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  • Australia needs a diaspora census

    Stewart Nixon     |      September 16, 2021

    Developing a census-equivalent for the Australian diaspora would help reinforce inclusive citizenship and provide a vital input to future diaspora engagement policies.

  • Reopening to the world beyond COVID

    Michael Shoebridge     |      September 16, 2021

    Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton’s flight path on the way to Washington for the annual AUSMIN meeting with their American counterparts provides an insight into Australia’s policy directions and relationships as we look to open up to the world over 2022.

  • Sydney risks a spike if it opens too quickly

    Raina MacIntyre     |      September 15, 2021

    Balancing the threat to health posed by COVID and the need to re-open a largely vaccinated society is a difficult choice, but new modelling suggests a heavy price will be paid if New South Wales opens too quickly.

  • Revitalising Australian democracy

    Tom Gerald Daly     |      September 15, 2021

    Today’s “International Day of Democracy” and Joe Biden’s forthcoming Summit for Democracy should prompt a greater focus on renewing Australia’s democratic system.

  • Why a super tax isn’t a great idea

    Richard Holden     |      September 15, 2021

    Taxing the “super profits’ made by large companies sounds like a a good idea, but it’s hard to get right and there might be better ways to get more company tax into the public coffers.

  • When two hearts beat as one

    Open Forum     |      September 15, 2021

    People unconsciously synchronize bodily functions like heartbeat and breathing when they share an experience, such as a live performance or a personal conversation, according to new research.

  • Beijing’s boomerang ban on Australian coal

    David Uren     |      September 15, 2021

    The Chinese Communist Party’s use of economic muscle to bully other nations into political acquiescence is backfiring when it comes to China’s de-facto ban on imports of Australian coal.

  • Australian sovereignty requires new thinking on investment and trade

    Gillian Savage     |      September 14, 2021

    Economic policy should be positioned alongside security, sovereignty and resilience through a more holistic nation-building agenda that invests in what we’re good at, values what we have and builds the future we want.

  • The new argonauts

    Open Forum     |      September 14, 2021

    Named after the boat which Greek mythological hero Jason travelled on in search of the golden fleece, a new generation of Argo floats loaded with high-tech equipment are measuring ocean temperatures to depths of 2000 metres.

  • On the frontline against COVID-19

    Lucy Morgan     |      September 14, 2021

    Although vaccination rates are increasing, the greatest strain on the health service is yet to come and in this article two doctors explain how COVID-19 patients are treated in intensive care.

  • Will future generations bear the COVID bill?

    Victoria Tichá     |      September 13, 2021

    Governments are spending at unprecedented levels. Where does this money come from, and are governments saddling young people with too much debt?

  • One nation divided under COVID

    Julia Butler     |      September 13, 2021

    While policies focused on the immediate issues are important to address the critical challenges facing communities and individuals, we cannot rely on band-aid solutions to provide enduring assistance in these unpredictable times.