Macquarie University is ranked among the top one per cent of universities in the world and enjoys an enviable reputation for research excellence. It’s recognised for the way it uniquely fosters collaboration between students, academics, industry and society – producing graduates who aren’t just highly skilled, but multifaceted global citizens who are among the most sought-after professionals in the world.
Although the introduction of the baby bonus in 2004 was designed to provide financial assistance to families, a clear pro-natalist intent was also apparent. Treasurer Peter Costello’s quip is now famous…
In an Oxford woodland a soap opera plays out with the familiar plotline so loved by daytime television devotees – infidelity and the battle between bold and shy personas. The main twist in this tale is…
Climate change is already harming Australians’ health and poses a significant threat for the future, according to a report released today by the Climate Commission. The Critical Decade: Climate Change…
In his recent speech accepting the Sydney Peace Prize, Chomsky returned to a recurrent theme from his work in political science: that the violence perpetrated by the West is not represented in our media…
Quitting smoking is clearly beneficial but a growing push by the pharmaceutical industry to encourage drugs for the purpose should be strongly resisted. Not only do most smokers successfully quit by other…
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics in the United Kingdom has suggested a scheme to gauge support for the idea of government funding for funerals of people who donate their organs. The recommendation follows…
Imagine a country in which politics is not a struggle among ambitious individuals for power, but the community’s way of resolving conflicts and advancing its common interests. Voters are well-educated…
The passport all Australians carry overseas is not just an entry or exit permit in and out of countries. It represents our nationality and our rights when abroad, as well as the rights and duties the government…
Columnist and commentator Andrew Bolt has lost his racial discrimination case in the Federal Court. The action under the Racial Discrimination Act had been brought by nine Aboriginal people including high…
This week, a committee of six scientists (including Dr Enzo Boschi, formerly president of Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) and one government official, whose role was to advise…
A few weeks ago, my children came home from school to announce they were raising money for World Vision’s 40-hour famine. Naturally, I applauded them and we hopped on the internet to learn about the tragedy…
Why do females cheat on their partners? A new study of songbirds in the US – published today – suggests cheating females are more successful in the long-run and get more grandchildren. Why? Because the…
Before she died in September 2007 of melanoma attributed to solarium tanning sessions, 26-year-old Clare Oliver waged a public campaign from her hospital bed to raise awareness of the risks of using sunbeds…
Long before Elle Macpherson staked her claim to the title, indeed by the end of the 1890s, Australia had inadvertently exported a model to the northern hemisphere that has become internationally famous…
With 87% of the Australian population living in urban areas, Australia is considered a highly urbanised country. Feeding all these people is becoming more fraught, but city buildings could be part of the…
The time has come to abolish university examinations. Just because something has been around a long time there’s no reason to assume it’s outdated. But in the case of exams that assumption would be right…
Welcome to If I had a blank cheque I’d … a new series in which leading researchers reveal what they could do in their discipline if money were no object. Today we hear from Malcolm Walter, professor of…
Food policy experts hoping for tangible outcomes to address an escalating food crisis among developing countries have been disappointed by the outcomes of last week’s first-ever meeting of G20 agriculture…
Infidelity between sexual partners is ubiquitous – almost as prevalent as the tight and long-lasting social bonds that couples form. But thanks to a recent German study of Australian zebra finches, a cheating…
I am fortunate to have recently returned from a holiday in France. While there I couldn’t help noticing the much lower price of many foods. Croissants and brioches retail for around $1.35 (1 euro) or less…