Opinion
Opinion
Bob Dylan
Happy 80th birthday to the man who gets you closer to the meaning of life than any other bastard since Shakespeare
Last year I wrote to Bob Dylan asking if I could interview him on a tape to be kept under lock and key for 50 years.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Latest
Opinion
Myanmar coup
Trump’s example playing out in Asia, the world has to intervene
Like Trump, they declared a free and fair election to be a fraud.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
Aged care royal commission
LGBTQ elderly face abuse, but the royal commission let them down
None of the 148 recommendations in the final report mention LGBTQ people.
- by Claire Allen
Opinion
Social media
Social media minefield trips up aspiring politicians
Controversial tweets and text messages can be enough to cut short a political career before it even begins.
- by Nick Enfield
Opinion
Ben Roberts-Smith
Hiding the truth ensures the powerful remain unaccountable
There is no greater threat to the rule of law than actions which seek to prevent the truth from being discovered by an impartial judicial process.
- by Greg Barns
Opinion
Real Footy Podcast
‘Collingwood supporters are angry’: The Pies have been caught in transition
This season is being shaped by the new rules and the teams that have adapted best are thriving. But the Pies don’t seem to have made that leap.
Opinion
Executive pay
Santos’ six-million-dollar man has played his cards deftly
With Woodside ready to nab Santos’ Kevin Gallagher, the Santos board only needed the spectre of losing him to take action.
- by Elizabeth Knight
Opinion
NRL 2021
So maybe the Dragons’ Anthony Griffin can coach
It’s early days, but even the Dragons coach’s most ardent critics can see what he’s done for the embattled joint venture.
- by Andrew Webster
Analysis
Please Explain podcast
Prince Philip’s death: UK in mourning amid pandemic lockdown
Today on Please Explain, Tory Maguire and Europe correspondent Bevan Shields discuss how Britain is combining national mourning with COVID restrictions.
- by Tory Maguire
Opinion
Interest rates
Deluge of new US bond sales to test markets’ nerves
The tug of war between financial market hawks and doves is likely to resume this week as an avalanche of US Treasury bond sales begins.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Analysis
Tech crackdown
Fallen idol: Record $3.6b fine the latest blow dealt to Jack Ma
Once seemingly untouchable, Alibaba founder Jack Ma has endured a tumultuous run that saw his e-commerce giant hit with a record fine, resolving one key uncertainty even as others persist for himself and his business empire.
- by Tony Munroe
Opinion
Startups
How your looks affect your leadership success
When we consider the factors that make a leader successful, we often think about their intellect, their people skills, perhaps even their qualifications and experience.
- by James Adonis
Analysis
Royal family
Tensions remain as Harry returns for Philip’s funeral
The Duke of Sussex’s return to fold for final farewell to Prince Philip offers a chance for reconciliation after the bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.
- by Camilla Tominey
Analysis
NRL 2021
Maguire not the problem: Brooks in cross-hairs as Tigers ask ‘where to now?’
If the Tigers believed sacking the coach would fix their problems they would not hesitate in terminating him. Instead attention has turned to Luke Brooks.
- by Michael Chammas
Opinion
Telecommunications
Technology is killing the art of the telephone conversation
I long for the conversations I used to have which allowed nuance, laughter and the varied timbre of the human voice.
- by Susan Murphy
Opinion
Women's health
The pill causes clots too. Why no outrage?
Blood clots linked to the pill are a significant side effect that women are expected to live with.
- by Gabriela Fowler
Opinion
Royal family
Goodnight, sweet prince: Yes, Philip was also Danish, though not all that sweet
Prince Philip was no better than he should have been, but not nearly as bad as he might have been.
- by Mike Carlton
Opinion
Wellbeing
My daily lockdown habit became an unexpected gift
In March 2020, I began sharing ‘five simple good things’. Five photos with captions that summed up the best moments in a surreal day. What came next surprised me.
- by Susan Wyndham
Opinion
Vaccination
In an uncertain world, the best economists ‘know they don’t know’ the future
Economists don’t know what the future holds. But that doesn’t mean their forecasts are worthless.
- by Jennifer Duke
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
Stemming the social media ‘infodemic’ crucial in vaccine rollout
With misinformation spreading like wildfire across social media, fact-checking the fact-checkers is vital during the vaccination stage of the pandemic.
- by Andrew Moshirnia
Opinion
Discrimination
Myth of meritocracy casts Australia in a new light
When it comes to an entrenched class system, Australia can’t hold its head up high on several fronts.
- by Tim Costello
Opinion
AFL 2021
Four Points: Collingwood at a crossroads, Grundy spooked, Dog ruck’s new role
At the end of last year, Collingwood finally admitted it had a problem and made moves to fix it. But four rounds in, for all the list changes and salary cap squeezes they have had, this remains the same old Collingwood - struggling for answers.
- by Michael Gleeson
Analysis
The Championships
Jamie Kah proves without peer as ‘touch’ rider in Doncaster triumph
The Jamie Kah push on Saturday transformed Cascadian into a winner at Royal Randwick’s Doncaster after a 377-day losing streak.
- by Max Presnell
Opinion
Comedy
Revenge is best served ice-cold after decades waiting in the wings
Edward was a guy I knew in uni, and without exaggerating in any way, I believe he may have served up the coldest dish of gazpacho-vengeance in history.
- by Danny Katz
Opinion
Music festivals
Byron Bluesfest raises questions: How to save our live music scene?
What can we do to help the live music industry?
- by Helen Pitt
Analysis
NRL 2021
Trbojevic asked to be fined for sprint session
The Sea Eagles star was embarrassed by his actions that fateful night on the Corso - and has been quietly working to make it up to everyone at the club ever since.
- by Danny Weidler
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
It’s right to play it safe on vaccines
While the situation is evolving, Australia has to take a safe and cautious approach.
- by Margie Danchin
Opinion
Parliament House
MPs a protected species floating high above a rising tide of accountability
The list of government MPs who have escaped serious consequences for bad behaviour is long and at odds with the prevailing mood.
- by Jacqueline Maley
Opinion
Political leadership
Prince Philip: the Queen’s rock, but the unwitting beginning of Tony Abbott’s end
There will be more to be said about his role but today is not the day.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Opinion
Pop culture
Neighbours viewers deserve better answers on serious racism claims
Appalling allegations have been aired and reputations have been smeared, but the show’s producers have gone silent.
- by Andrew Hornery
Opinion
Daniel Andrews
Sidelined Dan Andrews unable to take a swing
The Premier might be at home watching the US Masters, but no doubt he would rather be taking on his opponents.
- by Jon Faine
Opinion
MICF
To laugh is human, in a full room, divine
The creator of canned laughter knew that humans laugh easier when others are laughing with them.
- by John Bailey
Opinion
Money Makeover
Why shopping your mortgage is so daunting, but so important...
Government has stepped up to deliver shoppers meaningful price comparison websites on energy, private health insurance and, from July 1 this year, superannuation. Why not mortgages, too.
- by Jessica Irvine
Opinion
Credit cards
Why credit cards are not all bad… if you use them right
Adopting three smart credit card strategies can actually result in you being a lot better off in the long run.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Opinion
Aged care royal commission
Flawed arguments to abandoning aged-care RADs
Taking away the ability to pay a RAD could deliver a financial hit to many aged-care residents but would likely result in a bonanza worth billions of dollars for the government.
- by Rachel Lane
Opinion
Ask an expert
Seek financial advice early if you are planning to retire
It is prudent to ensure you are on the right path with a solid financial plan before you stop work.
- by George Cochrane
Analysis
Royal family
The end of an enduring love story is what makes Prince Philip’s death so poignant
After seven decades of tireless service, the pandemic meant the Queen and Prince Philip were able to spend his final year together at home.
- by Bevan Shields
Opinion
Immigration
Major parties have swapped sides on immigration, more or less
The Coalition wants more migrants, Labor want fewer. But which side will benefit from this apparent case of political role reversal at the next election?
- by Parnell Palme McGuinness
Opinion
China
Fraud, force and genocide: An extraordinary day in the annals of Australia’s national life
Chinese ambassador Cheng Jingye subjected the Australian reporters to a two-hour exercise in authoritarian propaganda.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
Vaccination vacillation may infect recovery, and Morrison’s leadership
For the second time this century, Australia may have successfully navigated its way through a global crisis only to founder on the rocks of recovery because of poor leadership.
- by George Megalogenis
Opinion
Gender equality
Not a plea, a demand: let’s make misogyny history
Let’s think big enough to forever change our nation and our parliaments, end the violence and sexism and deliver net zero gender inequity by 2030. It’s within our reach.
- by Julia Gillard
Opinion
NRL 2021
The 18th man rule does nothing to reduce risk of life-altering head injuries
The new NRL protocol is not about managing concussions and their effects. Rather, it is about managing the spectacle by maintaining the balance between teams.
- by Darren Kane
Opinion
Ageing
China’s dilemma: Growing old before it becomes rich and powerful
It faces a multitrillion-dollar bill or an overhaul of its fertility and retirement systems.
- by Eryk Bagshaw
Opinion
MyCareer
Have a successful career without the self-help mumbo jumbo
Career decision-making is simple if you follow these basic steps.
- by Jim Bright
Opinion
Royal family
Beneath the gaffes, the duke ran deep
The Duke of Edinburgh was famed for his insults. But there was depth to him, too, particularly on wildlife conservation.
- by Tony Wright
Opinion
AFL 2021
The Toby Greene I know: a competitor with a contagious will to win
Just who is the GWS Giants star, so loved internally and so often criticised by those outside the club?
- by Wayne Campbell
Opinion
The Fitz Files
Tommy Raudonikis was certainly ‘terrific’, but also completely terrifying
Tommy Raudonikis was one of a kind, and stories of his exploits around rugby league will live on with his legend.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Opinion
Vaccination
Extremely small risk of side effect, better than not being vaccinated
Australia has taken steps this week to make an extremely small risk of having a bad reaction to the vaccine even smaller.
- by Catherine Bennett and Hassan Vally
Analysis
Coronavirus pandemic
Serious hurdles stand in the way of a quick solution for Australia’s vaccine rollout
Demand for Pfizer is so hot worldwide that the drug giant won’t be able to dispatch the extra 20 million doses until the final quarter of this year.
- by Bevan Shields
Opinion
Body image
Khloe Kardashian’s unedited bikini photo isn’t something to hide
Forget the Streisand Effect — this is the Kardashian Effect: a distorted perception of reality and beauty.
- by Jenna Guillaume