Opinion
Analysis
AFL 2024
How the AFL review became an orgy of club self-interest
There have been some sober, intelligent suggestions on potential changes to the AFL competition, but certain issues have been dominated by self-interest, point-scoring and whingeing.
- by Jake Niall
Latest
Opinion
Public transport
This European city is missing a service common in Australia - and we don’t miss it
At first, we thought the apps must have crashed. But within days, we realised it was something else entirely: there are no rideshare platforms in Denmark.
- by Caroline Zielinski
Opinion
US Votes 2024
I knocked Biden out of the race in ’87. Almost four decades later, he needs to quit again
In Washington, people often become what they start out scorning. This has happened to Joe Biden.
- by Maureen Dowd
Analysis
US Votes 2024
Who could replace Joe Biden? Here are 10 options for the Democrats
A meandering, occasionally incoherent and almost universally panned first-debate performance from Biden has led to calls for him to step aside, even by those loyal to him.
- by Aaron Blake
Analysis
NRL 2024
Changes Slater must consider for his biggest Maroons test
Billy Slater faces his greatest litmus test at the Maroons’ helm.
- by Nick Wright
Opinion
Barnaby Joyce
Barnaby’s booze ban? I’m thirsty for the details
As iron-cast as Barnaby Joyce’s willpower obviously is, those of us playing along at home were hoping for … something more.
- by Michelle Cazzulino
Analysis
Political leadership
King’s representative calls for an end to constant battle royal in parliament
As governor-general, Sam Mostyn is King Charles’ representative in Australia. But she has signalled a much broader remit.
- by Shane Wright
Opinion
Australian economy
Why we’re going into the new financial year carrying last year’s problems
It is difficult to see anything much that will stimulate corporate profits in the remainder of this calendar year.
- by Elizabeth Knight
Opinion
West Coast Eagles
Eagles’ third straight home defeat was not far off peak embarrassment
With the return of the club champion and the rising star this was meant to be the best version of West Coast in 2024. What eventuated was so far from it.
- by Paddy Sweeney
Analysis
AFL 2024
Magpies try one great escape too many; Hawks back in the box office
Craig McRae’s team has pulled off a number of death-defying comebacks, but on Saturday its luck ran out. Meanwhile, the Hawks are now among the league’s greatest showmen.
- by Andrew Stafford
Opinion
US Votes 2024
Why the world fears four more years of Trump
Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance has made the likelihood of a second Trump term far more real and has China and the rest of the world on edge.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Opinion
Interest rates
Why interest rate speculators should get back in their box
The future of interest rates needs more brainpower and a lot less idle speculation.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Political leadership
Who knew? Governments do better when they actually govern
Rather than talking about policies that may never be, Labor was able to spend the week talking about tax cuts, wage rises and power bill rebates taking effect.
- by Sean Kelly
Opinion
Assange saga
Assange may be free, but journalism everywhere is in chains
Journalists and publishers remain under threat all over the world, especially in our region. Australia, which is no beacon for media freedom, needs to step up.
- by Caoilfhionn Gallagher and Jennifer Robinson
Analysis
NRL 2024
The shocks and shake-ups of a faster, younger, tougher NRL in 2024
As the season moves past the halfway point, attacking football is in vogue, big names have made way for new talents and the off-field wheeling and dealing is as intriguing as ever.
- by Dan Walsh
Analysis
Social media
Billionaire Andrew Forrest’s court win threatens to expose Facebook’s trillion-dollar secrets
How does Facebook interact with fraudsters who book scam ads on its platform? Billionaire Andrew Forrest is about to find out.
- by Colin Kruger
Analysis
Income tax
Sugar hit from stage 3, but the country needs a tax reform diet
From July, $23 billion will flow to hard-pressed Australians as the stage 3 tax cuts begin. But they’re a long way from solving the nation’s biggest tax issues.
- by Shane Wright
Going under: The flood-prone Perth suburbs at risk of being uninsurable
There are some communities that modern technology and science now suggest, with the benefit of hindsight and projections, it might have been wiser not to build.
- by Sarah Brookes
Editorial
Tax reform
Political guts and policy muscle needed for true tax reform
Voters are rightly fed up with the lack of vision for our economic future.
- The Herald's View
Opinion
Russia-Ukraine war
How Putin handed America the keys to the world’s energy market
It did not take long for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to reshape the world’s energy markets, but the Russian president might be kicking himself.
- by Jonathan Leake
Analysis
Political leadership
Albanese had to act on Payman, but doing so creates new headaches for Labor
It was Fatima Payman’s third strike against caucus solidarity, but Labor is likely to face blow-back from Muslim Australians.
- by James Massola
Opinion
Political leadership
I know what it’s like to be the politician’s son who makes mistakes. I wouldn’t wish it on Tom Dutton
When a photo of the opposition leader’s 18-year-old son made headlines last week, I immediately felt so sorry for him. Unfortunately, I know exactly what it’s like to go through that.
- by Nick Bracks
Tight Five
Wallabies
NSW’s latest ‘one that got away’ shows why Simon Raiwalui is so badly needed
Waratahs’ new director of performance must take a hard line on retention to prevent players like Under-20s star Ronan Leahy being lost to the state.
- by Paul Cully
Analysis
UK politics
Bregrets? They’ve got a few. Most Brits now think leaving EU was a mistake
As Britons head to the polls this week, a majority think that leaving the European Union has delivered few benefits.
- by Rob Harris
Opinion
Style
Adidas is Samba-ing all over Nike’s high-tops
Nike’s top-selling sneakers have fallen out of favour with fashionistas, who are choosing Adidas’s low-rise models. This sartorial shift looks like it is starting to hurt Nike.
- by Andrea Felsted
Opinion
Assange saga
Just don’t call him a hero. Assange’s recklessness may have cost lives
I know the view of Australian intelligence agencies: it’s likely that Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks dump of information cost lives. It was wickedly reckless.
- by George Brandis
Analysis
AFL 2024
Who are the iron men of the AFL? The names and numbers behind them might surprise you
They are not necessarily speed demons or endurance beasts, but these players give their coaches tactical flexibility. And at a time when the tag is back, their importance is greater than ever.
- by Andrew Wu
Analysis
State of Origin
‘I bleed blue and always have’: How NSW unlocked Latrell
Latrell Mitchell’s critics have been forced to eat their words after his triumphant return to State of Origin.
- by Danny Weidler
Opinion
Budgeting
From Gen Z to Millennials, young Australians are truly in a mess
While it may make you uncomfortable, it’s an irrefutable fact that younger people are vastly more disadvantaged than older ones.
- by Victoria Devine
Opinion
Ask an expert
Will I regret never buying a house and just investing instead?
On the numbers, there’s seemingly an easy answer to your question. But can you really place a value on a roof over your head?
- by Paul Benson
Opinion
Women's health
Why the government might need to start peddling unedited porn
Nearly a quarter of Gen Z women are anxious, ashamed or embarrassed by how their labia look.
- by Parnell Palme McGuinness
Opinion
Assange saga
The freedom messiah is free, but a few women won’t join the cheer squad
Julian Assange is a notable supporter of revolutions, but perhaps he draws the line at ones inspired by feminism.
- by Jacqueline Maley
Opinion
Hip pocket
Netflix, handbags and sunnies: The surprising tax deductions you might be entitled to
Without the help of a tax agent, it can be difficult to keep track of all the things you might be able to claim.
- by Dominic Powell
Opinion
Five Minutes with Fitz
How my godson blessed Alex de Minaur’s game, just in time for Wimbledon
Australia’s young tennis superstar grew up watching Rafa and Federer and Novak. But a new era is dawning for men’s tennis and the 25-year-old is well placed to smash it.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Opinion
Sunday Life
I’m a writer, so how does my statistician partner beat me at word games?
When we do puzzles together, something dark and fierce takes over. I feel a frenzied desire to win.
- by Kerri Sackville
Analysis
AFL 2024
How the Bombers ‘dropped the bundle’ in horror second half against Cats
It takes a lot to build trust, and a lot less for it to be lost. The credibility the Dons had slowly built in 14 games was eroded in one miserable half, vindicating why sceptics had not rushed to endorse the club’s finals credentials.
- by Andrew Wu
Opinion
Coffee
You can’t order hot chocolate as an adult, and other unspoken coffee rules
Your daily beverage sends a message about who you are as a person, and it can’t be: “I want a cute sweet treat in a cup.”
- by Thomas Mitchell
Analysis
European Championships
Robotinho predicts the result of every round of 16 match at Euro 2024
Spain thrilled, Austria surprised and England, predictably, stank the place out during the group stage. But how will they and the other 13 teams left at Euro 2024 fare in the first knock-out round of the competition?
- by Robotinho, Mark Stehle and Emma Kemp
Opinion
AFL 2024
State of Origin can work again for the AFL. Here’s how
There’s a way to do it that would contribute to Australian rules football overall, placate those concerned about injuries and still ensure a worthy spectacle.
- by Vince Rugari
Opinion
Diet
Betting on Ozempic? I’ve heard this one before
The stock market is salivating over the money-making potential in the weight-loss wonder drug. Are we back in the ’70s?
- by Richard Glover
Opinion
Review
Do we care about the Archibald Prize too much?
The best interpretation one may put upon this phenomenon is that it’s a bit of fun, but it is a worrisome trend because the prize becomes the public standard by which art is judged.
- by John McDonald
Opinion
The Fitz Files
Another T20 tournament has come and gone. This one had a benefit
The rise of Afghanistan provided a rare moment to remember from the bubble gum form of cricket.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Opinion
Inheritance
How to retire happy and still leave your kids an inheritance
Many modern retirees are feeling tremendous pressure to pass money onto their children and grandchildren. Here’s how to manage expectations.
- by Bec Wilson
Opinion
Working from home
Fore! Why golf-loving, office-obsessed employers need to look out
Employers determination to cling to archaic ways of working has many similarities to the similarly expired views one might see on the green.
- by Jim Bright
Analysis
Working from home
How work from home culture could be fuelling depression
The uptick in sales of ‘mouse jigglers’ by opportunistic WFH-ers could be masking a broader underlying issue.
- by Lucy Burton
Analysis
ATP Tour
To the fore: The new weapon that helped de Minaur crack world’s top 10
He’s always had speed. He’s always had a backhand. This year, Alex de Minaur has made minor improvements to another part of his game – and it’s had major results.
- by Craig O'Shannessy
Opinion
IPO
Should you join the Guzman y Gomez fiesta?
Investors should be wary of piling into initial public offerings (IPOs) because for every Nvidia, Google, Apple or Microsoft that turns out to be a big winner, there are thousands of losers.
- by William Bennett
Opinion
Friendship
There’s no warning when you do something wonderful for the last time, so here’s what I do
If we knew it was the last moment we were talking to someone, or dancing or crying with laughter with someone, surely we’d say something expansive and meaningful.
- by Julia Baird
Opinion
Julian Assange
Assange may be out of jail, but in Australia he’s on probation
Is Julian Assange capable of actual, ethical journalism, and how will he repay the Australian government for its intense efforts in his cause?
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
Greater Good
My street library was just a family project. What happened next, well, you wouldn’t read about it
Some people say books are dead. My family’s sweet little street library, named Dumbledore, brought our community alive.
- by Amy Adeney