Opinion
Jacinda Ardern: I was days away from learning if I’d run the country. But I waited on even bigger news
In an exclusive extract from her memoir, the former NZ leader writes that she had always “grappled with the idea that I was never quite good enough”.
- by Jacinda Ardern
Latest
Opinion
Trump diplomacy
The US’s biggest export? Trump’s MAGA mindset
The United States is punishing governments that try to moderate social media. Australia is in the firing line.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
University
Unis are in a ‘moment of crisis’. Now is not the time for authoritarian control
Universities were created to be communities where ideas – wrong ones, right ones, contradictory ones – can coexist and coalesce into the truth.
- by Sophie Gee
Opinion
Culture holidays
Parisians shattered my stereotype about them. How typically rude
We’ve become used to the reputation of the French as “Italians in a bad mood”. But on a recent visit, I found a whole new spirit emerging.
- by Roby D'Ottavi
Opinion
Social media
From mob wife to MAGA woman: TikTok trends are losing steam
Whatever TikTok’s fate in the US, its fashion fads have waned. What has replaced them is much more difficult for brands to navigate.
- by Andrea Felsted
Harbour homes for the wealthy is no fix, premier
Great plan, Premier Minns, more high rise for the wealthy with sublime harbour views
Analysis
Defence
What will Albanese give Trump on defence? Not much
The prime minister has told colleagues that if they asked for money in the way the US has on defence, they’d be laughed out of the room.
- by James Massola
Editorial
Roads
The Harbour Bridge was paid off in 1988. The latest toll increase has gone too far
The Minns government has taken the easy option of charging Sydney Harbour Bridge motorists higher tolls instead of taking an across-the-board approach to the city’s problematic toll roads system.
- The Herald's View
Opinion
Property prices
House price rises were meant to ease. So what’s happened?
The theory that the Australian home market will bump up against affordability constraints has made a mockery of price predictions.
- by Elizabeth Knight
Opinion
Gender equality
What happens to men who have caused harm to women?
Dyson Heydon was found to have sexually harassed six young female associates. So why is he being publicly rehabilitated?
- by Chanel Contos
Analysis
NRL 2025
‘Could change the way the game is played’: Where does Galvin fit at Belmore?
Signing Lachlan Galvin could make or break the Bulldogs most promising title tilt in more than a decade, depending on where he lands on Cameron Ciraldo’s team sheet.
- by Dan Walsh
Analysis
Australia votes
Could there be a second election in the nail-biter seat of Bradfield?
A recount of votes in the north shore seat may not settle who will represent it in Canberra as a Liberal and an independent brace for a rematch.
- by Alexandra Smith and Matt Wade
Opinion
Trade wars
Why did Trump double his steel tariffs? Because he could
With his trade wars on everyone halted by a court, the US president has to show he still can impose tariffs. He also wanted to justify his backflip on a $US15 billion steel deal.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Opinion
Wallabies
The harsh truth about Australian rugby
Despite having more players to pick from this season, the Australian Super Rugby franchises performed worse than a year ago.
- by Paul Cully
Analysis
AFL 2025
Why the supposedly ‘old and tired’ Magpies are flag favourites: Key takeouts from round 12
Collingwood were supposedly old and tired, but are now premiership favourite for a reason. A heavy loss to the Magpies has Hawks’ supporters wondering whether Sam Mitchell can take his team from good to great.
- by Jon Pierik
Opinion
World markets
Trump hates it, but ‘TACO’ is the secret to his resilience
The US president may not like Wall Street’s ‘Trump Always Chickens Out’ trade but the spirit of it is what makes him viable.
- by Ross Douthat
Opinion
Australia votes
Size of Labor victory frees up backbenchers to speak out
Despite Labor’s success, it now faces a barrage of loud voices demanding action.
- by Sean Kelly
Opinion
NRL 2025
League’s player transfer system is broken. Here’s how to fix it
The Lachlan Galvin contract debacle is just the latest example of why the current rules must be changed.
- by Neil Breen
Opinion
Federal budget
Let’s stop kidding ourselves. Taxes will have to go up
No one wants to pay more tax. And the richest of us protest most and fight hardest when asked to cough up a little more.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Mental health
Adulthood is chock-full of disappointment. Our kids need to face the truth
In my decades of working with young people, I have witnessed a growing reluctance to allow them to experience and learn from disappointment.
- by Michael Carr-Gregg
Corporates cook with gas under principle-free AL
What happened to Labor leaders taking a stand on principles – just like Bob Hawke over the Franklin River dam – when Woodside comes around?
Editorial
Public transport
This one union must not railroad the deal to end Sydney’s train chaos
Resolution of Sydney’s months of train chaos has been threatened by the inability of the unions to get their act together.
- The Herald's View
Opinion
US politics
Elon Musk moved fast in Washington, but broke only his reputation
At the end of their highly publicised bromance, all Elon Musk and Donald Trump have to show for it was a black eye and a gold key.
- by Maureen Dowd
Opinion
Donald Trump
King Charles and Pope Leo defend US Constitution from Trump
That the greatest defenders of American values are the incumbent British monarch and the Vicar of Christ is a great irony.
- by George Brandis
Letters: Journalists’ attacks on Ben Roberts-Smith unjustified
The former soldier’s supporters have a genuine concern for the upholding of the foundational legal convention that courts are to presume an accused person innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
Opinion
Religion
The kingdom of kindness
The fear of abandonment never leaves us, but simple kindness keeps it at bay.
- by Julie Perrin
Opinion
Financial literacy
It’s hard to admit, but we can all learn something from Elon Musk
If someone had to financially fail so the rest of us could learn from their mistakes, it might as well be the richest person in the world.
- by Victoria Devine
Opinion
Ask an expert
I’m retired and sick of strata fees. Should I sell up and rent instead?
The costs that come with owning an apartment such as special levies and strata fees can quickly build up.
- by Paul Benson
Opinion
AFL 2025
Origin of the AFL’s great challenge: What AFLW can learn from the NRL
The Matildas have raised the bar. The NRLW has jumped ahead via Origin. The AFL can’t create a larger footprint for women without thinking bigger.
- by Jake Niall
Opinion
Australia votes
How to beat the teals? The city Liberals now have a template
Tim Wilson’s winning campaign in Goldstein contains two important lessons for future campaigners.
- by Parnell Palme McGuinness
Opinion
Five Minutes with Fitz
Just say ‘no’: How Sydney’s drug habits are fuelling the gangland wars
Police Minister Yasmin Catley, despite coming from the Labor Left, holds some fairly right-wing views on strip-searching, the age of criminal responsibility and drug use.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Analysis
Vivid Sydney
After last year’s drone show disaster, is a scaled-back Vivid working?
Vivid has canned the drones and moved away from big ticketed light installations. That’s great for families, but Vivid risks losing its vibe.
- by Jessica McSweeney
Opinion
Hip pocket
The simple banking switch that could save you time and money
Are you still with your original bank? You’re not always rewarded for loyalty.
- by Dominic Powell
Opinion
Child protection
My job is to tell the UN about young lives in Australia. I wish the story was a better one
As Australia’s Youth Representative to the UN, I’ve spoken with thousands of young people across the country. I wanted to find hope, I found too much heartbreak.
- by Satara Uthayakumaran
Opinion
Wildlife
From friend to foe: The possum in my driveway has become a problem
What started as a friendly game with a charming marsupial has evolved into a waking nightmare.
- by Thomas Mitchell
Analysis
NRL 2025
Should a former Wallaby really be in the running for NRL’s rookie of the year?
Mark Nawaqanitawase spearheads one of the best groups of NRL rookies in years – but Roosters fans will be more concerned about keeping him out of rugby’s clutches.
- by Christian Nicolussi
Opinion
Pop culture
All US television is Trumpy now, even when it’s not
The new season of And Just Like That feels more awkward than ever in the era of Trump 2.0, when every other TV show is about the emptiness of wealth.
- by Jacqueline Maley
Opinion
Trump's America
Trump has declared war on Harvard, but there are degrees of concern in Australia
We cannot be naive about how Donald Trump’s full-blooded assault on America’s finest universities will affect us.
- by Julia Baird
Analysis
Trump's White House
A black eye and a gold key: Musk’s subdued farewell from Trump’s White House
If Musk’s headline-grabbing stint in the Trump administration straddled ecstatic highs and horrific lows, his farewell was more like a Buddhist on Valium.
- by Michael Koziol
Opinion
The Fitz Files
When Gus talks, take it with a mountain of salt
This week’s back-and-forward between Phil Gould and Michael Chammas told us more about the Bulldogs football supremo.
- by Peter FitzSimons
Opinion
Literature
Is it just me, or is everyone rude now? (It’s not just me)
I’m always discombobulated when someone is rude to me. I think most people are.
- by Richard Glover
Opinion
Superannuation
How to shore up your retirement without paying a cent
Our super may be all over the shop, but this little-known method can help you get sorted – without having to dip into your savings.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Opinion
Retirement living
Retirement at 70? It’s coming, whether we like it or not
This week, Denmark made the bold move to shift its retirement age. And it won’t be long until countries everywhere are forced to follow suit.
- by Bec Wilson
Opinion
Climate policy
Coalition of the unwilling: Climate wars will soon eclipse reunification relief
The climate wars are over. And the Coalition lost. But it will have great difficulty in accepting this fact and that’s a particular problem for the Liberal Party.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
AFL 2025
Now that the bloodletting has begun, this is who Andrew Dillon must hire as his No.2
A dual premiership captain looms as the long-term successor for which the game is crying out.
- by Caroline Wilson
Opinion
Waratahs
Waratahs need to win at Eden Park to make the finals. Here’s why it’s mission impossible
NSW’s play-off hopes go on the line against the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.
- by Paul Cully
Analysis
Healthcare
‘She would have survived’: The three key moments that led to tragedy
A conclave of medical experts unanimously agreed the death of Pippa White was “preventable”. Her parents are now asking: “How do we stop this from happening again?”
- by Angus Thomson
Analysis
AI
AI could cure cancer, and kill your job
Someone will have to pay for the trillion dollars being invested in artificial intelligence. Will it be the workers?
- by Colin Kruger
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