So how was your week? If you watched Q&A and the media orgy that followed, not to mention the final, cringe-worthy episode of the Killing Season, it was morbidly depressing. There are major problems with the two-party political system, not the least of which is the way a canny politician can divide and conquer. “Whose side are you on?” Tony Abbott quizzed the ABC, after the live TV programme aired comments by Zaky Mallah, the…
Seven out of 10 Australians think it is a crime to come by boat without a visa and seek refuge. Moreover, 60% of people surveyed by Australian Red Cross think there is an official “queue” of people seeking asylum. Both assumptions are incorrect. Releasing its survey for Refugee Week, Red Cross CEO Robert Tickner said he was concerned about the level of misunderstanding. “We think if some of the myths are dispelled we will…
Sorry about that headline there – old tabloid journos write their own obituaries, did you know? I read an intriguing book a month ago – part crime mystery, part science fiction. The Last Policeman by Ben H Winters is set in New Hampshire USA at a time when a large asteroid known as Maia is on a collision course with earth. It has gone beyond speculation – they know where and when the asteroid (6.1…
The first chilly days of winter should turn our thoughts to those who don’t enjoy the warmth and security of a brick house, a fireplace, a comfy bed and a doona. You may glimpse such people huddled in doorways, covered with threadbare blankets or sleeping bags, as you rush from one place to another. There could be a piece of cardboard with “homeless – please help” written on it. And there may be a dog,…