Pennsylvania.

  • by Matthew Knott
The US economy is showing signs of recovery but risks being battered again if a  stimulus deal is not reached.
Analysis
Global economy

'Hole is getting bigger': The grim economic reality facing Trump and Biden

The winner of the race for the White House will have millions of Americans struggling to get back to work because of a health crisis not seen in more than 100 years.

  • by Jonnelle Marte
Markets are on edge reading the signs of the bond market.
Opinion
World markets

Investors fearing a catastrophic market crash more than they have in years

The coronavirus crisis and the November election have driven fears of a major market crash to the highest levels in many years.

  • by Robert J. Shiller
Jack Ma is set for a battle with an old foe.
Analysis
IPO

The world's biggest float comes with question marks

Jack Ma's Ant Group is poised to break the record as the world's biggest float but faces many challenges that investors have to consider.

  • by Matthew Field
"Enough is enough:" Premier Gladys Berejikian is expecting all states and territories to pay up for hotel quarantine.
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Letters

Premier's popularity won't save her this time

Despite her popularity, a premier can’t be someone who looks away from ethically grey areas.

Reducing the number of Australians in residential aged care could be cost-effective - and kinder to the elderly.
Opinion
Aged care

A more humane, less costly solution for aged care: stay at home

The Netherlands, like Australia, had 7.5 per of its elderly people in residential aged care. Then it worked hard to cut that to 3 per cent.

  • by Pru Goward
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President Donald Trump on the campaign trail this week.
Opinion
US votes 2020

If Biden wins, he will not inherit a foreign policy crisis from Trump

Before Trump came 30 years of US foreign policy disorder and aggression - from Democrat as well as Republican presidents.

  • by Timothy Lynch
A pile of coal for export at Newcastle this month ... for how long will those markets last?
Opinion
Renewables

Net-zero emissions drive puts Australian industry on notice

Australia can seize the opportunity or be left behind.

  • by Llewelyn Hughes
In the Herald
Australia

In the Herald: October 29, 1988

Mr Sin in the big house, Reclaim the Night march, and an invisible symphony

  • by Brian Yatman
 Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations Christian Porter during Question Time at Parliament House.
Opinion
Anti-corruption

This country needs a strong National Integrity Commission

This government has shown that taxpayers cannot trust it to spend money in their real interests as opposed to the interests of the Coalition.

  • by Stephen Charles
Column 8 Granny dinkus with mask.
Opinion
Column 8

Lessons in adjusting your creativity tempo

To be or merely appear to be, and other different views of truth.

Matt Kean
Opinion
Climate policy

Australians have spoken on climate, so there's no excuse to look backwards

The NSW Energy and Environment Minister calls on Australia's governments to deliver the transition to a low-carbon economy that the vast majority of citizens want, according to new research.

  • by Matt Kean
Patriotic duty ... take a holiday in Australia.
Opinion
Tourism

Our grandparents were called to war; we must go on holiday

Aussies usually spend more each year on international holidays than foreigners spend coming here. It's time to spend up big at home.

  • by Jessica Irvine
social media
Opinion
Body image

COVID weight gain memes aren't harmless. I had anorexia, I'd know

An extra-terrestrial observing our culture through Instagram could be forgiven for thinking COVID was a disease that made you fat, rather than ravaged your lungs.

  • by Hannah Vanderheide
Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate was forced to stand aside this week.
Editorial
Executive pay

To attract the best executives public sector has to pay going rate

Community standards must be considered when salaries for public servants are set.

  • The Herald's View
Guy Debelle said it appeared the economy had grown through the September quarter, but the RBA will next month likely sign off on a string of measures to help the struggling economy.
Analysis
Australian recession

Don't put up the end of recession balloons just yet

The Australian economy may be growing again after its deepest downturn since the 1930s, but the recession will continue to linger for years.

  • by Shane Wright
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday 21 October 2020. fedpol Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Analysis
Please Explain podcast

Please Explain podcast: Low and middle income Australians lose in personal tax overhaul

In this episode, national editor Tory Maguire is joined by senior economics correspondent Shane Wright to dissect the consequences of the government's personal tax overhaul. 

  • by Tory Maguire
Premier Investments chairman Solomon Lew has taken aim at both Myer and fellow shareholder Geoff Wilson.
Opinion
Board shake-up

This year's other must-see election - Myer vs Solomon Lew

The only director up for re-election at Myer's annual general meeting is chairman Garry Hounsell and if he is felled the rest of the board could unravel very quickly.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
The night grand final rated strongly.
Opinion
AFL grand final

It might rate better but night grand final is not what footy's about

The conflict between night and day goes far beyond a change in the time of the first bounce.

  • by Sam Duncan
As a safe haven currency, uncertainty is bolstering the US dollar.
Opinion
Currencies

The US election could shake up currencies and pressure the RBA

The election could produce a pivotal moment for the US dollar, one with material implications for other economies’ ability to recover from the devastating impacts of the coronavirus.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Why the delay? The code of conduct won't arrive until three years after the law was announced.
Opinion
Airbnb

Holiday letting code delays betray long-suffering residents

If the final version of a code of conduct for short-term holiday letting does make its new deadline of next June, it will be three years after it was first flagged in Parliament.

  • by Jimmy Thomson
The most helpful thing has been making sure everything is a collaborative effort - my wife and I both make time to catch up and check-in.
Opinion
First Person

'Some mates just don't get it' and other discoveries of a first-time dad

“We’ve got this!”, “Oh my god, what are we doing?”, “Why did we do this?!” I’d whisper-yell to my wife, as only a parent of a newborn can do.

  • by Daniel Steele
Fly the flag: a Beijing supporter waves the Chinese national flag at the Peak in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Opinion
Global economy

China has to make sure its economic recovery lasts

China's economy has rebounded strongly from the pandemic. Can Beijing make it last?

  • by Anjani Trivedi
Trump will use the growth figures as evidence of a strong economic rebound, but the economy remains in dire health.
Analysis
Global economy

Numbers can lie: The best GDP report ever won’t mean the US economy has healed

It will be the last major piece of economic data before Election Day and will likely show the US just experienced its fastest three months of growth on record. But numbers can be deceiving.

  • by Ben Casselman
Auditor-General Grant Hehir.
Opinion
Political Leadership

Keeping track of this gravy train is a tough station

The urgent need for a federal corruption commission has been reinforced by some direct hits on the misuse of taxpayer funds by the Auditor-General and Senate estimates.

  • by Chris Uhlmann
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Prime Minister Scott Morrison during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday 22 October 2020. fedpol Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Opinion
Federal budget

Privatisation crusade has long been core business for tribal Libs

The much-diminished public sector now employs only two in every 10 Australia workers. It's no wonder the beefed-up private sector benefits most from the budget.

  • by Ross Gittins
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Daniel Andrews defcon homepage image
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Letters

Cometh the hour, cometh the Dan - our lockdown hero

Dear Daniel Andrews, thank you for controlling COVID in Victoria and saving hundreds of thousands of Australian lives, not just within Victoria.

In the Herald
Australia

In the Herald: October 28, 1841

Mr Whytlaw's lecture on steam, respectably done by, and he will have no objection

  • by Brian Yatman
I’d rather be living in a state of joyous, peaceful Trumpless-ness.
Opinion
US votes 2020

In the Bible Belt it's love thy neighbour, not thy politics

In Charlotte, North Carolina, policy issues have morphed into spiritual warfare as election day approaches.

  • by Monique McCullough
Firmly entrenched lower interest rates are putting the squeeze on savers trying to generate retirement income.
Opinion
Interest rates

How retirees can combat low interest rate term deposits

There are simple steps you can take to boost your retirement income stream that don't involve taking on much extra risk.

  • by Noel Whittaker