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Opinion

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Gary Ella and Glen Ella pose with the First Nations jersey in 2017. Inset, the RA ad in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Why joining the chorus on Voice is pitch perfect for rugby

How could Australian rugby – the most inclusive and diverse of all games – do anything but declare its full-blooded support for the Voice to parliament?

  • by Peter FitzSimons

Latest

Zelda
Analysis
Video games

10m copies in three days: Latest Zelda set to be another record-breaker for Nintendo

Tears of the Kingdom has been six years coming, and if the critical reception and early sales are any indication, the wait has been worth it for Nintendo and its fans.

  • by Tim Biggs
Luke Jackson celebrates after kicking against the Sydney Swans on Saturday.

Keeping Tabs: Why an injured Docker will be closely watching Freo’s rejuvenated forward line

Fremantle’s firing foward line might be welcome news to fans, but where does it leave the injury-prone Matt Taberner?

  • by Paddy Sweeney
Dallas Johnson levels Tonie Carroll during a match in 2004.
Opinion
NRL 2023

Keep the safari suits in the closet, but bring back one-on-one tackles

The scourge of the hip-drop tackle could be erased by teaching an old school defensive technique.

  • by Roy Masters
Referee Todd Smith sends Herbie Farnworth to the sin-bin.
Opinion
NRL 2023

The sin bins have gone too far – and I’m worried they will wreck Origin

After the Storm-Broncos debacle, it’s time to roll back the sin bins before we get to the business part of the season.

  • by Andrew Johns
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Labor’s honeymoon is over, at least in the eyes of progressives

The left seems to think Albanese should take a big swing, ditch the stage three tax cuts, spend super-big on housing, ditch negative gearing. But Labor won with a mere two-seat majority.

  • by Shaun Carney
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The Great Australian Dream is now being able to afford the rent

The housing crisis, particularly for renters, will be Premier Chris Minns’ political baptism of fire. And he has made a start.

  • by Alexandra Smith
In the Herald

In the Herald: May 18, 1923

Captain Cook’s diary, horse ferry sunk and impossible to save.

  • by Brian Yatman
Column 8 granny dinkus
Opinion
Column 8

Nuclear subs finally get a plug

So utilities won’t take a dive.

Patrick Cripps leads his team from the field after their loss to the Saints.
Analysis
AFL 2023

Why Carlton haven’t progressed: an alternative view

Why are so many hours of talkback consumed with Carlton’s failing, when they are only marginally worse than last year? Their failure, in short, is one of progression.

  • by Jake Niall
England paceman Jofra Archer.
Analysis
The Ashes

‘Remind me when I was dismissed by him’: Is Archer’s Test time over?

Jofra Archer the dangerous fast bowler was a dim and diminishing memory from four years ago. He may never play Test cricket again.

  • by Malcolm Conn
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), released on Tuesday, shows that while Australia’s overall results remained steady.
Analysis
Education

Why does England outperform Australia when it comes to reading?

The reading ability of Australia’s year 4 students held steady in the latest global test results, but one in five students is not meeting international benchmarks.

  • by Lucy Carroll
Miss Saigon
Opinion
Racism

Why is this racist, sexist show getting an encore?

Miss Saigon, written by Westerners for a Western audience, is getting another run in Sydney and Melbourne. But this show commodifies the pain of many Vietnamese Australians.

  • by Cat-Thao Nguyen
If you get it wrong on property the tax implications can be large.

‘Just do it, PM: Break your promise on tax cuts’

Anthony Albanese will feel damned if he does rescind his promise on the confounded stage three tax cuts, and damned if he doesn’t.

Composite

Biden’s 11th hour Quad snub a disappointment, a mess and a gift to Beijing

China’s president-for-life, meanwhile, will be giddy with delight at the summit falling into disarray.

  • by Matthew Knott
Joe Biden and Anthony Albanese meeting on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia last year.
Editorial
Joe Biden

Biden’s no-show a snub to a friend and a gift to a foe

President Joe Biden’s decision to cancel his visit to Australia for the Quad meeting shows the US appreciates our partnership far less than we do.

  • The Herald's View
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Paul Kent arriving at the Downing Centre court complex
Opinion
Crime

Domestic violence allegations are not a ‘soap opera’, Mr Kent

The welfare of the woman at the centre of the case is crucial. For her, this is no rugby league melodrama.

  • by Jordan Baker
Israel Folau.

Does rugby have an Israel Folau hangover?

Rugby’s internal battle over the Indigenous Voice to parliament has its roots in the Israel Folau saga.

  • by Georgina Robinson
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden at a naval base in San Diego.
Analysis
US politics

Quad? When it comes to the US, domestic politics trumps everything

Biden’s decision to pull the plug on a much-anticipated trip to Australia to resume talks on the US debt crisis does not reflect well on America’s reliability as a partner.

  • by Farrah Tomazin
Ashley Beeby decided to follow her heart and become a mechanic.
Opinion
Education

‘Don’t you want to be a lawyer?’ I got an ATAR of 95 but chose to become a mechanic

Friends thought my decision to become a heavy-vehicle diesel mechanic was a waste of my ATAR result and my potential. None of them could get why I chose something “lesser”.

  • by Ashley Beeby
Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso’, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Opinion
Streaming

Ted Lasso, we believed. What the heck happened?

The once loveable optimist is now one Ted-ism away from becoming Mary Poppins – and his often cringe-worthy, toxic positivity is absolutely getting on my nerves.

  • by Shona Hendley
High-end property a driving force behind Australia’s wealthy

How much money do you need to be in Australia’s wealthiest 1 per cent?

There are now only two countries, Monaco and Switzerland, where it takes more wealth to be considered part of the 1 per cent.

  • by John Collett
China is experiencing the fastest expansion of the middle class the world has ever seen.

China holds the cards as the world faces a dark economic future

Danger signs are coming from the three powerhouses that drive global economic growth. It paints a bleak picture for Australia and the rest of the world.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz

Negative gearing isn’t the problem – it’s NIMBYs like me

This nation has been strangling the future of younger Australians for decades. But the wheel is finally starting to turn.

  • by Chris Richardson
With tax time fast approaching, cryptocurrency traders and holders should be aware of some important developments in the tax space.

What to know about the ATO’s coming crackdown on crypto

With tax time fast approaching, cryptocurrency traders and holders should be aware of some important developments in the tax space.

  • by Nicole Buckler
China’s RMB against US dollar.

China’s long game: topple the US dollar

Sanctions allowed the US to pursue our foreign policy interests without boots on the ground or planes in the sky. However, that system is increasingly being challenged.

  • by Marco Rubio
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Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner.

No performing animals in Flight Centre’s sustainability push

Despite participating in three Running of the Bulls himself, Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner says those sorts of events are now struck from tour itineraries.

  • by Tim Boreham
Breville CEO Jim Clayton

It invented the jaffle maker, but can Breville keep running hot?

It brought us the jaffle maker and turned us into home baristas – does Breville have energy to face the spending slowdown?

  • by Emma Koehn
RateCity’s Sally Tindall says savers who do not shop around risk earning much less

Savers can earn over 5 per cent, but only if they read the fine print

Be prepared to jump through hoops to earn a high rate of interest on savings.

  • by John Collett
This cycle of interest rate rises is taking longer to flow through to the household sector than previous cycles.
Analysis
Home loans

Households yet to feel the full sting of RBA interest rate hikes

The household sector has only felt about 70 per cent of the impact from the interest rate rises announced so far, according to estimates.

  • by Clancy Yeates
West Coast coach Adam Simpson might not be solely to blame for the Eagles’ woes as of late, but he may well be the first sacrificed to appease the footy gods.

A deserving sacrifice? Maybe not, but Simpson looks to be first off the cliff at West Coast

It would be reckless and foolish to solely blame West Coast Eagles coach Adam Simpson for the club’s woeful form of late. But he might still cop it in the neck.

  • by Brendan Foster
When trying to save money, get as creative as possible in brainstorming alternatives to your current spending.

We just paid off our credit card. How do we avoid getting into debt again?

Staying out of debt and saving money can sometimes feel like an unattainable goal. It can be better to start off small.

  • by Paridhi Jain
Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton has Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his sights.
Opinion
Income tax

The PM is set for a taxing backlash, and guess who’ll be leading the cry?

If Anthony Albanese thinks keeping the promise of stage three tax cuts will mean no outcry, he’s sadly deluded.

  • by Ross Gittins
In the Herald

In the Herald: May 17, 1981

Prison break foiled, it’s a girl! And soccer standoff.

  • by Harry Hollinsworth
Column 8 granny dinkus
Opinion
Column 8

When teachers were up to their neck in it

And diplomats got the boot.

Opinion
Arts

We were bold enough to build the Opera House. Now for an encore

It’s not just about having a place to put on shows, it’s about great cultural sites being at the very heart of what it is to be a world-class destination.

  • by Michael Cassel
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It’s not NIMBYism: Premier right on need to build up, but good design is critical

If residents knew that governments were working to create low, sympathetic housing, with adequate parking, and good designs, there would be much less anxiety and much more ready compliance to development.

Harry McLaughlin-Phillips of Souths Brisbane Souths playmaker Harry McLaughlin-Phillips.
Opinion
Reds

The young Souths playmaker who could help Reds rise

Qld rugby has been blessed with some wonderful playmakers over the years, but it has struggled to hang onto them. A rising star in club rugby could be just the pivot it needs right now.

  • by Michael Atkinson
The Wran building at the Powerhouse Museum.
Editorial
City life

Powerhouse power down risks museum losing purpose

A $500 million redevelopment of the Powerhouse Museum seems on hold as authorities return to their old indecisive habits.

  • The Herald's View
Ziggy Switkowski. Trouble magnet

Does Switkowski have the mongrel needed to deal with PwC?

A lynch mob for PwC is growing. Will the appointment of veteran troubleshooter Ziggy Switkowski be enough to silence critics?

  • by Elizabeth Knight
Investors of shares and bonds have a different take on America’s debt ceiling tug-of-war.

Why share and bond markets are at loggerheads

Equity investors are optimistic about the outcome of negotiations over the US debt ceiling. Bond investors aren’t so confident that common sense will prevail in the debt tug-of-war.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Artwork:

Our government is being privatised by stealth: PwC scandal shows how

Why is Australia outsourcing so much of its governing to private enterprise? It’s a question voters should be asking their MPs.

  • by Geoffrey Watson
A precious metals bull market appears to have started, with the physical gold price gaining 23 per cent from its lows in September last year.
Analysis
Gold

Amid recession risks, is it time to invest in gold?

The physical gold price has gained 23 per cent from its lows in September last year, and further rises are expected as the risk of recession increases.

  • by Cameron Judd
It’s expected more people will make voluntary repayments to their student debt ahead of the indexation deadline this year, with the rate almost twice last year.
Analysis
HECS

The looming deadline for students to repay their debt

Voluntary repayments of student debt should be paid at least four business days before June 1 to give adequate time for payments to be cleared

  • by John Collett
Tucker Carlson could become even more powerful through his Twitter platform.

Toxic troll: Tucker Carlson set to be even more dangerous on Twitter

The former Fox News host is taking his talents to Elon Musk’s Twitter. It makes perfect sense: two great trolls that can now troll great together. It’s a scary proposition.

  • by Farhad Manjoo
Porn influencing teenage boys

Australia, it’s time to debate age verification for porn

The innocence of many childhoods has been prematurely ended by pornography’s pervasive online accessibility.

  • The Herald's View
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It’s time for some Yodaconomics.
Opinion
Income tax

Why the teachings of Yoda should be applied to stage three tax cuts

It’s no Jedi mind-trick. While the Left and the Right offer binary options for the promised tax cuts, increasing them offers an alternative for real tax reform.

  • by Shane Wright
Donald Trump is not required to attend the trial which is expected to run for two weeks.

Trump’s ‘evil charisma’ menaces the US – and Australia

As well as the catastrophic prospect of a US government default, another spectre hovers over America, and by extension Australia.

  • by Matthew Knott
In the Herald

In the Herald: May 16, 1842

The self-smoking chicken, a cure for dirty money? And no relief for bible thief.

  • by Brian Yatman
Column 8 granny dinkus
Opinion
Column 8

Slipping on a banana spiel

Marketing claim could be pulp fiction.