Crikey Insider

We are learning a lot more now about the scientific and economic impact of COVID-19 — but what about the psychology that drives peoples’ behaviour during a pandemic?

Today in Crikey, Stephen Bartos explains why it’s much harder to run a second lockdown than a first, Kishor Napier-Raman reveals how the job of looking after residents of Melbourne’s quarantined public housing blocks fell to young volunteers, and Adam Schwab looks at the schadenfreude of non-Victorians. And we’ve got the second part of David Hardaker’s Inq investigation into the security contractors at the centre of the Melbourne outbreak.

Psychology is also central to China’s actions in Hong Kong. Bernard Keane analyses Australia’s response and Michael Sainsbury asks if Australia will come to Taiwan’s aid if it’s the next domino to fall to Chinese hegemony.

Elsewhere, conflict of interest reporter Georgia Wilkins examines who might replace retiring senator Mathias Cormann — and the interests they would be representing. All that plus Andrew P Street on the stories you may have missed this week, Crikey readers sound off in Your Say, the latest COVID-19 updates in Virus Watch, and last night’s TV ratings.

The tentacles of COVID-19 are spreading even further  into Australia’s universities. As Bernard Keane and Jason Murphy each report today, there is a looming crisis for the viability of universities if, as seems likely, large numbers of Chinese and Indian students simply don’t return to Australian campuses over the coming months.

We also turn our attention to the outbreak of coronavirus infections in Victoria. In an Inq investigation, David Hardaker delves into the murky world of the security guards policing Melbourne’s quarantine hotels, and we look at how a bit more diversity among decision makers might’ve prevented the outbreak. Guy Rundle calls for some real leadership, while Keane explains why more fiscal stimulus is inevitable (and correct).

Me Too is our other topic de jour: Janine Perrett reports on the AMP director who guards himself against sexual harassment, and Amber Schultz tells what she learned from investigating the Geoffrey Rush defamation fiasco. And, as always, we have Tips and Murmurs, Virus Watch and last night’s TV ratings.

In yesterday’s Crikey, we talked about Australia’s new normal. Today, we’re living it.

Kishor Napier-Raman and Bernard Keane look at the techniques the Victorian government is using to massage its messages at this critical time. We also look at why the government’s much-vaunted COVIDSafe app is no longer vaunted, and check in on the vibe on the Victorian-NSW border, while Gina Rushton looks at one silver lining from the pandemic — how abortion access has actually improved for some women.

We also have politics editor Keane on the shaky tax credentials of the government’s tax adviser, conflict of interest reporter Georgia Wilkins on the NSW government’s rorts scandal, and economist Jason Murphy on the mysteries of Australia’s vast defence budget. And we conclude Inq’s 10-part series on how The Daily Telegraph attempted to take down Geoffrey Rush — and ask the newspaper’s editor a series of questions about its professional behaviour. (You can listen to the companion podcast here)

Plus some juicy Tips and Murmurs direct from the Crikey bunker, the latest virus updates from Australia and around the world in Virus Watch, and Glenn Dyer’s TV Ratings.

Welcome to the new normal. A world of starting, stopping, surging, suppressing. A world where governments and policymakers are muddling their way through a pandemic and an economic crisis without a compass. Today in Crikey, Bernard Keane and Guy Rundle delve into the entrails of this strange new reality.

Elsewhere we unbundle the curious economic new normal where the government money tap will (and should) be gushing for a long time. Yet it’s business as usual for TV producers booking Pauline Hanson. Michael Bradley descends into the racist sewer of what Hanson contributes as a commentator — and the (lack of) consequences for the broadcasters who host her.

We’re also continuing our Inq investigation into the defamation trial between Geoffrey Rush and The Daily Telegraph, while reporters Georgia Wilkins and Amber Schultz also break down just how much the case has cost the Tele (hint: it’s a LOT more than just the record damages bill). You can also listen to all four parts of the companion podcast here.

All that plus John Fitzgerald on how a NSW parliamentary staffer’s Chinese propaganda course isn’t that big a deal, along with the latest coronavirus updates in Virus Watch, Tips and Murmurs from the Crikey bunker and last night’s TV ratings.

Mathias Cormann was doing so well as finance minister: likeable, collegial, smart, pragmatic, even respected by his opponents. Then, seemingly from nowhere, he delivered a “mortal wound” to Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership, and he’s now announced his retirement from politics to be remembered as… a traitorous bastard. Amber Schultz looks at how a nice guy finished last.

Also in today’s Crikey we continue our 10-part reconstruction of Geoffrey Rush’s defamation case against The Daily Telegraph. Catch acts five and six below, or read the whole series, and listen to the podcast, online right now. We’ve also got Karen O’Connell on how women almost always lose in sexual harassment cases, and Christopher Warren on the tactics of tabloid trashiness in the wake of the Telegraph‘s Rush debacle.

Continuing today’s destructive theme, Toby Ralph asks whether there might be a better way to address history’s bad actors than ripping down their statues, and social media editor Eden Gillespie deconstructs Donald Trump’s racist tweets.

All that plus William Bowe on the washup from Saturday’s byelection in Eden-Monaro, Bernard Keane and Glenn Dyer on what the latest trade data means for our economy and all your regular favourites including Virus Watch, Tips and Murmurs and Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings.

As gripping as our coverage of the Tele and Geoffrey Rush is, there’s a lot more than tabloid trash in Crikey today.

For starters, Bernard Keane explains why Australia should take in Hong Kong refugees, while Guy Rundle and Charlie Lewis report from Lockdown City.

Meanwhile Janine Perrett digs behind the Male Champions of Change, William Bowe previews the Eden-Monaro byelection, and Clinton Fernandes looks at what this week’s defence update really means for Australia.

All that plus Virus Watch, last night’s TV ratings and Andrew P Street with the news from the week you may have missed.

Today Inq kicks off a special series on the trial of Geoffrey Rush. It’s a story about reckless journalism. About one desperate Murdoch newspaper that sacrificed tried and true practice to grab a scoop. About the damage inflicted on two people, their families and friends by that scoop, the subsequent defamation trial and the newspaper’s failed appeal.

Crikey travels the borderline between healthy scepticism and downright cynicism. We really do try to keep on the former side, though sometimes the latter proves tempting.

Take, for instance, today’s defence announcement, billed as a massive military build-up — but, as Bernard Keane writes, there is no increase in spending. Likewise, Bernard offers a robust, factual take on the GST on occasion of its much-hyped 20-year birthday today. It simply hasn’t delivered what the Howard government promised. But hey, who expects the voters to remember, right?

Meantime, Michael Sainsbury looks at the dire turn of events in Hong Kong, former senior bureaucrat Stephen Bartos sifts through the RBA’s economic views, and Conflicts of Interest reporter Georgia Wilkins looks at a new report into (failed) efforts to monitor lobbying.

On the COVID front, Kishor-Napier Raman and Amber Schultz see a silver lining — fewer flu deaths so far this season — and there’s the daily wrap of what’s going around the world in Virus Watch. Kishor also takes a squiz at the career of News Corp’s latest climate warrior (talk about scepticism), Charlie Lewis brings us Tips and Murmurs, and Glenn Dyer runs the ruler over last night’s TV ratings.

Thanks again for all your support. It is much appreciated.

Dear America,

You might wish to keep a close eye on Rupert Murdoch. Because he’s really good at backing winners. And right now, the Murdoch machine is moving against Trump and tip-toeing towards Biden. Have a good read of Chris Warren’s piece today. Because, let’s face it: we’ve had more experience with Murdoch than you — even if he is one of yours these days.

Meantime, today’s Crikey is awash with good oil. We’ve got Guy Rundle on the real challenge of COVID-19, Bernard Keane on the culture of law (turns out it’s as depraved as anywhere else), conflicts of interest reporter Georgia Wilkins on the Nats and big tobacco, and Kishor Napier-Raman on a museum’s alleged destruction.

All that plus the irascible Charlie Lewis with Tips and Murmurs and a quick look at the apologies of Sky News, letters from the readers, Virus Watch and last night’s TV ratings. And speaking of TV, is SBS failing its own diversity test?

The secret prosecution of lawyer Bernard Collaery should be front page news and of deep concern to anyone who believes justice needs to be seen to be done — even if it embarrasses the powerful. But no, as Bernard Keane writes today, attorney-general Christian Porter has been successful in having parts of the prosecution in the ACT Supreme Court held behind doors. It would be great to see other in the news media getting riled up about this too.

In a not-too-dissimilar vein, we’re publishing an extract from Andrew Fowler’s updated book on the pursuit of Julian Assange, while Gina Rushton examines another backward step for justice: that victims of violent crime in NSW will need to collect their own evidence to gain compensation and counselling.

Today’s Crikey also features a Conflict of Interest update by COI reporter Georgia Wilkins, a plea to save Melbourne’s Channel 31 by Guy Rundle, a provocation to go live in Perth by economic writer Jason Murphy, a look at the Facebook ad boycott by Chris Warren, and Kishor Napier-Raman on how tabloid media is backing the cops in the face of the Black Lives Matter movement.

We also consider the government’s magical thinking on the economy, and provoke, inspire and inform with the latest on the COVID-19 outbreak, Charlie Lewis’s Tips and Murmurs and last night’s TV ratings.