The latest scandal involving the CFMMEU leader has the potential to cause serious damage to the Labor Party and the union movement.
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Analysis and Comment
At a recent constitutional convention, high school students from across the country designed a new preamble to the Constitution to bring it into line with their idea of how Australia should be.
Dutton continues to insist the government could be compelled under the medevac legislation to transfer criminals, although the legislation gives the minister power to veto people on security grounds.
Another hectic week in federal politics has seen Labor dealing with a controversy involving union leader John Setka, and the Queensland government giving final approval for the Adani mine.
Some people are better team players than others, but people with goal-oriented and manipulative personality traits can undermine collaborative efforts and affect the team outcome.
New research has found that racial vilification is a common occurrence in junior sport in Australia – and is rarely punished when it happens.
John Setka says he won't resign, and he has the backing of Victorian branch delegates, making it uncertain how things will play out.
Protestors have taken to the streets over an extradition bill that could see alleged criminals extradicted to China, and Beijing is doing little to assuage their concerns.
Open justice is in contest with other rights as the Northern Territory considers a bill to ban the media from juvenile court cases.
The Setka affair is now dominating discussion at the highest level of the union movement.
In deciding its reaction, the government is trying to gauge how much the press freedom issue is a matter of public concern – as distinct from the concern of the media itself.
What makes Folau's case unique is that it sets up a clash between employment contract law and legal protections against discrimination on the basis of religion.
After this week's police raids on media outlets, we need a better way to balance two crucial elements of our democracy - national security and press freedom.
For years, women footballers have resorted to everything from strikes to lawsuits to fight for gender equity. Why is it taking so long to close the pay gap?
Australia is considering whether to double the amount of kava people can bring into the country for personal use. While many welcome the move, the rules on kava reflect a bias against its cultural use.
Geoff Crisp speaks with Michelle Grattan about the week in politics.
The High Court has failed to clarify the Section 44 mess over who is eligible to stand for parliament, so now it's time for MPs to act.
This week's raids on media show our democracy at its darkest.
This week's raids on journalists and media outlets show not just the risk to those doing work in the public interest, but the potentially chilling effect it will have on more such journalism being brought to light.
The quality of Australian media was heavily criticised during the 2019 election campaign. So what can be done about it?
Several Indigenous rugby league players have vowed not to sing the national anthem during this week's State of Origin match. Will the protest spark a conversation, or fizzle out?
Support for Māori and Pasifika communities was a funding priority in New Zealand's well-being budget, but a change in values may have greater impact than more money.
While there has been talk of a "religious vote" or an "ethnic vote" holding sway at this election, particularly in Sydney's western suburbs, new research does not bear that out.
Investigative reporter Louise Milligan on Cardinal Pell and redactions in the Royal Commission’s report
The Conversation55.2 MB (download)
When the royal commission handed down its massive report in late 2017, several sections were redacted until after any legal proceedings against Cardinal Pell were concluded.
The Chinese government tightly controls all mention of the 1989 pro-democracy protests, but in recent days, it's been very open with its justifications for the brutal crackdown.
From Bill Shorten to Kristina Keneally, our experts break down Labor's new shadow ministry – who's in, who's been promoted, and who faces the greatest challenges in their new roles
After this election, the major parties will review their campaign strategies. It's time the media did the same and found ways to improve their coverage for future campaigns.
Keneally has called Dutton a “thug” and “the most toxic man in Australian politics”. Now she'll shadow him, as Home Affairs spokeswoman.
It's critical that the Australian government take a new direction in refugee policy and move beyond its tired rhetoric of deterrence as a justification for detaining refugees on Nauru and Manus.
Pacific countries are eager for assistance in securing their future, whether sourced from old friends like the US and Australia, or new enthusiasts like the Chinese.
Geoff Crisp speaks with Michelle Grattan about the week in politics.
With the Likud leader to form a coalition for government, Israelis will head back to the polls on September 17, the outcome of which is uncertain.
While the new minister has the chance to make a real difference, unrealistic expectations of him should be tempered- real change will take not just the whole government, but the nation.
Scott Morrison's new ministry includes a few new faces and several new roles for familiar cabinet members. Our experts take a closer look at each portfolio.
The new Labor leader is from the party's left wing, which the government and some media will try to exploit. But Anthony Albanese's way through this is with policies and leadership.
Despite low crime rates, indiscriminate mass stabbings aren't unheard of in Japan. But unlike recent mass killings in Western countries, they aren't motivated by right-wing ideology.
While Scott Morrison has touted the record seven women in his cabinet, the overall representation of women in parliament has barely improved since the last election in 2016.
Scott Morrison has been PM for nearly a year, but his foreign policy priorities remain unclear. With his mandate secured, he now has both the opportunity and obligation to show his true colours.
There are the real challenges facing Papua New Guinea, and the current leadership crisis in Port Moresby may or may not not produce a meaningful response to them.
Christian leaders warned of 'persecution' with a Labor government. Now that the Coalition has won the election, conservative Christians may demand Morrison deliver on more of their agenda.
Most mothers want some continuity with their pre-maternal identity, to feel a sense of meaningful contribution to their society, and to enjoy their relationships with their children.
Morrison's new team mixes stability with dashes of innovation, box ticking, and the rewarding of friends.
While the riots in Jakarta have been brought under control, the deeper religious tensions that have polarised Indonesia will present a major challenge for Jokowi’s second term.
As Labor goes through the painful process of examining what went wrong at this year's election and how it might win the next, there are 10 key lessons to be learnt.
The new charges are much more serious than the computer misuse charge in the initial US extradition request. Will the Australian government intervene?
With the AFL's indigenous round about to take place, it's important to recognise the full history of Indigenous involvement in the sport, including the many obstacles players faced.
Labor needs to better tune into middle suburbia, yet it can't afford to turn its back on the issues that concern its more progressive supporters. It will be a tricky balancing act.
Geoff Crisp speaks with Michelle Grattan about the week in politics.
Successful policy accomplishments are rarely considered newsworthy, but there are plenty of cases where government policy has improved our lives for the better.
Escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir border are a stark reminder that the subcontinent is one of the world’s likeliest nuclear flashpoints.
Modi has been given an overwhelming mandate to continue his reform agenda in India, but he faces many challenges in his second term as prime minister.
While polls have been patchy for some years, analysis shows they have been particularly out of whack since Morrison became prime minister.
Labor supporters despairing of the result of Saturday’s election would do well to recall 2004 – it's the closest parallel with what we have just seen.
Queensland has a proud place in Labor history. But the 2019 election shows the federal Labor Party no longer understands the issues that matter to Queensland voters.
New data published by the Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council show that prison sentences for sex offences are getting longer in the state, and will probably continue to increase.
This election showed that Australia is stuck with an increasingly polarised media, a highly concentrated media ownership landscape and no apparent way to do anything about it.
The Tasmanian seats of Bass and Braddon were always going to be key elements of a Coalition victory – and so it proved to be.
Witnessing violent media reporting about women politicians can deter women from entering politics at a time when we should be striving toward gender parity.
The first great power rivalry of the 21st century has begun – and it's unlike any rivalry the world has ever seen.
Australia needs to rein in the ever-increasing role of private money in federal elections with caps on political advertising and donations.
Officially, the number of migrants globally reached 258 million in 2017, increasing by 49% since 2000. But the lack of a clear definition of who is or isn't a migrant complicates the issue.
A tense standoff in the world’s most volatile region is not only dangerous, it could have been avoided by the US adhering to an agreement that was far from perfect, but better than the alternative.
Observers will lament that Saturday's result shows it is impossible for an opposition to win with a robust change agenda. It might, however, be the case that just too much was piled into it.
Especially in Queensland, right-wing populist parties like One Nation and United Australia Party had a significant impact on how seats played out, and especially taking votes from Labor.
The Coalition should not use this unexpected win to allow itself to be complacent and drift. It needs to work out its agenda for the next three years and how it allows internal debate.
We now wait for the final count of seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate - and in the meantime, government continues.
How did the numbers of election 2019 fall across the country? And what seats are still in play?
No present leader touches Hawke for charisma, popularity or communications skills, even leaving aside the larrikin history.
What if Bob Hawke, hailed as a leader who actually 'got' environmental issues, had never been rolled by Paul Keating? Perhaps the climate policy wars would have turned out differently.
How much does your socio-demographic background such as income, type of work and where you were born affect who you vote for? Quite a lot.
GetUp! has notched many political victories since launching in 2005. Now, independents and conservatives are trying to replicate its approach to grassroots political participation.
From doted-on child to Rhodes Scholar, ACTU president and ultimately prime minister, Robert James Lee Hawke had a significant impact on Australian life.
Like Whitlam, Shorten is selling a huge bag of promises (including in those familiar Whitlam areas of health, education, environment and infrastructure - climate change is a central addition).
Leigh Sullivan speaks to Michelle Grattan about the week in politics.
Yes, most jobseekers who receive Newstart payments are also eligible for other benefits. But in many cases this is just a few dollars a fortnight to help with expenses such as electricity bills.
Analysis of tweets from the election campaign reveal two key trends: independents are organising, and embattled Liberal candidates are having to take the fight to their rivals.
Recent polling suggests the race is tightening. Then again, opinion polling suggested the recent Victorian state election would also be a close affair and it turned out to be a Labor landslide.
While the "Christchurch Call" summit has made concrete progress, we need to keep up the pressure on social media companies to become more transparent and accountable.
The SA government is trialling a new program that will provide accommodation and support services to the perpetrators of domestic violence – enabling women and children to remain in the family home.
Despite criticism of running a radical left agenda, new research shows most independents' views are somewhere between the major parties.
New research reveals how News Limited was secretly established in the early 1900s by a mining company for the express purpose of disseminating 'propaganda'.
A land dispute has left a potential peace park at the site in doubt. Here's why a memorial that explains what happened the day of the attacks is important.
What are the key policy issues on which the 2019 federal election will be fought?
Every time North Korea needles the US with another provocation, it makes it harder for Donald Trump to mobilise the domestic support for a return to the negotiating table.
In the research's February round, many participants hadn't heard of Steggall. By last week – unsurprisingly given the rash of publicity – everybody had, although some knew little detail about her.
At best, this 'debate' is a distraction from political action that could truly make a difference. At worst, it actively reproduces some of the conditions it seeks to disrupt.
Last week's attempted removal of a newborn Māori baby from his family highlights the issue that indigenous children are much more likely to be taken into state care, in New Zealand and other countries.
The US has raised its tariffs on Chinese imports, bring the two nations to the brink of a trade war.
The Labor leader's personal popularity is stubbornly low, but this has allowed him to build himself as a team player, and position him well to become Australia's next prime minister.
If someone asked the “real Scott Morrison to please stand up”, two men might rise to their feet. The uncompromising, don't-give-an-inch hard Scott, and a more conciliatory, flexible character.
The timing of the promise appears to be designed to make an impact, without leaving much time to examine details. But with Labor promising to match it the political advantage will presumably be lost.
At some level, democratic societies have had enough of Murdoch and his propaganda operation masquerading as a news service.
Yes, 86% of GP visits were bulk-billed in 2017-18, up from 82% when Labor was in power. But they also rose under Labor, while the percentage for "patients" seems to be lower than the percentage for "visits".
Wentworth remains one of the most interesting individual contests in this campaign.
Some old ALP hands have been recalling this week the appearances of Shorten during the Beaconsfield mining rescue, that brought the then union leader and political aspirant to the nation's attention.
Western Australia is leading a legal shift across Australia that seeks to remove the legal and financial barriers that prevent women from leaving an abusive household.
Few First Nations candidates have succeeded in getting elected to parliament, but it is clear that when they do, they can make a substantial difference.
Deep Saini speaks with Michelle Grattan about the week in politics.
It remains to be seen whether the Liberals' campaign woes in Lyons will have any impact on the neighbouring battleground seats of Bass or Braddon, which recent polls suggest the Liberals could regain.
With the higher quota at a half-Senate election, parties probably need at least 5% of the vote to be in contention for a seat at this election.
No gaffes, no real surprises – the third leaders' debate was a fairly predictable affair, save for the testy conclusion
Research and News
The opposition leader will move to have Setka expelled from the ALP after Setka reportedly told a union meeting that Batty's work had led to men having fewer rights.
In an interview with The Conversation, Frydenberg refused to be drawn on what the government would do if unable to get the whole bill through.
Nominations for the leadership don't close until Monday, but no one else is expected to nominate.
Jim Chalmers, from the right of the Labor party, has been receiving support from those who believe the party needs generational change.
Labor's finance spokesman Jim Chalmers confirmed he is considering standing for leader, which would put him up against leftwinger Anthony Albanese, who is already campaigning hard for the position.
The outcome is completely opposite to the polls, which all had Labor ahead going into the election, albeit narrowly and with some tightening during the campaign.
The death of Bob Hawke at the age of 89 has united politicians across the spectrum, with tributes to his character and contribution to modern Australia.
A furious NSW Nationals organisation has accused supporters of maverick Liberal senator Jim Molan of breaking the Coalition agreement and asked party members to urge people to vote “below the line”.
The election is complicated by the apparent lumpiness of the vote, with seats expected to change hands in both directions.
New Zealand's upcoming budget takes a well-being approach based on a suite of living standard indicators. But will this be different to what conservative governments elsewhere tried a decade ago?
On primary votes, the ALP dropped a point to 36%, while the Coalition was static on 38%, from the last Newspoll a week ago.
After the backlash against the formal Labor-Greens alliance under the Gillard government, Shorten is anxious to keep maximum distance between the ALP and the minor party.
Industrial relations in the 2019 election
Unions and Labor have a long history of working together, but if the ALP wins office, unions will have to compete with many other groups to get what they want.
It ought to be possible to replace Australia's minimum wage with a higher "living wage" without putting people our of work, but more will be needed.
At this election there is a stark choice between the two major parties on industrial relations: the "small target" approach of the Coalition and the ALP's more ambitious and detailed plan.
Overruling the Fair Work Commission will give Labor what it wants, at the cost of diminishing the commission.
With the rising influence of celebrity chefs around the world, do restaurants have responsibilities to promote more ethical forms of eating?
Research and Expert Database
George Pell's conviction has opened a rift in Australian society, with many people questioning the guilty verdict. Pell's lawyer has said he will appeal. On what grounds could he do that?
Australian Catholics are drifting from the church, and research shows sexual abuse scandals are a main reason why.
The US is negotiating a peace agreement with the Taliban, so it can safely withdraw its troops. But how can peace last in Afghanistan if women aren't at the negotiating table?
The Uyghurs are a Muslim minority group living China's Xinjiang region. It is now estimated over one million Uyghurs have been arrested and imprisoned in China's vast network of "re-education" camps.
The US has withdrawn from a major arms control treaty with Russia, and Russia followed suit. So, what was the treaty, and what happens now?
Twenty-five years ago, an Irish nun handed a report to the Catholic Church that detailed sexual abuse against nuns by priests worldwide. It was ignored. But now nuns are finally sharing their stories.
A refugee law expert on a week of ‘reckless’ rhetoric and a new way to process asylum seeker claims.
The Conversation44 MB (download)
Today on Trust Me, I'm An Expert, a refugee legal expert busts myths about how proposed medical transfer rules would work, and described some of this week's border security rhetoric as 'reckless'.
Some targets seem easier to meet than others, while some are just plain unreliable. Here are four things we've learnt from the last decade of Closing the Gap policy.
A barrister may report confidential client communications to police where their client has threatened the safety of another person, but going beyond such discrete instances is ethically fraught.
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- Human trafficking and slavery still happen in Australia. This comic explains how
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- Hong Kong in crisis over relationship with China – and there does not appear to be a good solution
- CFMMEU’s John Setka set to be expelled from ALP after attack on Rosie Batty
- The gender pay gap for the FIFA World Cup is US$370 million. It’s time for equity
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