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Is news coverage of the pandemic too negative?
Analysis
Science

Is media coverage of COVID-19 too negative?

Is it possible the news coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic has been too negative? Some curious research should at least make us consider the question.

  • by Liam Mannix

Latest

Peggy O’Neal will replace Ziggy Switkowski as chancellor of RMIT University.
Analysis
Richmond

From rescuing Tigers to RMIT Chancellor, who is Peggy O’Neal?

Peggy O’Neal - the first woman to be president of an AFL club - can see strong parallels between her new role as RMIT Chancellor and Richmond.

  • by Jake Niall
Accumulating a deposit to buy a first home is taking ever longer, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne

Want to improve housing affordability? Here’s the solution

The federal government should provide incentive payments to state and local governments prepared to reform their planning systems and build more housing.

  • by Peter Tulip
The Apple Music Voice plan works on Siri-enabled devices like HomePods, iPhones and AirPods.
Analysis
Streaming

With Voice Plan, Apple pays you to use only Siri for music

With Voice Plan, users can pay less for their music subscription if they’re willing to lock themselves in to Apple’s ecosystem.

  • by Tim Biggs
Andrew Forrest - a green campaigner

The green wars: Nickel stoush between BHP and Andrew Forrest heats up

Copper and nickel are the new black of environmentally sought after commodities. BHP and Andrew Forrest are chasing one small Canadian company sitting on both.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
Emma Watkins with Nikoletta Tsoukani.
Opinion
Live music

Emma, you brought us so much joy, like a veggie stir-fry with some soy

Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins has announced she’s going to leave the popular children’s band, but her legacy will live long with her most devoted fans.

  • by Niki Tolios
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It’s always been a joke that my daughter and I would have a shopping trip to Paris – and I would foot the bill.

To Paris, with love: planning post-lockdown travel with my daughter

When my daughter said she was looking forward to travelling again – and wanted to do it with me – I was filled with joy.

  • by Helen Cooper

How to navigate super traps after partner’s death

Superannuation fund rules usually allow for a benefit to be taken partly as a lump sum and partly as a pension.

  • by Noel Whittaker
Bianca Hall, co-host of Please Explain

Scott Morrison on the verge of locking in net zero by 2050 target

Chief political correspondent David Crowe joins Bianca Hall to discuss the Morrison government’s long and arduous path to net zero emissions by 2050.

  • by Bianca Hall
Xi Jinping’s economy is facing a number of challenges.

China’s economy is cooling rapidly and Australia could feel the chill

China’s economy is confronting many challenges, some of its own making. How it deals with them will have flow-on effects to the rest of the world and, most particularly, Australia.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
At odds over the climate: US Senator Joe Manchin and US President Joe Biden.

How one US senator could sink Biden’s climate agenda and COP26

With Biden’s climate legislation at risk of collapse in Congress, the US President’s ability to deliver on his emissions reduction target is in serious doubt. 

  • by Matthew Knott
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said the number of deals the bank is working to complete is evidence of an “extraordinarily robust” climate.

Pandemic boom: Wall Street’s biggest dealmakers have never been busier

The world is experiencing economic upheaval caused by the pandemic, trade disputes and geopolitical tension. And dealmakers at America’s biggest banks are the busiest they have ever been.

  • by Lananh Nguyen
The end of Sydney’s lockdown will bring a rise in cases.

Opening up Sydney means freedom for some, but fear for others

As we cheerily reclaim our lives, spare a thought for those who will not be protected against COVID until we all are.

  • by Lisa Lintern
A level of paranoia may lie beneath the air of serene imperial command the Chinese President projects.

Purges, a plot and the real reason why Xi Jinping might be afraid to leave China

There are credible reports of a foiled conspiracy against the Chinese leader.

  • by Peter Hartcher
Some of Sydney’s COVID wards have shut - for now.

‘These are really sick people’: My week working on a Sydney COVID ward

The virus is abating - for now. But last month, it was all hands to the pump at my hospital.

  • by Nicholas Wilcken
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys.

TV reality: The uneasy relationship between the NRL and Nine as broadcast deal looms

There’s still a long way to go before a deal is struck for free-to-air rights.

  • by Andrew Webster
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Usman Khawaja

Australian cricket must tap South Asian talent pipeline

There are nearly a million people of South Asian extraction in Australia. With the right leader at the helm of Cricket Australia, this precious resource could guarantee a strong future for the game.

  • by Darshak Mehta
Jonathan Welch with the asylum seeker choir Voices without Borders in 2014.

Choirmaster sorry over charity confusion

Jonathon Welch has cleared up the status of his Play It Forward music education project.

  • by Stephen Brook and Samantha Hutchinson
A portrait of English MP David Amess ahead of his funeral. He was stabbed to death during a constituency meeting.

Eroding privacy: The murder of an MP could happen in Australia too

The murder of a British MP during a routine meeting with voters could happen in Australia, where MPs are increasingly worried about attacks.

  • by Rob Harris
LETTERS
Letters

Every donation comes with an invoice to pay

Age readers discuss the options for campaign financing in Australia.

Narkitaa Van Ekeren, ICU nurse unit manager at the Northern Hospital, and her colleagues are gearing up for an influx of COVID patients in next three weeks.

Melburnians heave a sigh of relief – except our health workers

The end of lockdowns means the burden of responding to the pandemic shifts from falling on the whole population through lockdowns, to falling on the health system and its staff.

  • by Stephen Duckett
Nobel peace prize winners Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov.
Editorial
Nobel Prize

Nobel peace prize provides a timely warning on threats to journalism

The awarding of the 2021 prize to two journalists is welcome affirmation of the important part that free and vibrant journalism plays in the preservation of democracy.

  • The Age's View
New Australian selector Tony Dodemaide was previously the CEO of Cricket Victoria.

Forward-thinking Dodemaide a natural selection for Australia

Long-serving administrator Tony Dodemaide will provide a steadying hand alongside Justin Langer and George Bailey on the selection panel, but the 58-year-old is no cricket conservative.

  • by Malcolm Conn
The Queen was not amused by those who were reluctant to attend the Glasgow COP26 summit. But Scott Morrison has now confirmed his attendance.

Why I learnt to love the Queen and church in a hot minute

We need some higher powers to help us if Australia is to lift its climate action targets.

  • by Jenna Price
ABC staff have previously expressed frustration with a decision by management to stop paying ‘buyouts’ to 100 employees.
Editorial
ABC

ABC complaints handling review is long overdue

The ABC has announced it will review - and not before time - the way it handles complaints from viewers.

  • The Herald's View
Girl is sitting on sea beach with wineglass of wine at sunset in summer vacation in resort. Tourist woman in striped dress with straw hat is enjoying life, relaxing, drinking, traveling. Generic image of a glass of rose on a beach. Istock image downloaded for wine on holiday/travel wine story. Good Food magazine October 2021.

I’m ready to embrace freedom as Melbourne leaves lockdown

Look out beaches, breweries and basically anything that isn’t confined to 15 kilometres of home. I’m free and I’m comin’.

  • by Frida Rowe
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Vaccination rates in PNG are among the world’s lowest.

Australia needs to step up as Papua New Guinea is hit by COVID

Papua New Guinea is experiencing a challenging COVID outbreak and steps need to be taken to combat vaccine misinformation in the country.

  • by Hillary Mansour
Bianca Hall, co-host of Please Explain

What’s driving Norway’s electric vehicle revolution?

Europe correspondent Bevan Shields joins Bianca Hall to discuss Norway’s clean-car evolution.

  • by Bianca Hall
The Chinese authorities will do what they can to blunt the fallout, particularly as it relates to individuals and the local government authorities reliant on property developments for large proportions of their income.

China plays down contagion fears as clock ticks on Evergrande

China’s central bank insists the fallout from Evergrande’s looming collapse can be contained. That looks set to be tested this week.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
The Christmas we want with friends and family will also drive the case numbers further up.

We need to talk about Christmas as Victoria opens up

Christmas will be a super-spreader event in any state living with the virus. So what do we need to do now to achieve a decent festive season without too much risk?

  • by Tony Blakely and Nancy Baxter
Composite - CORONAVIRUS- COVID-19. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressing the media at Kirribilli House regarding the scrapping of quarantine for returned travellers to NSW from November 1st 2021 and announcing his attendance for o the UN Climate talks in Glasgow. Photographed Friday 15th October 2021. Photograph by James Brickwood. SMH NEWS 211015

CARDIFF, WALES - OCTOBER 14: Queen Elizabeth II,  Elin Jones, Llywydd of the Senedd and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall talk during the opening ceremony of the sixth session of the Senedd at The Senedd on October 14, 2021 in Cardiff, Wales.  (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Climate’s shifted in Scott-land, but will real action follow?

The Morrison government’s apparent climate epiphany has been given the royal treatment in some quarters, but it may not shift the political dial enough to retain power.

  • by Sean Kelly
***EMBARGOED FOR GOOD WEEKEND, JULY 10/21 ISSUE***
Michael Yabsley photographed at home in Sydney for Good Weekend, April 2021.
Photograph by Tim Bauer (photographer on contract, no restrictions)

I’ve raised millions for the Liberals, but donation rules must change

Political donations have been at the heart of many corruption investigations. While the existing system remains, this will not change.

  • by Michael Yabsley
Gaven Morris and Gavin Fang of the ABC.

Gaven wants Gavin for top job at ABC News

In the race to succeed Gaven Morris as ABC director of news, analysis and investigations, speculation in the first instance must fall on his protege Gavin Fang.

  • by Stephen Brook and Samantha Hutchinson
LETTERS
Letters

We must respond as we have to this pandemic

Age readers discuss negotiations between the Liberals and the Nationals over climate change policy.

David Card, Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens won the Nobel prize in economics.

Nobel Prize winners make economics more useful, not a math parlour game

It turns out that, in economics, maths – like technology and much else – can be used for good or ill.

  • by Ross Gittins
Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos composite 
Analysis
Draft

All you need to know about the AFL draft points system

There are two elite father-son prospects this year, Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy. Here’s how the points system will deliver them to their clubs on draft night.

  • by Michael Gleeson
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Daniel Andrews

A big step on path back to normality

Victorians have embraced vaccination as the one and only way out.

  • The Age's View
Scott Morrison pledged that his government would “embrace the definition of anti-Semitism” as set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

A crucial step to fighting anti-Semitism

Scott Morrison’s pledge to embrace the definition of anti-Semitism as set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance will be welcomed by Jewish university students.

  • by Josh Feldman
Children are resilient but that does not mean they are not apprehensive about returnig to school.

Even the most eager students have fears about going back to school

As schools resume face-to-face teaching, children may experience back-to-school anxieties. But there are parental strategies that can help.

  • by Rachael Murrihy
Hawaiian shirts seem like a good post-lockdown fashion choice.

Who are you going to be after we get out of lockdown?

Emerging back into society we’ve been presented with an opportunity few will ever have: we get to completely reinvent ourselves.

  • by Alice Clarke
James McDonald punches the air after returning a winner on Nature Strip in the TJ Smith

Luck’s a fortune for Nature Strip as Incentivise’s Cup runneth over

Nature Strip confirmed his world rating in a sprint mounting to greatness over the last five years, but Incentivise produced a performance ranked with the best in a staying test that goes back to 1879.

  • by Max Presnell
Arts and humaities degrees equip graduates with necessary skills for success in work and life.
Opinion
Education

The enduring value of arts degrees

A humanities education prepares students for the workforce, but it also prepares them to be active and engaged members of their community, at a local, national and international level.

  • by Nira Rahman and Elizabeth Lakey
Students will begin returning to school this week.

As schools reopen, be wary of challenges ahead

While we celebrate the essential return to the classroom, be in no doubt: while one journey into the unknown has come to an end, another is only beginning.

  • The Age's View
The North Black Range Bushfire  in NSW, during the Black Summer fires of December 2019.
Analysis
Energy

How do we tackle Australia’s burning problem before it burns us?

If Australia sets a ‘net zero by 2050’ target at COP26, it will likely be heralded as a major shift, but it’s unlikely to do anything to align us with that trajectory.

  • by Ketan Joshi
Adem Somyurek as a shark with several remora in tow.

Stacked to the rafters

Branch stacking rewards unethical behaviour and breeds cynicism towards all parties. It needs to be stamped out.

  • by Jon Faine
Jonathan Franzen will feature in the Brisbane Powerhouse's 2016 Writers + Ideas Program

Twitter might hate Jonathan Franzen, but serious readers love him

Like every good novelist, he’s a complicater. He insists that we’re all made from crooked timber, and there are no easy answers in life.

  • by David Free
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So I’m going to try (try – because I forgive myself of failing even before I start) to consciously reserve my bandwidth for better.

There’s only so much bandwidth in our brains and mine is full

This would be why I turned up to an appointment a whole 24 hours early, and why I’ve lost my wallet – inside my house.

  • by Jo Stanley
That was the ... and this is now. How News Corp changed its tune on climate change.

When bad news is good News: accepting climate change shouldn’t mean denying it will hurt jobs

It’s unclear who feels more betrayed by News Corp’s new Mission Zero campaign.

  • by Parnell Palme McGuinness
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce is keen to get planes in the air again.

‘We just want our aircraft back in the air’: Alan Joyce on why prices won’t be sky-high when travel returns

And why asking passengers to be double jabbed is the right thing to do.

  • by Peter FitzSimons
A son’s final day of school brings a moment of reflection for his father.

My son’s final day of school is a turning point in both our lives

I have been looking at a photo of my son on his first day at school. He looks awkward in his uniform. He had spent his life to that point in fancy dress.

  • by Michael McGirr