The big inflation gamble that has failed middle Australia
Like Joe Biden, Jim Chalmers and Steven Kennedy have bet the house on an economic policy dud.
The progressive moment in global politics is over
In country after country, many working-class voters – especially those outside the biggest cities – are signalling the same thing.
Simply the best: 2024’s greatest musical moments
The Australian’s music writer nominates his highlights of 2024, from the best concerts, songs and albums to the best books and soundtrack usage.
Germany opened its doors to migrants. Now it’s struggling to cope
Germany is becoming a case study of the challenges that can emerge when migration outpaces a society’s capacity to adjust.
The bloodstains and bullet holes the PM refuses to see
Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong have hitched our Middle East policy to a corrupt Palestinian Authority.
Help! I’ve been petty-sacked for coffee-badging
Confused by the blizzard of business buzzwords, acronyms and coinages that came to the fore in 2024? It’s a jargon jungle out there but maybe this can help…
An innings for the true believers
After a high-octane opening two days at the MCG, along comes a partnership to remind us that traditional Test match cricket is still effective.
Tom Odell: ‘Sometimes there’s actually no relief in art’
Confessional Q+A with the British singer-songwriter, whose debut single has become one of the most-streamed Spotify songs of all time, with more than 2.8 billion plays.
Commentary
Sixty years on, has The Lucky Country run out of luck?
Published in 1964 and serialised in The Australian, the impact of The Lucky Country was immediate and all-pervasive. Donald Horne declared that ordinary Australian people were not the problem: the elites were. Today that seems truer than ever before.
Health robbed me of the joy of working this Christmas
It’s a curious thing to stroll into hospital feeling as fit as any string instrument in the orchestra, then wake up in the ICU sporting more tubes than the London Underground.
Hypocrisy, bad taste and other follies of 2024
On New Year’s Day 2024, morale was relatively high since the Year of the Dragon was expected to usher in a time of rational thinking. Not quite how it worked out.
Keeping the door closed on nuclear makes zero sense
The Albanese government wants us to believe it governs in the Hawke tradition. But Bob Hawke believed in the contest of ideas and on nuclear believed we should ‘put all the passions and prejudices to one side and look at the facts’.
Discover
Love, life and crimes: our favourite books of 2024
Heading on holidays? Or looking for something to keep you entertained during your staycation? You’ll find some absolute gems on this list – as recommended by The Australian’s literary critics.
The best TV shows to grace our screens in 2024
Rising high above the writers’ and actors’ strikes, streamers delivered a dizzying array of spectacular shows. Add these to your list for summer holiday viewing.
Bensons collapse adds to construction sector gloom
High-rise apartment developer Bensons Property Group is the latest victim of the nationwide crisis dogging the construction sector, entering voluntary administration on Friday.
Scandals, takeovers, Swiftenomics: 2024 was a year to remember
The good, the bad and the ugly – 2024 was an eventful year for investors. We look back on the stories which made headlines and broke hearts.
Kennett tips ‘tsunami’ to hit Labor
Former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett is convinced that the level of anger at Victoria’s Labor government could cost a considerable number of seats at the federal election.
School holidays should be more than something parents must survive
The relentlessness of full days at home with children can be a shock to the system for those normally in a 9am-5pm work routine. Add to that the pressure to have fun, and it’s a perfect storm.
Feeling depressed? Take a look at what you’re eating
Modern diets may be one cause of mental disorders and depression, as well as neurodegenerative disease. Here’s how you can lessen your risk.
Deeply weird: Why we can’t look away from this real-life Squid Game
The singularly quirky culture that gave birth to Netflix’s dystopian survival thriller, and the menacing shadow of its evil twin, shapes South Korea’s turbulent politics.
Inside the mind of The Body
As she toasts 60, Elle Macpherson reflects on her ‘rock n roll’ years, health battles and mantra for ageing.
Sharaz files: ‘I can see why PMO hate us. It all looks planned haha’
David Sharaz told journalist Samantha Maiden that Brittany Higgins would not feel comfortable accepting a payout from the Morrison government as it would make her look ‘bought off’, as the scale of Mr Sharaz’s involvement was laid bare in court | READ THE TEXTS
Assange’s sordid tale of treachery
Julian Assange is a criminal, a fabulist and an undisciplined, arrogant work-shy fraud who lacks an education while remaining a mannerless vulgarian. The WikiLeaks founder is no journalist.
A doctor’s deeply personal plea to fix the crisis at the heart of the medical profession
This is the place where a young doctor once came close to taking his own life. Now at the peak of his profession, he has this advice for those starting out.
This child was extraordinarily smart … no one knew
Exhausted and desperate, Charlie’s mum Mel sat down with a pencil and paper. He took her hand, and guiding it, wrote his first words to her in 17 years.
Willem Dafoe and Robert Eggers take on disturbing vampire classic
Willem Dafoe watched his first Robert Eggers film on a whim. Eight years later, the pair are launching their third project together, this time taking on FW Murnau’s Nosferatu.
The top 10 movies of the year — and some bonus choices
This year my film favourites are an eclectic bunch … but all of them are well worth your time. How many have you seen?
Exotic coming-of-age story explores link between beauty and unhappiness
Parthenope is a university student living a complicated life but although she is a ‘goddess’, the film built around her lacks depth.
A school holidays movie that will keep young viewers in their seats
Two young lions are at loggerheads, with a young lionness between them, and the baddies are on the trail and out for blood. If this sounds like a similar story, it’s because it is.
Suppliers hold collective breath over future of AUKUS subs
Uncertainty over the future of the AUKUS pact under the new Trump administration has defence suppliers feeling increasingly sceptical about opportunities from a submarines program.
Court cases spiral as more Aussies default on car loans
Consumer law cases brought before the courts have rocketed in the past year thanks to an increase in the small claims cap and car loan defaults are a significant cause.
Local stocks down for the week
A Friday rally of half a percentage point failed to retrace losses booked earlier in the week.
There’s a lot to be optimistic about in 2025: Citi Australia
Mark Woodruff, the local boss of US banking giant Citi, says market conditions are turning positive for the coming year.
Paying homage to a respected Aussie farmer and ‘good bloke’
The death earlier this year of Riverina farmer Bruce Simpson was sudden and a shock to the community. Now, his family are looking to keep his legacy going.
All hail to the king McQueen as motoring crown jewel auctioned
Women wanted him and men wanted to be him, and now they can buy a piece of Steve McQueen’s motoring legacy – or for those of a more tender age, the car was also owned by Jerry Seinfeld.
Flush with money: the business of menowashing
Social media is awash with ‘fixes’ for menopause and perimenopause. Before you buy, ask if it could be menowashing.
Why it’s time to rethink medicinal cannabis
There are conflicts of interest in the business model for medicinal cannabis. Doctors are at risk of moral hazard when paid per prescription.
Dabbing: the dangerous trend ‘breaking’ teenage brains
Health authorities are sounding the alarm as teenagers present to emergency rooms with seizures, cyclical vomiting or psychosis. A mother explains: ‘It was like someone replaced my daughter with someone else’.
Holiday hangover? Treat it like a doctor would
Korean pear juice may be hard to find but there are some other ‘cures’ doctors recommend for your aching head after alcohol. The ‘hair of the dog’ is not one of them.
Here’s how to get more out of your daily walk
Walking is great for your heart health, but incorporating interval training and reducing sedentary time can deliver even greater returns with every step.
Off on a holiday roadtrip? Maybe ditch the GPS
A new study finds that cab and ambulance drivers have low rates of death from Alzheimer’s.
How cancer trial saved a life and a love
Michael Doherty’s adolescent years were a typical Australian story – always on the water, worrying only about the next wave. The one thing he wasn’t worried about: the southern sun.
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Where to find the finest pastries in Paris
Tour leader Claudia Chan Shaw is an Art Deco fanatic but she also knows her way around the French capital’s patisseries.
The ‘Hawaii of Europe’ is full of surprises
Early visitors to this stunning archipelago encountered savage dogs and people who spoke in whistles. Today, the curiosities keep millions coming back.
The places that made us swoon in a year of adventure
‘Wish I was there again.’ The world is full of beguiling destinations. See the list of the top 10 journeys of 2024.
Where to make gingerbread biscuits in London
There is a cafe in Belgravia specialising in biscuits and it has a dedicated icing school where you can learn to do it yourself.
Crash: Can weary Aussies push past their ‘breaking point?’
Mitch Starc is sore. Mitch Marsh is struggling. And Australia’s hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy are fading. ROBERT CRADDOCK examines the state of play in Melbourne.
India’s newest hero leaves Boxing Day Test on knife’s edge
Bad light and rain has put a stop to day 3 at the MCG, but not before Nitish Kumar Reddy announced himself as a new force in Test cricket with a stunning century. Recap day 3 here.
Demon keeps United Cup campaign alive after disastrous start
Alex de Minaur has kept Australia’s United Cup campaign alive, after a disastrous start that saw Olivia Gadecki stunned in straight sets by Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska.
Man overboard opens up on Sydney to Hobart miracle
The Sydney to Hobart was rocked by two tragic deaths, but there was nearly a third, after Luke Watkins was thrown overboard. Now the Porco Rosso captain opens up on his near death experience.
Hugs and tears: Inside ‘sombre’ Sydney to Hobart victory
LawConnect snared a third Sydney to Hobart line honours win under the cover of darkness but her crew were sombre and sad remembering the sailors who would not be docking.
‘Decide to live or die’: The cancer fight that broke cricket’s ice man
‘You decide to live or die. You’ve got to make a decision’. This is the story of how Gavin Robertson’s against-the-odds cancer fight broke the hard shell of one of cricket’s most stoic characters.
From Paralympic Gold to local rugby: How Firstmac is helping to transform lives
This article was made in partnership with Firstmac.
The innovation behind one of the world’s most iconic brands
It may be known for its Swiss Army Knives, but Victorinox has continued to expand its offering with a stable of quality products.
Daily Cartoon
Workplace tech warning: Labor demands bosses consult over AI
Murray Watt says Australians do not want ‘robots making arbitrary decisions about workers’ livelihoods’.
Private funding push for new Games stadium
A new front has opened up in the battle over Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic venues, as the mayor leads a fresh push backed by hundreds of public submissions for private funding for a new stadium.
‘Secret’ report shows Hawke’s views on China
Millions to swelter on hottest day of the year
Aussies warned as wild storms, fires loom
Israel intercepts missile from Yemen, after striking its capital
Israel’s military says it intercepted the missile a day after the Houthi-held capital Sana’a was hit by fresh air strikes.
MAGA vs Musk: Immigration fight cracks populist-tech bro alliance
There is populist outrage over immigration. Then there is the nuanced outrage offered by Elon Musk and his ilk over illegal immigration. This week’s furore highlighted how the two forms of outrage don’t always overlap.
Deadly crash caused by ‘external interference’, says Azerbaijan
South Korea impeaches acting president to prolong upheaval
Israelis see chance to remake Middle East in war’s wake
THE AUSTRALIAN PLUS MEMBER BENEFITS
Aviation
Qantas in landing gear scare
New rights for travellers hit with flight delays, lost baggage
Airlines will face penalties for losing passengers’ bags or failing to provide refunds under Australia’s first aviation customer rights charter to be introduced in the New Year.
Long wait for Qantas international Wi-Fi getting longer
A technical issue has pushed the rollout of Wi-Fi on the embattled national carrier’s international flights into 2025.
Catholic Uni faces probe after a year of scandal
De facto student cap would be ‘illegal’
A former Immigration Department deputy executive made the claim as the government vowed to manage numbers ‘in a fairer way’ after the Coalition blocked its controversial student caps legislation.
ACU ‘committed to Catholic identity, but challenged by it’: Priest
An new advisor of Catholic Identity and Mission at the university disagreed that the university was ‘ambivalent about its Catholic identity’ following a series of public controversies.
Tonagh quits ABC board early
The Australian’s 50 Best Photos of 2024
From the US election to the Paris Olympics, from natural disasters to wars, and from tragedies to triumphs, as well as the 60th Anniversary of The Australian, 2024 was the best of times and worst of times.
Howzat! Behind DAZN’s quest to become Netflix of sport
The UK sports streaming operator has big plans for the way the world watches sport – and Foxtel is set to become a key part of this.
‘Property porn’: Australia’s top click-bait homes
Property chiefs see costs burden easing
Leading property bosses say pricing pressures that have driven hundreds of construction firms out of business are stabilising, but energy and labour costs remain a concern.
Billionaire swoops on Sydney pubs in $200m play
Pubs are making a late year surge, with property billionaire Sam Arnaout snapping up two venues.
technology
WiseTech’s Richard White delivers $442m gift to himself
Fundamentals underpinning global tech’s market leadership
The tech sector is both a dominant force in financial markets and one whose potential is largely misunderstood by many investors. So how will it shape the global economy?
AI’s big Test: The new tech that will make TVs feel like the MCG
Artificial intelligence will change the way many Australians see the Boxing Day cricket Test as the world’s biggest TV makers harness the technology to make viewing more lifelike.
Brain slower than internet
Microplastics linked to cancers, infertility
A scientific review of the effect of microplastics has found they cause infertility and are associated with colon cancer.
Plibersek to consider vital new evidence on at-risk parrot
Tanya Plibersek has agreed to consider new research bird experts say should stop a $1bn wind farm in its tracks.
Spanakorizo (Spinach and dill rice)
Summer Table: Prawn and cray roll
This Prawn and cray roll is an upmarket seafood delight born during the Melbourne lockdown and an instant hit.
Bring in the New Year with these showstopping party ideas
Hosting a New Year’s Eve dinner party and stuck on what to serve? From the best finger foods, sweet treats and top recommended drinks from our resident wine expert, we’ve got you covered.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/