'Newbie' leaders are yet to make their mark with voters
May 18, 2016 08:00 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
This is the first Federal election campaign in which the leaders of all three major parties, Turnbull, Shorten and Di Natalie, have fought a national campaign as leaders, so this will be the first opportunity for most of...

Election explainer: what are the rules governing political advertising?
May 18, 2016 07:55 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics Law Business
Negative and positive advertisements were quick to hit the airwaves in the early days of the election campaign. With many more weeks to come, one might be tricked into thinking the major parties cant keep going at this...
A bit of numeracy can take the heat out of the asylum debate
May 18, 2016 07:45 am UTC| Insights & Views
Fear of innumerate and illiterate asylum seekers arriving in Australia is immigration minister Peter Duttons latest broadside in the ongoing to-and-fro over asylum seeker policy. Unfortunately for the asylum debate,...

New report on GE crops avoids simple answers -- and that's the point, study members say
May 18, 2016 00:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature
Editors note: In a new report, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine have provided a broad review of available information on genetically engineered (GE) crops and their impacts on the environment and...
Money, Capitalism and the Slow Death of Social Democracy
May 17, 2016 16:54 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
The following thoughts on money, markets, capitalism and the future of democratic politics were prepared for the Come Clean public forum, to be held in the New South Wales Parliament on June 2nd 2016. Sponsored by the John...
Legal aid cuts prevent the police from being held accountable for their actions
May 17, 2016 16:40 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law
Who holds the police to account for their actions? Is it just institutions, such as the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the elected police and crime commissioners, and the forces disciplinary procedures?...
Greeks rally to help as EU-Turkey deal leaves migrants locked up in limbo
May 17, 2016 16:38 pm UTC| Insights & Views
Recent riots between groups of unaccompanied minors and police at the detention centre of Moria on the island of Lesbos are a stark reminder of the dire situation faced by more than 50,000 refugees from Syria, Afghanistan...