
As the political debate turns to government spending, the questions loom: is it too high, and will Peter Dutton be able to get away with keeping his proposed cuts mostly under wraps? On Tuesday the Business Council of...

Unwritten rules: why claims of a missing ‘fourth article’ of the Treaty don’t stack up
I sign this Treaty with my hand, but with the mana of my ancestors. So said Hōne Heke, the first rangatira (chief) to sign the Treaty of Waitangi. To emphasise the gravity of this sentiment, he then mentioned two of his...

Bees count from left to right just like some humans, apes and birds – new research
Picture writing the numbers 1 to 5 in a horizontal line, from smallest to largest. Where did you put 1? If you placed 1 on the left and 5 on the right, you share this preference with most humans. Humans are not alone in...

Activists are warning of a return to the Jim Crow era in America. But who or what was Jim Crow?
Since becoming president, Donald Trump has issued a record number of executive orders. Several aim to dismantle federally funded initiatives based on the idea that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are goals worth...

As Trump deportations intensify, Pacific Island nations worry they could be overwhelmed
In his first term, Donald Trump deported far fewer people from the United States than his three predecessors: Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Just weeks into his second term, however, Trump is making the...

Parliament condemns antisemitism, but can’t avoid the blame game
Independent Allegra Spender spearheaded a condemnation of antisemitism by federal parliament but the debate was mired in partisanship. The opposition tried to prevent the government bringing on the Spender motion in the...