There are about 15,000 abortions performed in Queensland each year, of which an increasing number are medical — currently these are illegal, and doctors would rely on case law for defence if prosecuted, writes Professor Caroline de Costa.
December, 2011
The Power Index: the all-Aussies café where pollies spill the beans
Every Friday, The Power Index profiles a place where powerful people wine, dine and travel. Today we continue the series with the cafe where democracy gets its caffiene fix, Aussies … There’s nary a power player in Australia who hasn’t passed through Aussies — the legendary cafe that lies deep inside Parliament House in Canberra. It’s where our top […]
Political snippets: Australian caution on oil shale gas justified?
One of the consistent claims of the United States oil shale gas industry and its method of production involving “fracturing” has been “we’ve never had one confirmed case of groundwater contamination.” Well, that is a claim that can be made no longer.
Video of the Day: Doug Cameron v Malcolm Tucker
Doug Cameron may not be as filthy-mouthed as the great Malcolm Tucker, but could he possibly be channelling some of Tucker’s vibes?
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours
Victorian arts bodies in grab for cash. It’s not just NSW arts bodies desperate for their allocation of cash, as we reported last week. In Victoria, funding-starved theatre groups are questioning the Baillieu government about delays in announcing ongoing multi-year funding agreements. As one industry player points out, less than a month before the beginning of […]
Crikey Says: Crikey says: silly season of cabinet reshuffles
The public doesn’t care who the small business minister is. Labor’s problems run much, much deeper.
David Leckie: he may not own it, but he runs the place
David Leckie would be a wonderful media mogul if he owned his own TV network. The man who made Channel Nine No. 1 for the Packers and Seven No. 1 for Kerry Stokes is loud, colourful, rude, aggressive, and ideal for the role, says Paul Barry.
Miracle on Collins Street: a feast of hungry readers
In this era of economic fogginess, at this transitional moment of reading and book-buying technology, a bookshop opening stuffed full of hundreds if not thousands of hungry readers is something of a miracle, writes W H Chong.
Most popular news stories on Facebook in 2011
The BBC have proudly reported that one of its stories, about the world reaching seven billion people, topped Facebook’s most popular stories of 2011. The Sun, The Guardian and Daily Mail also make the top 20, reports Richard Farmer.
McCain: why Gingrich gives me the heebie-geebies
Newt Gingrich’s surge ahead in the Republican primary polls is scary news for the GOP, says Meghan McCain. Not just because he has a questionable history but also because he won’t stand a chance against Obama.
Five TV shows you may have missed in 2011
End of year lists are a lazy way of generating hits on websites and stirring up debate among readers. But to hell with it — White Noise’s Dan Barrett spotlights five quality TV shows you may have missed throughout the year.
film reviews Another Earth — another all-in American indie
Debut director Mike Cahill’s brooding indie Another Earth imagines a planet populated by human doppelgangers. It’s a great premise, but it’s utterly wasted in this morose low-budget drama, writes Luke Buckmaster.
Seven spectacular power fails from 2011
Everybody loves a bit of schadenfreude, so The Power Index present seven of the most memorable power fails of 2011, featuring appearances from Andrew Forrest, Craig Thomson, Glenn Milne and others.
Twitter unveils new design
Rarely do the gurus at Twitter alter the platform’s simple, clean-cut design. But this week they lifted the curtain on a rejigged Twitter website set to launch in coming weeks, reports Doug Aamoth.
Is Australia a developing nation when it comes to climate change?
Australia is keen to address questions of climate justice, livability and quality of life. But on the question of harm we need to look close to home, writes Robin Cameron.
Possum: it’s time to appreciate Australia’s exceptionalism
Reality check: Australia’s economic performance over the last few decades has been nothing short of astonishing. We are the wealthiest nation in the world, with remarkable growth figures, and it’s time we started to appreciate it, writes Possum Comitatus.
Cameron: the odd man out in Brussels
David Cameron now finds himself stuck between a Eurosceptic cabinet and pressure from Merkozy to head towards a new European Union, writes Keshia Jacotine.
podcast Canberra Calling: The Banks who stole Christmas podcast
Crikey discusses the sickly European economy and how the banks have copped a hiding in the media this week for failing to pass on the Reserve Bank’s rate cut.
“Which movie was that?”
“You know, tea and madeleine, that little cake, looks like a scallop shell. He can’t remember anything, and then he has tea and madeleine and it all comes flooding back…”
The Oz gets sledged in OPI’s Le Grand inquisition
A former Victorian editor of The Australian newspaper has been accused of biased reporting by outgoing Office of Police Integrity director Michael Strong.
Unemployment up slightly — all eyes on Victoria
Unemployment increased slightly in November, but the main impact was in Victoria and Queensland.
Turnbull diagnoses media’s crisis — and his own party’s
Most people these days look to Malcolm Turnbull for enlightenment not on economics but on politics, and that’s where things get interesting.
Murray Murmurings: the problem with economic modelling
The multimillion dollar consultant reports from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority are a far cry from being useful in determining the impacts of the basin plan, writes Stefanie Schulte from the NSW Irrigators Council.
