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Section: Australia

  • AUSTRALIA

    Someone's daughter, someone's son

    • Michael McVeigh
    • 15 September 2023

    As Australia's 'Yes' campaign adopts John Farnham's classic, 'You're the Voice', it prompts questions of music's role in shaping political sentiment. Amid the cacophony of contemporary politics, can this iconic tune rekindle common ground in an increasingly polarised time?

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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

    Private gain, public pain? The real cost of consulting in government

    • David James
    • 13 September 2023
    1 Comment

    Investigations into KMPG's ties with Australia's Defence department highlight broader concerns about consulting firms' murky dealings with government. As corporate-public boundaries blur, accountability suffers, with ethical pursuits sidelined by power and profit drives.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Kicking own goals in Queensland

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 07 September 2023
    4 Comments

    On the face of it, the decision of the Queensland Government to pass an amendment to permit holding children in police cells was a desperate and discrediting action. Underneath it, however, was a complex coming together of events, prejudices and attitudes.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Modest tax and super changes could fund major welfare boost

    • Mark Gaetani
    • 02 September 2023

    A new report for St Vincent de Paul Society suggests minor tax and welfare tweaks could lift 834,000 Australians from poverty. Amidst skyrocketing rents and income disparities, the call for an empathetic economic overhaul is louder than ever.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    On housing bubbles

    • David Halliday
    • 01 September 2023

    Australia's housing market trembles as homeowners confront rising interest rates and mortgage defaults surge. Predicted by some a decade ago, this  shift stems from years of speculative investing and homes transforming into commodities. The challenge now: can policymakers balance housing affordability without destabilising the market's value?

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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

    Father down the road

    • Barry Gittins
    • 31 August 2023
    2 Comments

    Father's Day: a symbolic marker in Australia's calendar, often evoking mixed emotions. From fond memories of childhood to the challenges of modern fatherhood, the journey is both beautiful and complex as the role of fathers continues to evolve.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    All apologies

    • Tony Thompson
    • 31 August 2023

    In an era where victories are celebrated and mistakes are concealed, the power of the simple phrase 'I am sorry' seems to be vanishing. From personal slights to public gaffes, our society seems increasingly averse to accepting responsibility and offering genuine apologies. But why has this sentiment become so rare, and what does its absence say about the values we hold?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Listen – just listen!

    • Brian McCoy
    • 30 August 2023
    16 Comments

    The Kimberley region stands as a testament to both the enduring spirit of Australia's Aboriginal communities and the shadows of colonisation. As the Referendum looms, the potential for a united Voice beckons, inviting Australia towards a harmonious future.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Outside looking in

    • Julian Butler
    • 28 August 2023

    In public discourse, personal experiences can become overshadowed by generalised media narratives. Pope Francis' 'off-script' moments at World Youth Day became illustrative of the disparity between media portrayals and a closer, more participatory view. Can we become open to a tension in perspectives?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    A cogent argument for voting Yes

    • John Honner
    • 24 August 2023
    13 Comments

    You might think that, if anyone could pull off the establishment of a treaty, a great poet and a great policy maker, working in harmony, would surely have the best chance. But this was not the case: when Judith Wright and H.C. Coombes advocated for a treaty throughout their lifetimes, they were unsuccessful. 

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