The problem for Yang Hengjun is that China routinely imprisons those who think

Liberal MP Andrew Hastie was blunt about the arrest of Australian citizen Yang Hengjun in China, ABC, Friday:

Beijing’s aggressive and vengeful behaviour with Canadian and now Australian citizens is alarming. The arrest of Yung Hengjun should be of concern to all … It is possible that his arbitrary detention was designed to deter members of the Australian Chinese diaspora from talking openly.

The Shanghaiist website, yesterday:

In another life, Yang worked at the Chinese foreign ministry before moving out of China and becoming a popular spy novelist, intellectual, and blogger who is critical of the Communist Party and an advocate of democracy … in 2011, Yang “disappeared” for two days during a trip to Guangzhou. When he resurfaced, he attributed his absence to an “illness”.

Arch Puddington, writing for Freedom House website, July last year:

During the 20th century, dictatorships of all stripes regularly sentenced … dissidents and people who wrote critical commentaries to lengthy prison terms … China, however, is in a class by itself. Since the bloody 1989 crackdown … in Tiananmen Square, the Communist Party leadership has consistently jailed political dissidents, especially those who argued publicly for democratic change … The country’s most prominent political prisoner was Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who died a year ago after serving eight years … for thinking and writing.

US fashion editor Anna Wintour attracted Miranda Devine’s ire, Daily Telegraph, Saturday:

Endorsing a divisive attack by a foreigner on an Australian icon isn’t the smartest move ANZ bank CEO Shayne Elliott has made … Tin-eared Shayne decided to double down when the criticism began and hitch his bank’s brand irrevocably to Wintour’s terrible speech: “Once in a lifetime opportunity for our ANZ customers to hear publishing and fashion legend (and huge tennis fan) Dame Anna Wintour talk about leadership … Her speech was bold, inspiring and charming.” Really? Charming? Attacking an Australian tennis legend?

Different tune? Melissa Singer, Brisbane Times, Saturday:

Wintour was, in every sense, the perfect visitor. She was punctual, attentive and left something behind that all Australians can enjoy. And most of all, she gave more than a passing care to the sport she was paid to come to watch.

Geoff Kitney profiles opposition Treasury spokesman Chris Bowen, Australian Financial Review, February 20 last year:

He claims to have the mobile phone numbers of most of the CEOs of the country’s 50 largest companies and has done “a very substantial number” of board lunches — sometimes several in a week.

John Kehoe profiles Bowen, Australian Financial Review, Saturday:

He says he has contact details for most of the country’s top 50 CEOs … and is a “regular caller and texter” to captains of industry.

More from Kitney’s profile:

Bowen’s street is mostly brick-veneer and fibro houses. His is the best house in the street, distinguishable by its two storeys, shaded green lawns and neat edges.

Kehoe’s view:

His double-storey brick home, with a swimming pool in the backyard, piano and neatly clipped garden, is probably the nicest on the … street of mainly old weatherboard houses.