Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie has accused both major political parties of lacking the courage to protect Australia from the “existential threat” of Chinese foreign influence in an impassioned speech to parliament. By Nour Haydar “It’s about time the people in this place woke up to China’s attempts to infiltrate our […]
Australian 15-year-old reading scores are way below those of their peers in ten countries – including Singapore, Estonia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, Korea and Poland. By Sue Thomson And around 41% of Australian 15 year olds have failed to meet the minimum national standards in reading – up from 31% in […]
The OECD will release the results from PISA (its Programme for International Student Assessment) 2018 tomorrow evening. This is the seventh time PISA has been administered and the results usually cause a barrage of attention from governments, and those interested in education, for years to come. By Sue Thomson and […]
Last night at the fortnightly Council meeting two motions were put forward by Cr Rhoades that both related to the proposed new Civic Centre and Council Chambers in Gordon Street. The first motion asked Councillors to consider “that all contracts relating to the Cultural & Civic Space proposed for Gordon […]
I have long been bemused by the whole concept of the “royal personage”. That such a classification of human being should still exist in the twenty-first century beggars belief. It is indicative of the emotional frailty of the human race and its inability to move forward, that royals still fulfil […]
For over fifteen years I have been pointing to the failure of the private health insurance industry (PHI) both in terms of efficiency and equity. Not once have the executives of major firms or their lobbyists joined in a public discussion. They prefer to strong-arm ministers and officials in private. […]
The following is a publicly available submission to the NSW Planning Department by Gowings Ltd that gives qualified support only to the proposed DA for the Civic Centre and new Council Chambers in Gordon Street. It is published in full and has not been edited other than where emphasis has […]
It’s nice that the Reserve Bank has finally caught up with the real world when it comes to capital’s wages strike – not that our central bank quite calls it that. By Michael Pascoe After half a dozen years of forecasting otherwise, Tuesday morning’s Wages and Employment speech by the RBA’s […]
Just when the Morrison government was planning to end its ‘miraculous year’ on a high with its union-busting bill flying through Parliament, the top end of town spoiled the party. By Paul Bongiorno Nothing is more top end than one of the four big banks and Australia’s oldest bank, Westpac, […]
Farmers and firefighters have joined a push for the Prime Minister to declare a climate emergency. By Kathryn Bermingham Farmers and firefighters have backed a Greens push for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to declare a climate emergency after recent bushfires ravaged two states in an early start to the bushfire […]