Latest Story
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Key Robodebt RC recommendations still not implemented two years on
Open Forum | July 8, 2025Two years on from the findings of the Robodebt Royal Commission, the Federal Government has still not implemented all of its recommendations, and alarming flaws in the social security system remain.
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Mushrooms and murder
Xanthe Mallett | July 8, 2025Erin Patterson’s conviction for multiple murder has brought to an end a long-running case which drew international attention as well as dominating Australian headlines.
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The dying of the light
Brendan Clift | July 8, 2025Hong Kong is marking five years of life under China’s national security law – opposition parties have disbanded, while democracy activists remain in jail or exile.
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Stop deep sea mining before it begins
Kate Neville | July 7, 2025Deep-sea mining promises critical minerals for the energy transition without the problems of mining on land. It also promises to bring wealth to developing nations. But the evidence suggests these promises are false, and mining would harm the environment.
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Australia needs a national security strategy
Alana Ford | July 7, 2025A national security strategy will help Australia navigate uncertainty, strengthen resilience and protect our future in light of growing international threats.
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Delegated diplomacy
Geoffrey Wiseman | July 7, 2025The last decade has seen a substantial rise in scholarly writings on the value of diplomacy. American political scientist David Lindsey’s Delegated Diplomacy: How Ambassadors Establish Trust in International Relations contributes to this trend, arguing that diplomats remain important in the making of world politics and do so in surprising and paradoxical ways.
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Grading the G7
Syed Munir Khasru | July 6, 2025The 2025 G7 Summit was overshadowed by war, wildfires, and walkouts—most notably President Trump’s abrupt exit before launching strikes on Iran. What was meant to be a forum for unity on trade, energy, and climate instead exposed the deep fractures defining today’s global order.
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Earth’s visitor from Alpha Centauri
Open Forum | July 6, 2025Another interstellar object – 3I/ATLAS is speeding through our solar system and, as next-generation observatories such as Rubin swing into operation, we may discover interstellar visitors are far more common than previously thought.
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The independent case for boosting defence
Ross Babbage | July 6, 2025The case for boosting Australian defence spending is compelling and we shouldn’t need US prodding to protect ourselves from growing international threats.
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Qantas hack exposes customers – yet again
Bart Hogeveen | July 5, 2025The hack of a Qantas customer contact centre in Manila has exposed, once again, the vulnerability of customer data held by Australia’s largest and supposedly most trusted companies.
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A clean approach to dirty water
Open Forum | July 5, 2025Pioneered by Flinders University environmental health experts, local councils in South Australia are operating sustainable energy-efficient sewage treatment operations with low-cost high-rate algal pond systems.
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Smashing news for avocados
Open Forum | July 5, 2025The future of smashed avocado might depend on patches of native vegetation preserved alongside farmland, as new Curtin research reveals the hidden role of these habitats in supporting the insects that keep crops – and brunch menus – thriving.
