Crikey Insider

Inq reporter David Hardaker and legal writer Michael Bradley delve deep into the legal side street of class action lawsuits.

Crikey’s mandate is to point out facts which go missing in other publications because they don’t fit the prevailing narrative. Today, our political editor Bernard Keane points out two: that the $60 billion blunder on JobKeeper actually isn’t a blunder, and that the China-Australia free trade agreement goes further in freeing-up Australia to the Chinese than the Victorian government’s embrace of the belt and road initiative.

Amber Schultz’s INQ investigation into the life and death of David Harris serves as a reminder — as if one were needed — of the terrible burden mental illness places on its sufferers, their family and friends and the systems in place to help them. Mental health is a complex, costly and sensitive problem. But there are bottom lines — and one of them is a person like David Harris, with a long history of schizophrenia, can’t be allowed to fall out of the system. There is no excuse for neglect, especially when its cost is so high and so final.

News about the state of the media often doesn't make for happy reading. But there are green shoots: the government is acting to help publishers; and all over the country there are some dedicated souls refusing to let local journalism die. All power to their collective arms. We also report today on the rebirth of Rolling Stone Australia — long may it rock.

Journalism might not be perfect but you’ll miss it when it’s gone. That’s the gist of the first part of Crikey’s regional news media series -- and the oft-stated reason why big tech platforms should compensate news companies for using their content. We look at both issues today. Local news plays multiple roles: among them, holding councils to account and capturing community debate. Without it, the country -- in all senses -- would be that much poorer.

Conspiracy theories are everywhere, supercharged in speed and potency by the internet and promoted by the supposed leader of the free world. Today, Inq takes a look at how crackpot theories spread, both here and overseas, and what to do with the people who promote them.

It would be a grand irony if the same group of people who are doing much of the heavy lifting to get us through the first phase of the pandemic were also the biggest economic losers.

Peter Dutton is not having a "good" COVID. Look no further than the Ruby Princess fiasco. Border Force needs to fess up about what went wrong. Instead, Dutton and his department have been busy working out how to let our foreign allies better spy on Australians.

Investigative journalism is costly, time-consuming — and necessary. Today’s Crikey publishes three stories which underline the important role it plays holding power to account.

Alan Jones is, was and always will be a bully. He'll still be doing it on Sky News. Crikey hopes his radio successor Ben Fordham will, as Crikey reports today, stop the bullying. Australia will be better off if he does.