The Maribyrnong River flood review

Just as ostriches were reputed to bury their heads in the sand to avoid seeing danger, so the Victorian authorities are refusing to confront the lessons of recent flood disasters in Melbourne.

Chip wars

A new book, “Chip War” is essential reading for anyone who would like to understand the importance of semi-conductor supplies in modern geopolitics.

Strategic fuel security

Ten years ago, retired Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn released a landmark study that revealed the fragile state of Australia’s liquid-fuel security, and things are little better today.

Costing the Earth

Your super is likely exposed to major nature-based risks. How big a risk? We don’t know – because to date, banks and super funds haven’t looked into it but that’s likely to change.

True grit

It’s no surprise that children who are given few boundaries and endless praise at home and school tend to lack the resilience they need when faced with life’s tough challenges, so how can we help them develop the resilience they’ll need in later life?

Australia’s chip crisis

Computer chips were in short supply during the pandemic, now actual chips are an endangered species.

Get out

Flight, fight or freeze? UNSW Sydney expert Dr Milad Haghani’s research shows people should urgently rush away from the scene of an emergency such as a mass shooting event, to improve potential outcomes for everyone in the area.

Planet polycrisis

‘Permacrisis’ is Collins Dictionary’s 2022 word of the year, but polycrisis is a more accurate term to describe the world’s ongoing crises and how they’re interacting with one another.

Strengthening sovereign arms manufacturing

Russia’s calamitous invasion of Ukraine has brought renewed focus on questions of munitions stockpiling and production capacity, given the vast quantities of munitions consumed in a prolonged conflict.

Staying philosophical

Taking a more philosophical attitude to failure in life, rather than seeing it as an inevitable stepping stone to success, can help us develop as people.

It never rains but it pours

The cumulative effect of problems from bushfires and floods to the pandemic and economic woes is eroding our ability to respond and exhausting our emergency management response systems.

Building personal resilience

Everyone experiences failure in their lives, but simple techniques to build mental resilience may help you overcome it in the future.