June
‘China is watching’: What Trump’s Iran strike means for Taiwan
Donald Trump has reasserted US power through the Iran bombings and forcing Europe to spend more on defence. But what does China think?
First TACO, now TWIT: Trump will inevitably tank the economy
The president’s bold strikes on Iran disproved the TACO theory that Trump Always Chickens Out. But on tariffs, the budget and migrants, there’s the TWIT theory: Trump Will Inevitably Tank the economy.
Trump’s base back his war – as long as he keeps the peace
MAGA standard-bears such as Tucker Carlson claimed Donald Trump’s war with Iran would “end his presidency”. But what do ordinary Trump supporters think?
Developers may hate Victoria, but it’s shaming other states on housing
Victoria has taken power for housing approval away from councils and concentrated it with the planning minister. It’s not popular, but it’s working – and other states are taking note.
It’s boom time in (Labor) lobby land as business ‘wises up’
Lobbyists are “run off their feet” as the number of businesses seeking influence in Canberra booms. And there are huge sums up for grabs for those willing to dive in.
‘No one liked it’: Lessons for tax reform after 25 years of GST
The bitter brawl over the goods and services tax is worth remembering as Jim Chalmers opens the door to real reform for the first time in years.
‘This is the speech we’ve been waiting for’: Chalmers lights reform hopes
A new sense of optimism was palpable in Canberra after Jim Chalmers’ speech this week and it’s not just about tax reform.
Israel bombed Iran’s state TV. Why many Iranians cheered
Most Australians understand little about the reality of living in Iran, under a totalitarian regime that has controlled every aspect of daily life for 46 years.
Whatever happens, the Middle East has been remade
US President Donald Trump’s possible intervention in the Israel-Iran war is the last act in a remarkable reshaping of the Middle East.
Chalmers says hard decisions have to be made. Funny about that
With Ken Henry back in the fold, Jim Chalmers has put tax at the centre of Labor’s post-election productivity push. It won’t be easy.
Inner-city EV owners resort to desperate measures
Electrical cables snaking over balconies and over hanging roads and footpaths are a nightly occurrence in many inner-city suburbs. And it’s about to get worse.
Trump’s review may not be the biggest threat to AUKUS
Defence insiders are alarmed that Australia isn’t moving fast enough on its end of the deal with Washington.
How Frank Lowy’s Tel Aviv think tank says the Gaza war can end
Once Israel ends the war, an Arab-Egyptian reconstruction plan would have to be modified to ensure Hamas cannot regroup and take over again.
If AUKUS falls over, Australia is left with very little indeed
For the past three years, Labor’s national security team has steadfastly insisted that it has no plan B. This Pentagon review will stress test that formula.
Fixing the ‘crisis’ of Australian universities
Higher education, in the words of one expert, is in “serious trouble”. Can Jason Clare, regarded as the nicest minister in Canberra, fix the system?
In Los Angeles chaos, Trump thinks he is on to a winner
Immigration raids in California have sparked nationwide protests, but Donald Trump surged to power promising to crack down on illegals and law and order. Will his base reward him?
‘Bunch of losers’: What Victorian Liberals think about their party
The chasm inside the Victorian Liberal Party has grown so big, some fear a one-party state will emerge from all the chaos.
Apocalypse or a four-day week? What AI might mean for you
If you’re “AGI-pilled” and you believe artificial intelligence will soon surpass humans, you’re probably worried about your job. But insiders reckon that might be the least of our problems.
‘It’s been one of the hardest things we’ve had to deal with’
Christine Christian is preparing to end her time at the State Library of Victoria, leaving behind an institution reformed in more ways than one.
The current moment feels like the 1970s (not in a good way)
Key indicators echo the second half of the 1970s when Australia was a second-rate, over-regulated and over-protected economy.