June 8 – 14, 2024
News
Comment
Comment
Andrew Leigh
How monopolies hurt the economy
“A competitive economy is good for farmers and shoppers, workers and entrepreneurs. A dynamic economy rewards hard work and encourages innovation. It ensures everyone has a fair shot, not just the lucky insiders. A more competitive economy is good for Australia.”
Comment
John Hewson
Growth is no measure of electability
“As speculation gathers around the possibility of an early election, I am growing increasingly sceptical. The prime minister has no substantive justification for considering such a move, except to exploit the vulnerability of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and his team. It would do nothing towards the betterment of Australians.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Film director Olivier Assayas
Celebrated French director Olivier Assayas used his experience of pandemic lockdown to create Suspended Time, another in a series of films that directly reflects his own life.
The Influence
Playwright James Elazzi on Frida Kahlo’s Sin Esperanza
James Elazzi first saw Frida Kahlo’s painting Sin Esperanza (Without Hope) when he was in Year 7 – and he was transfixed.
Fiction
The president loves caviar
“He’ll stare like it’s the last caviar on earth. He’ll get sweaty, scratch his neck. The President knows he can’t keep any of the Presidential Gifts – that ancient samurai sword from Japan; the latest PlayStation, also from Japan – but that doesn’t mean he has to be thrilled about it. It would have been cool to keep that sword. Try to assassinate him then! And the PlayStation… Well, he prefers the Xbox anyway – proper American gaming. But the President loves food like he loves democracy. Like he loves the flag.”
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Sport
“As an old dinosaur, seeing someone so beautiful as Walsh, with his flowing hair and painted fingernails, I’d love to get my hands on him.”
The rugby league veteran describes Queensland fullback Reece Walsh. Totally normal stuff.
Discourse
“Just felt like it.”
The 25-year-old explains why she threw a milkshake at far-right UK politician Nigel Farage. Ironically, the same logic informed most “Leave” voters.
Politics
“I firmly believed – up until I received this report – that I’d served five years.”
The mayor of Townsville apologises for vastly overstating his military service. Believing things that are not true was also central to his time in One Nation.
Media
“The work wasn’t intended to bully. They raised issues.”
The executive chair of News Corp Australia responds to a question about his mastheads’ campaigns against Brittany Higgins and others. They weren’t taking their lunch money; they were just helping to count it.
Speeches
“The hiring of a speechwriter was done by Services Australia. I had no idea what the payment was.”
The minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme distances himself from news his speechwriter is being paid more than $300,000 a year. In fairness, the system assessed this as the level of support he needed.
Education
“I understand a rough estimate is that woke, anti-Australia and similar propaganda takes up approximately one-third of the school curriculums in Australia.”
The mining magnate encourages mothers to stand up against the teaching of gender fluidity, the sort of parenting advice you expect from someone who sees her own children mostly in court.
ISRAEL–HAMAS WAR
