Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett has worked wonders in her role as artistic director of the Sydney Theatre Company, which she shares with husband Andrew Upton. She has attracted international stars, won new sponsors, boosted audience numbers, scored rave reviews and transformed the company’s finances. She’s also greened STC headquarters with solar panels and rainwater harvesting. […]
October, 2011
Media briefs: Linnell goes vertical … Gittens makes sense … Another NotW payout …
In today’s Media Briefs: Fairfax’s new editorial structures … The Chasers war on ABC budget … The Simpsons kicks on and more …
Power Shots: Power Shots: Clubs offer to Wilkie … Crook spotlight … Rann on gays …
Clubs Australia misses the jackpot. There are no bells, whistles or flashing lights for Clubs Australia this morning: its gamble to offer a trial of mandatory pre-commitment for pokie players has failed to pay off. Clubs Australia’s CEO Anthony Ball — who will feature in our Sydney Top 10 power list — wrote to the federal government last week […]
Political snippets: Optimistic despite all the evidence
On the day when the leaders of Germany and France declared yet again that some time soon they will have a solution to Europe’s financial problems, the journal nature neuroscience brings us this study of the way the mind works.
This is your neoliberalism. Today.
Secret Document Leaks Exposed Pokies Shock Scandal Ripoff Disgrace
Video of the Day: Rupert Murdoch on Fox and Friends
Kerry Packer being interviewed by Ray Martin on Channel Nine was always pretty awkward. But this Fox News chat with News Corporation patriarch Rupert Murdoch and network boss Roger Alies is near-excruciating. Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours
LNP fight: member quits over Gavin King. As has been reported, Joel Harrop — former Liberal-National Party secretary and ex-candidate for the seat of Cairns — isn’t happy with the man the party has chosen to run in Cairns at the next election, News Limited hack Gavin King. As Crikey has reported, the dirt unit on King was digging […]
Crikey Says: The calm before the storm
If only politicians could be trusted to acknowledge that, as Possum lamented last week: “Not everything about government is about electoral politics.”
Top 20 Steve Jobs quotes
Lots has been said about the life and career of Steve Jobs, but what about words from the man himself? Oliver Milman compiles 20 of the best Jobs quotes.
Black Postcards and hazy memories: Dean Wareham opens up
The multi-talented Dean Wareham has toured the world as the face of Andy Warhol’s Superstars. He sits down for a chat with Kent MacCarther, discussing his new book Black Postcards and a long and distinguished career speckled with drugs and g-strings.
PHOTO GALLERY 
The beautiful blues
If your favourite colour is blue — or if you’re just after some lovely things to look at — Life’s photo gallery of beautiful blue things will tickle your retinas and sweeten your eyeballs.
Bird of the Week – Australian Kestrel: King of Darwin’s Crowne Plaza hotel
Few of us bother to look up to catch sight of beautiful birds that live their in a domain all their own above and around us. Bob Gosford observes the stunning Australian Kestrel.
PHOTO GALLERY Debauchery rises as freeloaders flock to Wall Street
Not all “protesters” occupying Wall Street are there for political purposes: freeloaders, homeless people and randoms from all over have flocked in their masses, bringing debauchery with them.
Compulsory or automatic? Time to vote for enrolment reform
One hundred years ago compulsory enrolment was introduced in Australia for purely political reasons. Now might be the time to push for automatic enrolment, writes Brian Costar.
The Tax Forum: so much for “health in all policies”
How different might the Tax Forum have been if a “health in all policies” framework had been one of its driving forces? asks Melissa Sweet.
Gillard grasping at straws: it’s not all bad for left of centre parties
Julia Gillard was trying to console herself the other day when greeted by yet another dismal opinion poll with a belief that left of centre parties were doing it tough everywhere, writes Richard Farmer.
Laid puts out for NBC
Following in the footsteps of Wilfred, Laid is the latest Australian TV show set to be adapted for American audiences, reports Dan Barrett.
The health funding blame game continues
The buck passing on public hospital funding is well and truly back, with the Tasmanian government announcing it would cut more than $60 million from its elective surgery budget over the next three years, writes Richard Farmer.
aviation industry ACCC seeks real powers to restrain overpricing at airports
The costs of car parking at major Australian airports, and the fees they charge airlines per passenger could be cut under a new proposal by the ACCC, writes Ben Sandilands.
Syria: 1982 revisited? Clarity lost in the bloodshed
As the violence in Syria enters its 10th month, with in excess of 2500 civilians and 500 security personnel killed, clarity in terms of who the opposition is, is harder and harder to find.
Aussie film wins rave Guardian review … from a reader
On Wednesday I wrote a less than complimentary review of Surviving Georgia, an upcoming Australian tissue-box drama from co-directors Sandra Sciberras and Kate Whitehead, which will be released theatrically next week. Take a gander at my appraisal and you’ll quickly realise that “less than complimentary” is something of an understatement. Surviving Georgia is easily one […]
Power Shots: Sydney power preview … Henry to NAB … Bolt’s fiancee …
Sydney’s most powerful: the contenders. Who are the people shaping Australia’s largest city? Next week, we start counting down the Top 10 Most Powerful People in Sydney. Here, Paul Barry presents the shortlist. — Paul Barry (read the full story here) Ken Henry takes up job at NAB. Life just keeps getting busier for former Treasury secretary […]
Progressives push social agenda at ALP Vic conference
Progressive forces within the Victorian ALP are preparing to deliver sweet revenge on the socially conservative shop assistants’ union by forcing debate on issues of same-sex marriage, asylum seekers and legislative council preselections at the party’s state conference tomorrow.
For ‘dull’ Hollande, it’s ‘game over’ in French presidential race
Despite the misadventures of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, hopes are high in France’s Socialist Party as its voters go to the polls on Sunday to choose a candidate for next year’s presidential election to run against centre-right incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy.
