Hugh White is one of the nation’s most listened-to defence strategists. For decades, he’s been helping shape Australia’s foreign policy from all the places that count: media, politics and the public service. These days, the bearded and bespectacled ANU academic is trying to convince world leaders to change their thinking on how they deal with […]
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On the call for a return to an Australian canon
All occasions provide an opportunity to reflect — upon achievements as well as failings — and in the lead-up to Australia Day there was a focus upon the recognition and preservation of our literary history. On Sunday, Fairfax provided an interesting editorial that noted our “tendency to anti-intellectualism and … veneration of physical achievement” and published a rousing call by the […]
Game On: why your mum is now playing video games
Last Saturday morning, Channel Seven’s Weekend Sunrise ran a story about video games. Perhaps weekend breakfast television is not the place to look for deep insight, and mostly this syndicated story from NBC about the video game company Zynga didn’t break the mould. There was the usual hyperbole preceding the story, the contextless statistics that are often used […]
The Power Index: thinkers, climate sceptic Ian Plimer at #8
Ian Plimer is one of the most imperious purveyors of climate scepticism in the world. He’s a prize-winning academic and bestselling author, meaning he’s got the cultural capital and turn of phrase needed to put forward a compelling case. Plimer’s way with words (human-induced global warming is a “scam”; environmentalists are “warmists” spreading “eco-guilt”) has […]
The Power Index: thinkers, IPA boss John Roskam at #9
John Roskam is the whip smart and media savvy executive director of the Institute of Public Affairs, the loudest — and most right-wing — think tank in the country. As libertarian-in-chief, it’s Roskam’s job to marshal the IPA’s platoon of conservative culture warriors as they spread their free market agenda. And according to his bosses, he’s making a good […]
New Murray Darling Basin draft set to suck out 1000s more gigalitres of groundwater
These days groundwater makes up about 20% of the world’s drinking water and 30% of Australia’s total water use.
The Urbanist: is Warne putting the right spin on cycling?
In his first post for Crikey as the latest blogger introduced to our stable, Alan Davies, aka The Urbanist, takes on Shane Warne and the notion of who owns the roads … The key issue highlighted by Shane Warne’s spat with a cyclist last week isn’t mandatory registration of bicycles or any need to crack […]
The Power Index: thinkers, divisive feminist Leslie Cannold at #10
When it comes to pulling down the patriarchy, there aren’t too many in the sisterhood willing to go in as hard, or as often, as Leslie Cannold. It’s what makes her one of the most prominent feminists in the country. Her voice — often acerbic, always articulate — consistently cuts through the debate, like secateurs through seedlings. Though many […]
The Power Index: our thinkers are smart, public and polarising
Listing the country’s most powerful intellectuals is fraught with danger. How do you separate one thinker from another in such a broad field? Does it go to the most widely published? The most recognisable? The one with the highest IQ? And there’s an extra ingredient that needs to be considered: the most effective, and powerful, […]
Slow death of Aboriginal research? AIATSIS suspends research grants
From my research, I found the resources in the AIATSIS library and archives an great source of information and inspiration.
The Power Index: Australia’s most influential thinkers
Who are the intellectuals most influencing our public debate? Next week The Power Index counts down the Top 10 Most Powerful Thinkers. Here, we present the shortlist … Charles Livingstone Up until very recently, Dr Livingstone, we presume, was much more powerful. But after Julia Gillard welshed on Andrew Wilkie’s poker machine reforms this week, […]
The Power Index: the most powerful man in Melbourne, Harold Mitchell
Harold Mitchell takes pride in dispensing with the niceties. When The Power Index visited his South Melbourne private office before Christmas, fresh remains were scattered all over the boardroom table. The victim of his latest salvo is Paul Keating’s 640-page tome After Words, chronicling the former PM’s post-politics public waffling. But Mitchell, who flies to London every three […]
Political snippets: Go with the trend but that’s still not good
Experience tells me to go with the trend figures rather than the alternative original or seasonally adjusted versions of the employment figures.
E-publishing and the dangers of malleability
There was an interesting article in The New York Times a few weeks ago — “Books That Are Never Done Being Written” — by Nicolas Carr in which he claims to have “got a glimpse into the future of books”. Carr had published a series of old essays as an e-book via Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing service, but decided to alter […]
Mental health reform: is the govt trying to make a monkey out of us?
The federal government continues to arrive at so-called ‘action’ statements without any specific numeric goals, targets or timelines for achievement of any changes to the mental health service system over 10 years or any other period, writes Professor Alan Rose.
The Power Index: Melbourne movers, Ted Baillieu at #2
When The Power Index sat down with Melbourne’s business, media and political elite to ask them how power works in the southern city, all shifted uneasily on the subject of Premier Ted Baillieu. “We’re different people, I wouldn’t want to compare myself with Ted at all,” said Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, before moving quickly on to other […]
Gambaro’s flame burns bright and quick
Teresa Gambaro’s moment in the sun was as brief as it was ripe,.
Why Gillard should read Playboy: once we were all in bed together
Playboy has uncovered something that should interest all Australian parliamentarians — irrespective of their personal values, s-xual orientation, or preferences. (A first for those familiar with the Australian government’s obscure handling of widespread public support for same-s-x marriage). As they might reasonably expect, the material is sordid, scandalous and sensational. But if Playboy’s January issue (the one with Lindsay Lohan […]
Meet the critics: Margaret Pomeranz on films, snacks and David
Margaret Pomeranz, along with her equally famous television co-host David Stratton, is as close to film reviewing royalty as one finds in Australia. Her jangling earrings, funky fashion sense, endearing laugh and opened-minded approach to film criticism have become synonymous with cinema discussion Down Under since her impromptu debut on SBS’s The Movie Show in 1986. But despite occupying […]
The Power Index: Melbourne movers, Andrew Demetriou at #3
Perched at the top of the biggest game in Australia’s most sports mad city, the chief of the AFL is always going to demand fealty. But over the last 12 months, Andrew Demetriou, the North Melbourne wingman turned fake teeth manufacturer turned $2.2 million salary man, has achieved something approaching full-spectrum control. On the surface, […]
Spin masters Lawrence, Cato join forces against Clubs Australia
Two of the country’s top public relations operatives — Kevin07 adman Neil Lawrence and spin doctor Sue Cato — are joining forces to take on Clubs Australia’s campaign against poker machine reforms. The final strategy for the pro-reform campaign, expected to target marginal seats where big clubs are located, will depend on the outcome of this week’s negotiations between […]
Melinda Tankard Reist critics create undeserved sideshow
To claim that Melinda Tankard Reist holds particular beliefs because she identifies with any particular Christian sect is a lazy argument, writes Dave Gaukroger, on the blog Pure Poison.
The Power Index: Melbourne movers, Peter Blunden at #4
When former Herald Sun editor-in-chief Peter Blunden celebrated 10 years in the hot seat in April 2006, so many Melbourne power players paid homage that an ill-timed terrorist attack would have ground the city to a halt. Peter Costello, Steve Bracks, Robert Doyle, John So, Christine Nixon, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, Janet and John […]
Why is Rupert spending millions undermining national security?
Rupert Murdoch complains that Google has spent millions lobbying for “piracy”. He has spent millions possibly undermining internet security …
