Two coups, two victims – what’s going on? Two major public figures have been executed in recent coups in Australia – Malcolm Turnbull was despatched as prime minister on August 24 and Michelle Guthrie as ABC managing director on September 24. In subsequent media coverage the executioners could not, or would not, explain why Turnbull…
Liberal MPs overthrow Malcolm Turnbull and replace him with a lightweight happy-clappy In 36 consecutive opinion polls, Malcolm Turnbull was preferred Prime Minister over Labor’s Bill Shorten. In mid-July, for example, Turnbull extended his lead over Shorten to 19%; Turnbull was 48% with Shorten dropping 2% to 29%. At the same time, Labor continued to lead…
Commonwealth Games hypocrisy exposed … Rescue alert for English royals … Anti-China lobby erupts … Australia’s new commander-in-chief is a Liberal tool … Why public libraries desperately need a hand … Farewell to Bob Walshe, a good bloke … Judge criticises “selfie” obsessives Commonwealth Games hypocrisy exposed Let’s face it, this month’s Commonwealth Games on…
How the legal profession is being trashed Growing up in North Queensland, high on our list of Most Revered Citizens were solicitors. The legal practitioners were known far and wide as men (there were very few women in the profession in the 1950s and 60s) of conservative habits but irreproachable integrity, honesty and wisdom. Making…
Every single reporter should be an investigative journalist. No exceptions and no excuses. It’s the tool of the trade. When they sign up to become journalists, that is what ninety-nine per cent of them want to do. The other 1% are sons and daughters of the proprietor and people on the make who were too…
USA: the implosion of a global super power For many years it was widely accepted in progressive circles that we all belonged to “one race, the human race”. That, of course, is an undisputed biological fact. Problems arose, however, when people began to deny the existence of national differences within the human race. This is an…
Francis Wyndham 1924-2017 Above my writing desk at Tweed Heads on the New South Wales-Queensland border is a photograph of writer, editor and literary mentor Francis Wyndham who has died in London aged 93. The colour photo depicts Wyndham in front of a portrait of himself painted by the late Lucian Freud, another of Wyndham’s…
Exploring Australia-China history Canberra writer and journalist Rob Macklin has written a highly relevant, timely and utterly riveting book on the intricate relationship between Australia and China. Over the years, I’ve read most of Macklin’s 28 books but this is his best. It’s a cracker. With China established as Australia’s major trading partner, and the Beijing…
A stellar crowd of friends gathered at Lucio’s restaurant in Paddington, Sydney, on Saturday 12 August 2017, to welcome Kay Lanceley into the gracious company of octogenarians. She did it in typical style, with much laughter and general gaiety. As very young people might say, the celebration was “awesome”. Kay, widow of the acclaimed artist Colin Lanceley…
Brisbane audience welcomes book on Art Gallery of NSW … AGNSW director Dr Michael Brand spotted in Venice: next stop Brisbane … Theresa May’s big election gamble … Rupert Murdoch’s loses his news room gorillas … NSW Coroner report on Lindt Café siege: whitewash or what? … Art gallery turmoil making waves News travels fast. When…
