• Politics and Policy

    Reflections on the Voice Referendum


    Bernie O'Kane |  November 29, 2023


    The dust has begun to settle after Australia’s contentious Voice Referendum, but amid the accusations of bad faith and ignorance, how many people on either side bothered to read or understand the report which laid out how the Voice would have worked, and the problems it raised or failed to address?


  • Politics and Policy

    Applications open for Youth Parliament 2024


    Open Forum |  November 29, 2023


    The next generation of youth leaders is invited to apply to participate in the Y NSW’s Youth Parliament program in 2024 with submissions now open.


  • International

    One man, one vote


    Henry Campbell |  November 29, 2023


    The ‘election campaign’ in Russia has already begun, but in an authoritarian terror state, there’s truly only one man with one vote.


Latest Story

  • New BESS edition released

    Peter Fritz     |      November 28, 2023

    The October 2023 double issue of BESS® explores the self-governing practices found in Indigenous societies, the growing ‘trust divide’ between our elected politicians and the electorate, the practical applications of positive deviance and the Second Track, and the new forms of political, economic and decision-making frameworks required to tackle global challenges.

  • Why biodiversity matters

    Open Forum     |      November 28, 2023

    A year on from the COP15 summit of the Convention on Biological Diversity, a new book by UQ ecologist Nigel Dudley builds a case for “Why Biodiversity Matters” and why we should care if species go extinct.

  • Australia’s new cybersecurity strategy

    Mike Bareja     |      November 28, 2023

    The cybersecurity strategy released last week by the Albanese government recognises that Australia’s government, industry and citizens must work together to reduce the threats posed by criminal gangs and hostile state actors.

  • Calm your farm

    Open Forum     |      November 28, 2023

    Every teenager living in a rural area has a gruesome story about a farm injury so several universities have joined forces to create a free, online, educational game called ‘Calm Your Farm’ to help teenagers learn about potential hazards and find ways to reduce the risk.

  • All welcome to country

    Max Thomas     |      November 27, 2023

    A mantra paying respect exclusively to past, present and emerging Indigenous Elders is an incomplete and exclusive gesture when we should be respecting and caring for all our older citizens.

  • The Visionaries

    Jen Webb     |      November 27, 2023

    “The Visionaries” tells the story of four indomitable women who pursued their their own visions of a truly free and open society at a time of brutal authoritarianism and cataclysmic war.

  • Singing the party’s song

    Fergus Ryan     |      November 27, 2023

    Vetted and approved social media influencers flourish under the Chinese Communist Party’s tightly regulated social media ecosystem as the party uses their popularity to bolster its dubious legitimacy both domestically and abroad.

  • The long, dark history of antisemitism in Australia

    Suzanne Rutland     |      November 26, 2023

    Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and the subsequent conflict has sparked a fresh wave of anti-Jewish demonstrations by radical left and right wing activists and extremist Islamic groups, but there is a long and sorry history of anti-semitism in this country.

  • Brave new workplace

    Samantha Dunn     |      November 26, 2023

    Are the CEOs of the world right in predicting that workers will be back in the office full-time by 2026? Not according to UNSW Sydney researcher Iva Durakovic.

  • Solving the mystery of Sandy Point man

    Dadna Hartman     |      November 26, 2023

    Forensic genetic genealogy allows investigators to narrow the search for a criminal or a body’s identity to their close family, and has already solved several ‘cold’ cases, including the identity Victoria’s mysterious Sandy Point Man.

  • Peace depends on defeating Hamas

    Justin Bassi     |      November 25, 2023

    A truce that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza will not be a permanent solution but merely a temporary pause in which Gazans remain controlled by a terrorist group that will abuse civilian infrastructure and resources to rebuild, rearm and return to its stated objective of destroying Israel.

  • The three day week

    Melissa Tham     |      November 25, 2023

    An interim report from the Productivity Commission recommends every Australian child aged under five years gets access to three days a week of “high-quality” early learning and care.