
Friday essay: a fresh perspective on Leonard Cohen and the island that inspired him
Oct 28, 2018 13:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views
This week sees the Australian release of Leonard Cohens posthumous volume The Flame: Poems and Selections from the Notebooks. Among the song lyrics and notebook extracts that comprise the book are selections of new poetry,...
Oct 28, 2018 13:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy
According to ABS figures released last week, the unemployment rate in Australia has fallen to 5%. This isnt as low as the 3.7% level in the United States, but by historical standards it is low for us. We need to go back...
Please, not another super scheme, Mr Keating. It's what the pension is for
Oct 28, 2018 13:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Talk about a solution seeking a problem. Former prime minister Paul Keating this week called for a national insurance scheme to support Australians aged 80 and over. He says it will be needed to pay medical and other...

Ancient fish evolved in shallow seas – the very places humans threaten today
Oct 28, 2018 13:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature
You walk and talk and live on land, but your ancient relatives were fish. It took about 480 million years for these fish to evolve and adapt to different environments and become the many different back-boned species...
Government to set up new multi-billion Future Drought Fund
Oct 28, 2018 13:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics Nature
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce a Future Drought Fund, that will grow to $5 billion over a decade, at Fridays national drought summit. The fund is to provide support against future droughts, helping primary...
More than a century on, the battle fought by Australia's suffragists is yet to be won
Oct 28, 2018 12:28 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
When Kerryn Phelps claimed her historic by-election win on the weekend, she called the triumph a a victory for democracy, signalling a return of decency, integrity and humanity to the Australian government. As well as...
Being in nature is good for learning, here's how to get kids off screens and outside
Oct 28, 2018 12:26 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health
Contrary to the belief we Aussies are a nature-loving outdoor nation, research suggests were spending less and less time outdoors. This worrying trend is also becoming increasingly apparent in our educational...