Pik Botha and Namibia: ambiguities and contradictions

Oct 17, 2018 22:02 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Roelof Pik Botha, South Africas foreign minister under apartheid, who has died at the age of 86, was a man of contradictions. He could, for example, be charming. But, though a long-serving diplomat, he was often very...

Senate inquiry calls for tougher rules on pet food in Australia

Oct 17, 2018 21:53 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Compulsory rules for the standards and labelling of pet food in Australia are among the recommendations in a Senate inquiry report released late Tuesday. The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee...

Coalition trails 47-53% in Newspoll, as Ipsos finds 74% oppose law discriminating against gay students and teachers

Oct 16, 2018 15:25 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law Politics

Two new polls have Labor maintaining a commanding lead as the parliament goes into a fortnight that will see a flurry of new government legislation, including to outlaw discrimination against gay students. Newspoll...

Challenge populism: re-inventing the world together

Oct 16, 2018 15:21 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Democracies in the world are being rocked by a new wave of populism. Many scholars correctly analyse the flaws in populist discourse and practices. Populist politicians stoke fears and hate, exacerbate divisions and...

Four fundamental principles for upholding freedom of speech on campus

Oct 16, 2018 15:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

It goes without saying or at least it ought to that freedom of speech should be a core value of universities. As a scholar of freedom of speech and a university academic, it has been gratifying to see so many Vice...

Poll wrap: Labor slips in Newspoll, but gains in Ipsos, in Wentworth and in Victoria

Oct 16, 2018 15:12 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

This weeks Newspoll, conducted October 11-14 from a sample of 1,707, gave Labor a 53-47 lead, a one-point gain for the Coalition since three weeks ago. Primary votes were 38% Labor (down one), 37% Coalition (up one), 11%...

Boyer Lectures: the new eugenics is the same as the old, just in fancier clothes

Oct 16, 2018 15:12 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the ABCs Boyer Lectures. Delivered by Professor John Rasko, the 2018 Life Engineered lectures explore ethical and other issues around gene therapy and related technologies, and their...