I am an Australian, a retired academic and historian.
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A good reason to support Netflix!
"In assuming all respondents have a religion, the framing of the question produces acquiescence bias that inflates data — by as much as 11 points, according to a number of surveys — in favour of religious affiliation." #auspol #census Just as we found in our 2021 survey! http://bit.ly/3JDRSoj
nb.australiainstitute.org.au/australia_ne... Time to come again on this issue and keep guns off our streets as much as possible. A so-called “armed citizenry” is a menace to a civil and peaceful society.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr... So proud of all the Aussies who turned out today in capital cities and in my hometown, Newcastle NSW. The senseless killing must end.
The Washington Post is dying of its owner’s darkness.
You know what's crazy? There have been no op-eds or editorial statements in major newspapers this year calling on Trump to resign. None calling for his impeachment. None asking if he's medically fit to be in office. Not one in any major newspaper all year.
Rampant narcissism seems to be cardinal feature of the Trump cabinet (or should that be “closet”). This person brings a whole new excruciating level of artificiality to artifice. A ghastly unselfconscious and embarrassing interpretive riff, a performative menace. Ugh.
A brilliant encapsulation of this dire phenomenon.
Australia take note!! 2. Article 33 of the Italian constitution “… Institutions and private individuals have the right to establish schools and educational institutes, without charge to the State.”
1. Article 33 of the Italian constitution “Art and science are free and the teaching is free. The Republic dictates the general rules on education and establishes state schools for all orders and grades.” See this image of educated graffiti from today in Bologna.
I feel like it's time for this reminder:
The spirit of Americans that I just love!
I would hope they are asking first: “What sort of society do we want?”
johnmenadue.com/post/2025/08... Read this and weep - Australia has one of the “most segregated” (aka unfair) education systems in the world. Ontario Canada shows how this could be reversed if only our governments had the backbone; and some sectors could think beyond competitive advantage.
Freudian slip on Insiders this morning from the odious Tim Wilson … “play” people is the gist of it. Chief Opposition Spokesman for Endemic Inequality and Unfairness.
Bravo Neil Young who continues to lead with decency. More people should abandon these corrupt platforms. “ Hey hey, my my, rock n roll will never die”
ANCHORAGE…
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here." William Shakespeare
youtube.com/watch?v=IZDY... So true!
There can be no university reform without a change of management open.substack.com/pub/hannahfo... Totally agree! The image shows “Chancellor” Julie Bishop giving new meaning to the empty-headed managerialism of “model” university leadership.
Vale David! Thank you for your wonderful work!
The first time Charlie Chaplin used his voice in a film, he wielded it to forcefully condemn the rising forces of fascism around the globe. Will we listen to his words today?
How long is she going to hide? Pretty sweet gig, getting paid top dollar by the taxpayer, with no scrutiny or accountability, not even over your family business’s donations to hate groups.
Fantasy and Tapestry provided the soundtrack of my young motherhood years. I know every word of these brilliant groundbreaking albums. This song in particular always struck a deep chord with me. Thank you so much.
Wisdom from the Movies 2. What about Bob? “Baby Steps” & “Your death therapy cured me you genius” www.google.com/search?q=wha...
Wisdom from the Movies What words from the movies have struck you as wise? 1. Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid on taking a risk: Butch to Sundance: “ What, are you crazy? The fall will probably kill ya!” Check out this video from this search, whaddya mean you can't swim? share.google/ZbXTCczAaw69...
Off the top of my head: The Lion in Winter Out of Africa Network Spartacus Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid Desk Set This is Spinal Tap In The Heat of The Night
Just watched “Trump Power & the Law” on 4 Corners ABCTV. Thank to the brave people speaking up. It is truly shocking to see some pro Trump people speak glibly of the “Unitary” theory of the Presidency. Whither the USA when state capture is happening? www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
You cannot have a functioning economy when so few people at the top hold so much of the nation’s wealth. It’s not sustainable.
How sickening. The budget of a small country squandered on excessive nonsense. At least Bill Gates had the conscience and kind heart to give back to the world’s sick and poor.
It was the same in Australia where I grew up. We were glued to our “television sets” (I still don’t know why they were “sets”) watching fascinated the moon walk in black and white. We were so hopeful- if this could happen, nothing was beyond humanity. So different to our own day.
The actual people who could attest to the facts of the moon walks are almost all gone; the bulwark of the living truth will go with them and the mad conspiracy theories may flourish in their absence. The archive, the visual record, and the testimonies have never been more important.
www.1000libraries.com/post/2025-to... For lovers of libraries and books. I’ve visited two of these top 10 libraries - in Dublin and Melbourne.
Tory Shepherd calls “Bullshit” on increasingly insane Murdoch media outlets. Read it and weep as part of the Australian mind plunges into darkness. www.theguardian.com/media/series...
Clearly this person has no shame.
Here, hear!
Playing to his strengths.
Such important work. Thank you everyone involved. Unfinished business affects us all. “The land holds the truth of this destruction, just as it holds all the stories of beauty and creation, of what Theona calls the genius of her people. It’s important to tell them all, sing them all. Side by side.”
youtu.be/j9S1qnZvWpk an estimated 90,000 Sydneysiders marched yesterday in the pouring rain to protest against the cruel starvation and devastation of Gaza.
Nothing to see here, we’re all mates, using “processes” to get to “answers”without reasonings. As an Australian watching on, this kind of flimflam is deeply troubling. www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
The MAGA “Ministry of Truth” at its shocking work of obliterating history. Orwell saw this so clearly.
No sense of irony there then. The thing about autocracies is that they are essentially humourless. Their anger, overweening fears, resentment and greed constitute the fuel on which they run. Sadly, because these are bottomless wells of malign energy, these people are very dangerous.
FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROPERLY! This increase in “Independent” (ha!) schools is directly related to the shameful neglect of Australian public schools and the rorts of the funding system that supports these “private” schools to discriminate. For shame. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia is a disappointingly racist country, much to our own collective detriment.
Australian governments are meant to represent the interests of Australians, not multinational gas corporations. Australians are tired of rampant gas exports driving up their power bills. ✍️ Add your name to the call to fix Australia's gas export problem! nb.australiainstitute.org.au/fix_gas_expo...
And my advice is - don’t take advice about government services from rich people. “Jim's Mowing founder seeks Trump-style DOGE” www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2025/07...
Tim Winton among 100 high-profile Australians calling for university fees that don’t ‘punish’ arts students
Should you take advice from these two? www.canberratimes.com.au/story/902410...
Morrison has deep conflicts of interest. Hopeless as PM, he led us down a dangerous, expensive, unnecessary path. We would be MUCH better off with cheaper, flexible defence materiel & infrastructure. Massive savings of not continuing with this idiot’s ideas could fund so much to benefit all of us.
Trump v Murdoch/Wall Street Journal in a battle of the cockroaches. Truth is a defence in defamation litigation so can we expect WSJ to produce Trump’s allegedly salacious hand written note to sex trafficker Epstein? Bannon says Murdoch has nothing on Trump. Over to you Rupert.
Zoe Daniel is such a loss to our parliament. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
A miraculous formation at ephemeral Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. “A mound spring on the surface formed from underground pressure pushing water, sand and silt to the surface”. From The Guardian. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
Washington Week is the go to review of Washington politics every week. This week has Franklin Foer of The Atlantic as moderator; Peter Baker of NYT; Eugene Daniels of MSNBC; Susan Glasser of The New Yorker; & Jonathan Karl of ABC. For my money Susan Glasser has the most incisive commentary of all.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
“Baby, it’s cold outside”?
“Aukus would be the biggest shift in Australian defence policy in decades, and it was cooked up by a few blokes in suits and uniforms behind closed doors.” - Emma Shortis Australians deserve transparency when it comes to defence policy. We need a parliamentary inquiry into Aukus. #auspol
www.crikey.com.au/2025/07/24/l... Pauline Hanson’s One Nation turns its back on the Welcome to Country and attracts no censure, but a Greens Senator holds up a sign demanding more action vs genocide and she gets a good going over by the government. What stupid wrong headed hypocrisy is this? Shame!
A bovine union
Do watch S2025 Foreign Correspondent “Russia's Shadow - Georgia “ in ABC iview Brilliant reporting by Stephanie March on Georgia. The fight in Ukraine is an urgent one and our support for Ukraine must be unwavering until Putin’s Russia is defeated.
Stop hiring these people who do not - in their terms - “value add”. They are a wasteful drain on precious university funds that could be directed to teaching and research. Restore democratic academic governance!
The Australian Dictionary of Biography belongs to the Australian people. It must not be cut in any way. Please write to your local politician protesting this piece of outrageous vandalism. insidestory.org.au/the-jewel-in...
Childcare and the new parliament: the federal government is under pressure to make childcare safe, affordable and accessible to Australian families. Collocation of early childhood education with public schools makes sense at all levels: esp, for oversight, convenience, safety and funding.
There is open war on women’s rights in the USA. It was a truism of my youth in the 1960s that the US was 10 years ahead of Australia. So we must be on our guard against these forces within our own country.
As usual the answer is complex: economic rationalist managerialism, & historical educational utilitarianism all figure but hatred of the humanities, at base, is fear of independent critical thinking. A destabilised patriarchal equilibrium (see Judith Bennett) dismantles the open society knowledges.
Some brilliant graduates from my Alma Mater. This list points to the strengths of UON’s Humanities and Creative Arts programs. The BA is a great choice of degree! www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/901924...
I love these birds. So charismatic and cheeky.
Untenable is right. Where does Ms Segal stand in relation to extremist Advance? How was the “Envoy” hired and by what criteria; how much has she been paid; how long is her position to last since she envisioned a “monitoring” role?
Ironically named “Advance” mobilises Trumpian resentment politics in Australia, fed by cashed up conservatives. An important informative piece from The Conversation. theconversation.com/right-wing-p...
Yes! Bravo! “Envoy” Segal should be asked where she stands in relation to Advance. I would also like to know how she was hired; how many other people were considered and by what criteria; how much has she been paid; how long is her position to last (since she envisioned a monitoring role)…
Relatable. My @smh @theage cartoon.
Not good enough Minister Burke.
Great to see the ABC now covering the Gillian Segal $50,000 payment scandal. Amazingly, Tony Burke says she didn’t disclose it to government. Asked about The Klaxon’s expose, Burke says he only found out about the payments from media… www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...
Congrats and thanks for your important reporting. Very unhappy with the minister’s response on 7:30 - aside from his fulsome repudiation of Advance. Segal must resign or be sacked.
Actor Mandy Patinkin’s plea for Jews to consider how what Netanyahu’s Israeli government is doing to Gaza is not just harming Palestinians and killing kids — but also endangering Jews across the globe.
An important aspect of the current moment in Australia where legitimate and grave moral concerns are being attacked as antisemitism. Attempts to close down our open society must be resisted.
An Australian perspective on Trump.
The very definition of a reactionary. He longs for a world that never existed, and seeks to create a dangerous Wild West racist and misogynist fantasy, without contradiction, complexity and ambivalence.
Attention historians of education, this new blog series will interest many! I currently research the advent of girls state secondary education in nineteenth century NSW. The four women who first led these schools were accomplished scholars, but none had a university degree.
Welcome to the Patriarchal Equilibrium …
Louise Adler bells the cat in this excellent article. The overreach in the Segal Report, its ironic intemperance, is only likely to inspire the very thing it seeks to address.
🙏
Honouring and protecting the past enriches and ennobles the present. On the side of the angels, bravo UNESCO!
Tepidation: a sorta, kinda almost fear. Or a warm shower.
The secret is out - Newcastle is a great place to live!
My city is a city of readers. We love our libraries. Newcastle Herald writes: “Not only does the city have the highest number of library members at more than 150,000, but locals borrowed the most items through 1.7 million loans in the last year.”https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9012860/
Opinion | "The result would be wholesale surveillance and censorship of higher education, teaching and research, enforced by the threat of defunding of entire institutions," writes Ben Eltham.
All racism is deplorable, but the people should not be silenced in their legitimate political discourse. It is not racist to criticise the state of Israel for its cruel and inhumane treatment of the people of Gaza.
Reactionary management. Slavery is not an option!
Australia can’t withstand further humanities cuts. Civil society depends on it. While universities have the right to determine their education & research priorities, no one in Australia has a handle on the effects of cuts & their impact on our national skills & knowledge capabilities. bit.ly/3TqI4jn
Absolutely vital that the Labor Government stands firm on our PBS. This brilliant scheme is a national policy adornment. It complements our national health coverage, Medicare. Both schemes make me proud to be Australian.
Bluesky allows engagement without enabling the rapacious Tech Bros. Boycotting Musk and Zuckerberg platforms is a form of political protest. I am astounded that people I would otherwise respect continue to use polluted Facebook, Threads and X.
These crooks know no shame.
It ain’t rocket science. Redistribute some wealth!
I feel so sad for the victims of this horrible crime, a terrible way to die … and then there’s the children.
A simply wonderful image, thank you - I am reminded of the “The Windhover” by Gerard Manley Hopkins “My heart in hiding Stirred for a bird,—the achieve of; the mastery of the thing!” 🙏
ICYMI - yesterday’s cartoon from @australia.theguardian.com
-A living wage -Guaranteed healthcare -The right to join a union -The right to vote -The right to choose when, how, and with whom you start a family -The right for you and your family to live free from gun violence These are the foundations of real freedom.
rationalist.com.au