The referendum on independence leaves zero room for doubt about the wishes of the people of Bougainville. Papua New Guinea now has to come to the party.
Category: Australia
Why are we surprised?
Neither Australia nor the US wants to admit that it is part of a global movement. But despite its love of walls, Trumpism transcends national boundaries.
What Bernardi means (reprise)
Cory Bernardi leaves politics, with his mission largely fulfilled. The Australian right has been remade, if not exactly in his image, at least in something uncomfortably like it.
The impossibility of media balance
No-one is surprised to find that politicians lie. But how should the media respond when a particular side of politics inhabits an entire ecosystem of lies?
More thoughts about judicial review
The decision about prorogation is not the only controversy Britain's supreme court has engaged in recently. An attempt to rein in the intelligence services raised some similar issues.
The Senate faces its enemies, again
Plans are again afoot within the Australian government to try to cripple the democratic nature of the Senate. But there is an alternative direction that reform could take.
On changing a constitution
Australia's constitution is difficult to amend, and that's not a bad thing. But resistance to change is far from uniform.
Oh no, not 1975 again!
Britain could be headed for a constitutional crisis that can be likened to that of 1975 in Australia. But the differences are more revealing than the similarities.
From Brisbane to Kashmir
The world may yet pay a dreadful price for having failed to address the issue of Kashmir when it might have been resolved peacefully.
Oh dear, it’s free speech again
Once again, the right of a "controversial" speaker to enter Australia is up for debate. His supporters seem oblivious to the contradictions in their position.
