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Opinion

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Lachie Neale in action for the Brisbane Lions in last year’s grand final.
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

Uber operated in Denmark for just three years before exiting the market.

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
Go Biden.

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
Possible replacements for Joe BIden include (clockwise from left) Andy Beshear, Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer.

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
David Fifita of the Maroons is tackled during game three of the State of Origin series in Sydney last year.
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

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
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New Governor-General Sam Mostyn is casting an eye over the standard of public debate.

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
Healthcare companies and banks have lifted the Australian sharemarket.

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
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 30: Elliot Yeo of the Eagles leaves the field after the team’s defeat during the 2024 AFL Round 16 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Hawthorn Hawks at Optus Stadium on June 30, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

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
The Magpies tried another escape act against the Suns, but couldn’t pull it off this time.
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
The prospect of another Trump administration presents threats and opportunities for China.

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
RBA governor Michele Bullock should be alert to sticky inflation, but there’s no need to be alarmed.

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
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during Question Time.

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
Lawyer Jennifer Robinson watches on as Julian Assange is greeted by his wife Stella upon his return to Australia last week.

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
Matt Burton celebrates his match-winning field goal.
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
Billionaire businessman Andrew Forrest is using his deep pockets to take on Facebook parent Meta over scam ads using his likeness.
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
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Scott Morrison with the 2018-19 budget that contained the 7-year tax plan that ends on July 1 with the start of the stage 3 tax cuts.
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
Popular Perth suburbs are at greater risk of inundation as climate change is projected to cause severe weather events, previously very rare, to worsen in both frequency and severity.

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
Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
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
Vladimir Putin with Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller. Russian gas revenues have dried up.

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
Labor senator Fatima Payman leaves the Lodge in Canberra on Sunday afternoon after being suspended from caucus by Anthony Albanese.

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
Nick Bracks.

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
Ronan Leahy impressed for the Junior Wallabies.
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
Brexit rancour has had a long but slowly ebbing afterlife.
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
Julian Assange’s return to Australia last Wednesday.

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
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The AFL’s Iron Men: Carlton’s Patrick Cripps, Sydney’s Errol Gulden, and Collingwood’s Nick Daicos
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
Latrell Mitchell celebrates scoring for the Blues.

‘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
While it may make you uncomfortable, it’s an irrefutable fact that younger Australians are vastly more disadvantaged than older ones.
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
Being a landlord can be a headache, but choosing where to invest your proceeds can also be challenging.

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

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
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrives in Canberra on Wednesday.

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
There are some surprising items you might be able to claim back on tax.
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
Alex de Minaur is now up to No.7 in the world.

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
Word games can bring out a competitive streak within couples.

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
The Bombers look dejected as they leave the field following their loss.
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
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Ordering a long black doesn’t make you a good person, but having a hot chocolate does make you a bad person.
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
Robotinho Euro24 predictions

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
Tony Lockett and Dermott Brereton after the win over South Australia in 1989.
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
The stock market is salivating over the money-making potential in the weight-loss wonder drug.
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
Evan Salmon’s Studio interior, reflection (self-portrait).
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
Afghanistan players celebrate their T20 World Cup win against Australia.

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
Younger generations are becoming more expectant of a sizable inheritance from their Boomer parents and grandparents.

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
Golf is a metaphor for all that is wrong with significant pockets of management practice in Australia.

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
Working from home – or from bed – could be actively harming workers’ mental health.

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
Alex De Minaur’s forehand is now a formidable weapon.
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
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Guzman y Gomez Co- CEO Steven Marks at the Guzman y Gomez floating at the ASX in Sydney.
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
Illustration: John Shakespeare

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
Dumbledore the street library.

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