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Search Results: federation

  • AUSTRALIA

    Lessons from the referendum

    • Frank Brennan
    • 07 February 2024
    10 Comments

    The referendum result was a disaster for the country and a tragedy for First Australians and there has been little appetite for public discussion about lessons to be learnt from this abject failure. If we are to move forward, it’s time to begin the conversation about past mistakes.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    After Christianity, what is Australia's civil religion?

    • Michael Jensen
    • 19 January 2024
    4 Comments

    In contrast to the United States, we in Australia ‘don’t do God’, and we rarely acknowledge the religious dimension of our national identity. In an age of declining adherence to the Christian faith, has Australia found a new civil religion? And will it serve us well? 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Best of 2023: How Australia's asylum seeker policy has evolved over thirty years

    • Kerry Murphy
    • 04 January 2024

    Throughout recent decades of Australian history, the stance every government has taken on asylum seekers has reflected the shifting political landscapes and challenging humanitarian issues that have continually shaped Australia's response to those seeking refuge. 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Best of 2023: Bringing the country with us

    • Frank Brennan
    • 04 January 2024

    As Australia approaches a pivotal referendum, voters face a critical choice: endorse a new chapter in the Constitution providing a 'First Nations Voice' or leave it untouched. Whichever way the vote goes, we will be left with a Constitution not fit for purpose in the 21st century.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Backwards to go forwards

    • Barry Gittins
    • 16 November 2023
    6 Comments

    How should our nation reckon with its colonial history and its lasting impact on contemporary society? From the stark realities of early settlement to the enduring legacies of injustice towards Indigenous peoples, this piece explores what it means for a country to grapple with its identity amidst a backdrop of change.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Deakin and the parting of names

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 14 September 2023
    4 Comments

    As the legacy of historical figures is reevaluated, Alfred Deakin, Australia's second Prime Minister, finds himself under recent scrutiny. A champion of Federation, Deakin also held views towards Indigenous Australians now regarded as abhorrent. But is erasing his name from a university the right step? 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    The Voice referendum: Bringing the country with us

    • Frank Brennan
    • 01 September 2023
    14 Comments

    As Australia approaches a pivotal referendum, voters face a critical choice: endorse a new chapter in the Constitution providing a 'First Nations Voice' or leave it untouched. Whichever way the vote goes, we will be left with a Constitution not fit for purpose in the 21st century.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Three steps back and one step forward: Three decades of asylum seekers in Australia

    • Kerry Murphy
    • 28 July 2023

    How has Australia's asylum seeker policy changed over the past thirty years? The approach of every government has reflected the shifting political landscapes and challenging humanitarian issues that have continually shaped Australia's response to those seeking refuge. 

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  • RELIGION

    Synod working document encourages cautious optimism

    • John Warhurst
    • 05 July 2023
    11 Comments

    As the Vatican releases the working document for the first Synod on Synodality, reactions within the Catholic community are mixed. While many applaud its open approach to divisive issues, others deem it too progressive or insufficiently thorough. Australian bishops encourage engagement, but the road ahead poses significant challenges.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Recognition of Aboriginal rights: A contemporary Australian perspective

    • Frank Brennan
    • 05 June 2023
    19 Comments

    The wording of the proposed change to the Australian Constitution to enshrine a First Nations Voice might not be perfect. But whatever the imperfections and the risk of future complications, it is high time that Australia’s First Peoples were recognised in the Constitution in a manner sought and approved by a broad cross-section of Indigenous leaders.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Anzac Day stories, old and new

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 24 April 2023
    3 Comments

    With every Anzac Day, the stories told reflect changing attitudes. Past celebrations focused on patriotism and romance of war, but this year's tone is more serious due to global events. Anzac Day now emphasises remembering, compassion, honouring victims of war, and advocating for peace.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    The failure of an idea: The Russian sanctions regime

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 22 March 2023
    3 Comments

    Any sanctions regime produces uneven effects. Economic sanctions imposed on Russia are not only unlikely to end the conflict in Ukraine, but they are having unintended consequences, encouraging Moscow to be more resourceful and leading to a shift in global energy markets. 

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