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Opinion

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French President Emmanuel Macron speaks after stepping off his plane in New Caledonia on Thursday.
Opinion
Protests

Macron’s supreme arrogance to blame for riots in New Caledonia

In the ongoing blame game, it’s hard not to point to Macron himself as the arsonist in chief. He’s the one who set in motion a vote in Paris that triggered the protests in New Caledonia.

  • by Anne-Elisabeth Moutet

Latest

In all the discussion about stalking Baby Reindeer has provoked, no one has discussed how writers themselves can be predatory - but what are they hunting?
Opinion
Streaming

Why I’m grateful for Baby Reindeer, the anti-hero alternative we desperately need

In this era of self-congratulatory and safe memoirs, the Netflix series dares to be dangerous.

  • by Mark Mordue
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 23: Aaron Naughton of the Bulldogs reacts to an injury during the round 11 AFL match between Western Bulldogs and Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium, on May 23, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Analysis
AFL 2024

The injuries to key Dogs heading into crucial stretch of season

The Bulldogs’ 14-point loss to premiership favourites Sydney was compounded by injuries to Anthony Scott, Aaron Naughton and Ed Richards.

  • by Andrew Wu

Treasury tells all: How the housing market is so stuffed up

Our housing industry has been too slow to respond to the increased demand for housing. What’s the Albanese government doing about this mess?

  • by Ross Gittins
There’s a desire in our society to believe most companies exist on a reasonably narrow spectrum with nothing radical at the extremes. But that’s a myth.

Is workplace abuse more prevalent than I realised?

There’s a desire in our society to believe most companies exist on a reasonably narrow spectrum with nothing radical at the extremes. But that’s a myth.

  • by Jonathan Rivett
Kylie Moore-Gilbert’s memoir of her time in jail in Iran is on the shortlist for the non-fiction award.

I won’t mourn the sudden death of the man who oversaw my sham trial

Iranians are celebrating the death of their president by dancing in the streets, setting off fireworks and posting an endless stream of helicopter-themed memes. Meanwhile the Australian government has sent its condolences.

  • by Kylie Moore-Gilbert
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Too many rocks, not enough diamonds this season for Latrell Mitchell to be picked for NSW for Origin I.

Why Michael Maguire simply cannot pick Latrell Mitchell for Origin I

The South Sydney fullback doesn’t deserve the jumper, nor can he be trusted to perform in it.

  • by Andrew Webster
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Letters
Letters

Australia and the planet lose, no matter who wins next election

Readers discuss the next election. If the Coalition wins, Australia will nuclear power eventually, but will not meet its 2030 carbon reduction commitments. If Labor wins, Australia will get transitional gas.

Manly coach Anthony Seibold.
Analysis
NRL 2024

Are Manly, Anthony Seibold and Isaac Moses still on the same page?

The Sea Eagles have told their coach that contract talks are on hold after three straight losses. But Seibold insists he didn’t storm out of a meeting on the eve of a season-defining clash.

  • by Adam Pengilly
Netflix decided to release season three of Bridgerton in two parts.
Opinion
Streaming

Is Netflix killing off the binge model it created? The signs say yes

The latest season of Bridgerton has been split in two, spread out across a month. It’s the latest sign the streaming giant is shifting from the binge model.

  • by Aine Ryan
Baby Reindeer recounts the tale of a chance meeting that quickly escalates into stalking.
Opinion
Real life

When I had a Baby Reindeer experience, I resolved to find my stalker

It began with an anonymous Twitter account posting about me and tagging my colleagues. Who from my past –  exes, housemates, former colleagues – might bear this kind of grudge?

  • by Damien Nowicki
The writer on the dirtbag trail: Trail running involves as much walking as running.
Opinion
Trends

In appealing to the rich, has trail running lost its dirtbag spirit?

Have we become so comfortable in our lives we are now seeking – and willing to pay big money for – discomfort?

  • by Sarah Berry
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has signed a deal with OpenAI.

No ‘dirty deals done dirt cheap’: Why Murdoch teamed up with OpenAI

Rupert Murdoch has decided that a deal done with the ‘thieves and counterfeiters’ of AI is better than no deal.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
Brittany Higgins leaves the Federal Court last year.

Want MPs to support abuse victims? Maybe don’t threaten them with jail time

If we want to make the silence of Parliament House bystanders a prosecutable offence, we must also ask: who are we at risk of silencing in the process?

  • by Madison Griffiths

Morrison currently holds the golden chicken trophy. Could Chalmers be next?

The prize for counting budget chickens will always be a tight contest when politicians spend so much of their time listening to themselves and each other.

  • by David Crowe
Workers once hid behind pot plants and pillars to avoid their boss’ roving eyes. These days, the ever-present ‘green dot’ is making it much harder.

Why ‘green dot’-obsessed managers are ruining remote work

Workers once hid behind pot plants and pillars to avoid their bosses’ roving eyes. These days, the ever-present “green dot” is making it much harder.

  • by Jim Bright
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Having been cold-shouldered by Anglo American for weeks, BHP has finally got its board to sit down and engage with its offer.

BHP’s expensive date with the Anglo directors

The Anglo American board has finally agreed to let BHP put forward the case for its now $74 billion takeover plan after the Australian mining giant upped its offer for the second time.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Young guns: Sam Darcy, Nick Daicos and Chad Warner.
Opinion
AFL 2024

Who Kane Cornes would pick in the ultimate AFL super draft

Imagine a new-look AFL where existing contracts are scrapped and every player nominates for the biggest draft ever. Who would you choose?

  • by Kane Cornes
We deepen our connection and trust with the people we love by offering them private information.

I used to love being told a secret, but now I don’t really care

I’ve been told of some pretty significant secrets in my time – from affairs, to secret children, to gambling problems, to bankruptcies – so the bar for titillation has been significantly raised.

  • by Kerri Sackville
The UK papers respond to Sunak’s announcement.
Analysis
UK election

Diminished and drenched, Rishi Sunak seems impatient for his own demise

The British PM is attempting to pull off a turnaround that would be unique in modern political history. It’s not off to a convincing start.

  • by Rob Harris
Richie Benaud

I’m calling it: Why ‘marvellous’ moments in sports commentary are dying out

Where are the Benauds, the Comettis, and the Warrens of the new generation? It might be the case that the talent is there, but we’re just not listening like we used to.

  • by Peter FitzSimons
Blues playmaker Cody Walker was named man of the match in last year’s series finale.

There is one Rabbitoh NSW must pick for Origin … and it’s not Latrell

Origin can bring out the best in players looking to escape the dramas at their club. Michael Maguire can do that with South Sydney’s mercurial star.

  • by Andrew Johns
Labor has the pieces in play to proceed to an election this year.

Dutton has dealt himself into contention. Does Albanese have the bottle to go after him?

Following last week’s budget, key elements of the election contest are now in place. Anthony Albanese would be unwise to wait too long in setting a date.

  • by Shaun Carney
Tumbling after.
Letters
Letters

Broken promises and delayed projects the reason for Allan’s poll slump

Readers discuss reasons the Allan government is losing support according to the results of this week’s Resolve Political Monitor survey of 1105 eligible Victorian voters.

An open letter to Gina Rinehart, from Queen Victoria (who loved her beer)

Women like us are defined more by power than posing. We work hard, we shoulder immense duties, we bellow in the ears of prime ministers.

  • by Julia Baird
China will eventually wipe out the West’s electric car industry 
because its carmakers can make a much fatter profit per car overseas.

It’s defend yourself, or get crushed by China’s export tsunami

An open world economy cannot exist with a deformed Chinese economy that accounts for 13 per cent of global consumption but produces 31 per cent of all manufactured goods.

  • by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
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A still from the video featuring Terrell May, Zach Dockar-Clay and three other Roosters teammates.
Opinion
NRL 2024

NRL target tests Roosters players for illicit substances following bogus social media claims

The Roosters and RLPA are angry after players were tested following unfounded claims they had taken party drugs the night before the match against Cronulla.

  • by Andrew Webster
Opinion
Employment

We are now in a vaudeville economy where bad news is good news

There’s a good chance that there’s enough bad news around on family finances that the government handouts won’t push up interest rates.

  • by Chris Richardson
LendLease investors are looking for blood.

Lendlease’s sacrifice of chairman won’t appease bloodthirsty investors

Many feel that the board has engaged in a bit of tinkering when full-scale renovation is needed.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
Students rally at the Pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Melbourne on Friday.

I support the right to protest, but these Melbourne Uni students should be expelled

What’s now occurring at the university has crossed a line and is negatively impacting many other students. An environment that legitimises antisemitism has been fostered.

  • by Matthew Bach
Opinion
Aviation

I flew that Singapore route for decades. Here’s why it gets rough at this time of year

In my near four decades of flying that exact route as a Qantas captain, l learnt that especially during the wet season there are particular challenges pilots face.

  • by David Evans
A question on many investors’ minds is whether investing in so-called value stocks like Buffett does is the best strategy in this volatile market and economy.

My wife thinks investing is too risky, how do I convince her?

When someone says they think investing is too risky, they can often be speaking from a place of fear. There are some things you can do to overcome this.

  • by Paridhi Jain
Households sit on $10.7 trillion of real estate, dwarfing their equities holdings of $1.4 trillion.
Analysis
Home loans

Have property prices peaked for now? These factors suggest so

Weakness could emerge in Australian house prices in the second half of 2024 with the RBA potentially keeping interest rates on hold.

  • by Robert Baharian
Moving in with a sibling doesn’t mean you’ll have to forego the finer things in life.

Will my pension be cut if I move in with my sister?

Moving in with a sibling is unlikely to have a bearing on your pension as Centrelink does not consider family members as being in a relationship.

  • by Noel Whittaker
Jacinta Allan still leads John Pesutto as preferred Victorian premier despite a massive slump in Labor’s primary vote.

Jacinta Allan is slowly marching Labor off a cliff of Daniel Andrews’ making

Though the state election is still two years away, a damning poll for Labor doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the Allan government.

  • by Annika Smethurst

Something truly strange is happening when Dutton wants to slash immigration

The unaffordability of home ownership is a good issue for the election campaign, but Peter Dutton is drawing a long bow in linking it to immigration.

  • by Ross Gittins
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Mark Morris and his daughter Isla Morris.
Analysis
Shopping

Eating cheap: Families slash weekly shop to under $200 a week

Families across the country are being forced to re-evaluate their weekly shops in the face of rising grocery prices.

  • by Nina Hendy
Jacinta Allan faces an uphill battle to keep Victorians on side.

Victorians are deserting Labor and its own budget contains the reason

The state’s surging debt and the government’s shelved promises laid out in this month’s budget have sent support for Labor to a fresh, and deep, low.

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Letters
Letters

Do we believe in a justice system only when it suits us?

Readers react to the ICC prosecutor’s claims against Benjamin Netanyahu and debate the Melbourne protests.

Who really runs the country? The secret roles of Albanese’s ministers

Anthony Albanese’s ministers have portfolios – they also have other roles: confidantes, influencers, attack dogs. And some are more equal than others.

  • by James Massola
A Warragamba Slammer: refreshing or making your kids dumb?
Analysis
Science

A new study links fluoride with cognitive issues. Should we be worried?

Many studies have linked higher levels of fluoride to lower IQ in children, but not all studies are equal.

  • by Angus Dalton
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan recreated Nicky Winmar’s famous moment in a game last year.
Opinion
Indigenous

The number of Indigenous AFL players has plunged from 87 to 71. It’s going to get worse

Recruiters tell me the number of Indigenous AFL players is likely to fall to the mid-60s next year due to retirements and a lack of talent coming through, and worsen from there.

  • by John Evans
Brad Arthur during an Eels match.
Opinion
NRL 2024

Happy 50th birthday Brad – you’ve received the most Eels-style present ever

From club member number 2911828, here’s a tribute to the former Eels coach on his birthday.

  • by Adrian Proszenko
Telstra chief executive Vicki Brady

Why Telstra needs to sack 10 per cent of its workforce

The good news for chief executive Vicki Brady is that the mobile division continues to motor on nicely. She needs this motor to purr like a kitten.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
Analysis
Super Rugby

The Eddie-shaped shadow hanging over a Cheika rescue mission at Waratahs

With the embers of last year’s bin fire only just extinguished, Rugby Australia is facing a fraught decision: does it bring back another colourful ex-coach to fix rugby in NSW?

  • by Iain Payten
For some people, supplements are taking the place of tried and true health treatments like rest and hydration.
Opinion
Flu season

I know pseudo remedies won’t cure my winter cold. But they make me feel special

We’re currently experiencing a unique hell of virus soup, and despite knowing what we need to do to get better, following doctor’s orders feel painfully pedestrian.

  • by Wendy Syfret
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You might ask what a two-month sojourn in New York has to do with personal finance, but good planning goes well beyond just the numbers.

This is what good financial planning really looks like

You might ask what a two-month sojourn in New York has to do with personal finance, but good planning goes well beyond just the numbers.

  • by Paul Benson
He’s back: Keith Gill is thought to have turned a $US50,000 investment in GameStop into a nearly $US50 million fortune.
Opinion
Investing

Why ‘Roaring Kitty’ is the poster child for next-generation investors

After a long period of calm, all it took to reignite the meme stock flames was a cryptic post last week from GameStop investor “Roaring Kitty”.

  • by Marcus Ashworth
Treasurer Jim Chalmers reading his budget speech.
Opinion
WordPlay

Australia leads the world in the use of this oxymoronic term

During this year’s budget there was one recurrent word association that appeared more than others.

  • by David Astle
People hold up posters of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a mourning ceremony for him in downtown Tehran, Iran.

What a change of leadership in Iran means for the world order

The now dead Iranian president and foreign minister did everything they could to consolidate the “Axis of Resistance”. There is a decision to be made.

  • by David Sanger