• Health

    Preventing the next pandemic


    Open Forum |  March 28, 2024


    Could protecting one group of people from disease, and exposing another to it, be the best way to prevent as many deaths as possible and reduce the impact of a future pandemic?


  • Culture

    Among the narcissus


    Marguerite Johnson |  March 28, 2024


    The vain, self obsessed Narcissus is among the best-known figures from Greek mythology, and his story and fate have continued relevance today in an age of social media and self-obsession.


  • Human Interest

    Conspiracy thinking


    Darel Cookson |  March 28, 2024


    Conspiracy theories are often assumed to appeal to people of limited education, but Intelligence doesn’t make you immune, it’s all a question of your thinking style.


Latest Story

  • Too busy to play?

    Elise Waghorn     |      March 27, 2024

    Some Australian children suffer from neglect at home, while others are scheduled with so many extra-curricular activities they barely have time to play, so what’s the right balance for your child – and your finances?

  • The underfunding of Australian diplomacy

    John Langmore     |      March 27, 2024

    Spending on Australian diplomacy has reached new lows, meaning important events, meetings, and committees are being missed or attended by interns, and Australians are still waiting for the Albanese government to do something about it.

  • Seize the decade

    Open Forum     |      March 27, 2024

    Hot on the heels of the hottest year on record, a report outlines a clear pathway for every sector of the economy to cut climate pollution so Australia can prosper as the world embraces clean energy like solar and wind.

  • The frequency of catastrophes – why accurate language matters

    Bernie O'Kane     |      March 26, 2024

    The media’s misuse of the term ‘hundred year event’ gives the public a misleading impression of the true likelihood of major floods and other disasters.

  • Hipster heaven

    Amelia Leavesley     |      March 26, 2024

    Melbourne, Australia – or at least one of our streets – has topped yet another global ranking, but what does it mean to be officially ‘cool’ and who decides?

  • The fate of Russia’s navy does not invalidate ours

    Richard Dunley     |      March 26, 2024

    Ukraine’s sinking of several Russian warships is an impressive achievement, but is part of a long tradition of asymmetric naval warfare and does not render surface combatants obsolete.

  • Saving a third of the world

    Justine Bell-James     |      March 25, 2024

    Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to halt and reverse biodiversity loss through ambitious law and policy reform to restore 30% of the land to its natural condition.

  • Understanding Europe’s approach to AI

    Margrethe Vestager     |      March 25, 2024

    The European Union’s new AI legislation is a careful balancing act between power and responsibility, innovation and trust, and freedom and safety.

  • Land of the unexpected

    James Chin     |      March 24, 2024

    Violence has escalated in Papua New Guinea over the last few months and Prime Minister James Marape’s hold on power looks tenuous.

  • United we stand

    Heather Wrathall     |      March 24, 2024

    A whole-of-nation approach to international policy must value diversity and continuously shifting consensus while recognising that Australia is stronger internationally if it has a common voice.

  • Farewell to the cockney rebel

    Alison Blair     |      March 24, 2024

    ’70s glam rock icon Steve Harley, renowned for hits like Make Me Smile, leaves a powerful musical legacy which echoes to this day.

  • The curious death of the Murray-Darling

    Quentin Grafton     |      March 23, 2024

    The much heralded national management plan for Australia’s once mighty Murray-Darling River continues to fail, with the river dying a slow, painful death due to massive draws on its dwindling flows by the agriculture industry.