May 4 – 10, 2024
News
Comment
Comment
Ahona Guha
Letter from a forensic psychologist
“Funding cuts have meant extant services are reducing what they offer. People continue to be farmed into a for-profit system that cannot adequately service complexity, especially with only 10 funded sessions a year … At best we can perhaps say this government has done no worse than its predecessor.”
Comment
Paul Bongiorno
The prime minister’s rallying cry
“Albanese said the flare-up should not become a distraction from the crisis of gender-based violence … The prime minister acknowledged the rallies were held to demand ‘that governments of all levels must do better, including my own, including every state and territory government’.”
Letters, Cartoon & Editorial
Culture
Profile
Author Bryan Washington
Rising American literary star Bryan Washington – appearing at the Melbourne Writers Festival this month – is lauded for his nuanced portrayals of complex characters.
Books
Life
Puzzles
Quotes
Healthcare
“At least one person who did not require medical treatment arrived ... in an ambulance. We also know that one person who was a staff member was on a trolley.”
Victoria’s health minister on staff at a regional hospital posing as “fake patients” to make it appear busier. An understandable strategy, but crowd scenes have done nothing for school funding.
US politics
“I guess if I were a better politician, I wouldn’t tell the story here.”
The South Dakota governor and aspiring Trump running mate admits in her new book to shooting her puppy and a goat. It’s a clear overstep – when Trump said he wouldn’t lose any votes if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue, he knew pets were off limits.
Literature
“He has written … an epic tale about how one man can lead a family and a nation with dignity, decency and faith. It’s also fun, so read, learn, and enjoy.”
The former US secretary of state endorses Scott Morrison’s forthcoming book Plans For Your Good. This seems high praise until you consider the leadership he’s comparing it to.
Earnings
“It was a challenging quarter across the group with a noticeable shift in customer sentiment and shopping behaviours since Christmas.”
Woolworths’ outgoing chief executive announces worse-than-expected financial results. Shareholders punished the company in the market but appreciated that he stayed on the call.
Energy
“Australia will be left as a poor and weak nation, highly dependent on foreign supply chains.”
The Nationals MP offers his vision of an Australia reliant on renewable energy. Which is not to be mistaken for the vision of an Australia waiting for the technology to build a handful of small modular nuclear reactors.
Law
“I don’t ask people their religious beliefs.”
The One Nation senator testifies in court she was unaware Mehreen Faruqi was a Muslim when she told her, in a tweet, to “piss off back to Pakistan”. Hanson’s right that questioning would mess with the heuristics of her position.
ISRAEL–HAMAS WAR
