• 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

  • The good stuff

    Open Forum     |      November 5, 2023

    Developing children’s understanding of maths helps them navigate personal, social and political challenges as well as allowing them to add up their pocket money.

  • University blues

    Andrew Norton     |      November 3, 2023

    Australia’s universities have enjoyed explosive growth over the last thirty years, but critics argue this influx of international and domestic students have inflated revenues at the cost of academic standards and integrity.

  • The pros and cons of Pacific tourism

    Denis Tolkach     |      November 3, 2023

    Pacific Islands were likened to paradise by early European travellers. The climate, the nature, and the hospitality of local people make Pacific Islands seemingly perfect tourist destinations. Yet, the development and the impact of tourism among the Pacific Islands is very complex.

  • The horror, the horror

    Ali Alizadeh     |      November 3, 2023

    Halloween is over for another year, but adult horror fiction can be enjoyed at any time of year, and three new Australian novels – Bunny, Bitters and Blackwater – rank with some of the classics of the genre.

  • Regulating AI

    Julie Inman Grant     |      November 3, 2023

    We have seen extraordinary developments in generative AI over the past 12 months that underline the challenges we face in protecting these rights and principles.

  • Smart work pays off

    Open Forum     |      November 3, 2023

    High engagement, high return. That’s the advice from education experts at the University of South Australia for teachers looking to improve student outcomes.

  • Cable sabotage in the Baltic Sea

    Mercedes Page     |      November 3, 2023

    The damaging of two subsea telecommunications cables and a gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea by a Chinese container vessel underlines the reliance of the western world on these cables and the need to protect them from hostile authoritarian regimes.

  • Zero stars for the food industry

    Open Forum     |      November 2, 2023

    Australia’s food industry is failing to meet already low targets for displaying the Health Star Rating (HSR) on product packaging by a significant margin, according to the 2023 State of the Food Supply Report released by The George Institute for Global Health.

  • Losing a friend

    Adam Gerace     |      November 2, 2023

    It’s as fashionable to denigrate Friends these days as it was to love the show in its heyday, but the death of Matthew Perry has hit many people hard, a reminder that the happier, more carefree times of our youth are over.

  • Fear, uncertainty and doubt

    Howard Manns     |      November 1, 2023

    Politics is a people business, and appealing to emotions – or ignorance – can be more effective than rational, fact based campaigns.

  • A time for war

    Benjamin Netanyahu     |      November 1, 2023

    “This is a turning point, a turning point for leaders and nations. It is time for all of us to decide if we are willing to fight for a future of hope and promise; or surrender to tyranny and terror.”

  • Does politics let down the people?

    Michelle Grattan     |      November 1, 2023

    While Australians remain strong supporters of democracy, criticisms of the political system which delivers and administers it continue to mount, so what are the problems and what can be done to solve them?