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Opinion

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Opinion
Column 8

Failing to get off scot-free

Kilty as charged.

Latest

The AFL has been rocked by allegations raised by independent MP Andrew Wilkie.
Opinion
AFL 2024

Think AFL drug cover-ups are common? Sorry to disappoint, but they’re not

Aside from the occasional rumour, during my AFL career I was never aware of a player being pulled on match day over a drug test during the week.

  • by Brandon Jack
World renowned naturalist David Attenborough holding a python

There are consequences for taking on more than we can manage

Current research seems to settle on a limit for our population of “less than 30 million”. We are heading for a train wreck at the present rate of growth.

Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson
Editorial
Crime

Alice Springs cannot be allowed to remain in a cycle of despair

The imposition of a two-week youth curfew in Alice Springs following an outbreak of violence has again exposed Australia’s dark heart ruined by the poverty of dispossession.

  • The Herald's View
Lindsay Fox to the rescue. But Armaguard is not out of danger.
Opinion
Cash

The billionaire versus the banks: The fight over the death of cash

Billionaire Lindsay Fox’s ownership of Armaguard makes him the king of cash (of sorts). The trouble is cash is going the way of the dodo.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
While poorly paid apprentices flee the industry, much of the skilled workforce we need is already on the job.

Want to fill the tradie gap? Walk in my labourer’s boots for a day

Almost half of Australia’s undervalued and underpaid apprentices never finish their training, but we have an untapped resource on our worksites to get the jobs done.

  • by Joe Visser
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Bound up in an excess of niceness, LinkedIn’s strength is its weakness.

Hey LinkedIn, I’m beyond thrilled to offer you an exciting opportunity

But you need to harden up, LinkedIn. Loosen that tie and be a little less polite.

  • by Peter Lewis
Dustin Martin has achieved everything there is to achieve in his AFL career.
Opinion
AFL 2024

Don’t argue, Dusty: Why it’s time for Richmond champion to retire

It would be a mistake for Dustin Martin to play on in 2025, and this year should be devoted to a special farewell tour.

  • by Kane Cornes
Clayton Oliver was injured at Melbourne training on Wednesday.

Oliver’s training injury laid bare the issue with AFL’s drug policy

When it is accepted publicly that clubs lie about injuries to cover for players who are taking drugs, or with drugs in their system, pulling out of games casts doubt on players with legitimate injuries or non-drug related personal issues.

  • by Michael Gleeson
The series opens with a spectacular scene set at the height of China’s Cultural Revolution.
Analysis
Streaming

Poison and politics: The bizarre backstory to Netflix’s latest blockbuster

A former executive at the company that owns the rights to Netflix’s latest series 3 Body Problem was sentenced to death by a Shanghai court.

  • by Eryk Bagshaw
Food and drink prices have continued to fall.
Analysis
Inflation

We’ve stopped splurging – but have we finally tamed inflation?

The latest monthly data shows there’s no sign of inflation heating up again, but in a couple of areas there is still little reprieve.

  • by Rachel Clun
Boeing employees and family members cheer the 777X after it landed at Boeing Field in Seattle, completing its first flight on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. (Mike Siegel/The Seattle Times via AP)

Boeing’s turbulence is a threat to the entire aviation industry

The aircraft manufacturer is fighting to ensure its own survival as it grapples with a deepening crisis. That’s not the only thing at stake.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Splendour in the Grass 2023.

Splendour’s cancellation will send shockwaves through Australia’s music industry

A week after tickets went on sale, the Live Nation-backed Splendour in the Grass became the latest music festival to pull the pin. What is going on?

  • by Karl Quinn
Kanye West with Bianca Censori on their infamous boat trip in Venice.

There are many ways to become famous. Bianca Censori has chosen one of the worst

The rampant exhibitionism of rapper Kanye West and his Australian partner is difficult to watch.

  • by Michelle Cazzulino
Huge disparities in population growth have emerged across Sydney as numbers spiral higher in some suburbs but remain well below pre-COVID levels in many others.
Analysis
Population

Which Sydney suburbs are bearing the brunt of the population surge?

Sydney’s population is booming overall, but half the city’s suburbs still have fewer people than before the COVID pandemic.

  • by Matt Wade and Nigel Gladstone
Nathan Cleary will be missing for the Panthers.
Opinion
NRL 2024

Nathan Cleary’s work ethic is without peer – but it might be causing him problems

Cleary has reached the age when playmakers start having trouble with hamstrings and groins. His relentless training schedule might be an issue.

  • by Andrew Johns
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Albo behaves like a celebrity. We need him to be a prime minister

Anthony Albanese got engaged, went to Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and the tennis. Meanwhile, he allows his government to drift on homeownership, cost of living and inequity. Alarm bells should be ringing.

  • by Shaun Carney
Nathan Cleary, Jack de Belin, Luke Brooks and Jamal Fogarty.
Opinion
NRL 2024

Who’s hot, who’s not, who’s shot and who’s rot in the NRL

Just three rounds into the season, it’s already clear that it’s going to be a long year for some NRL clubs.

  • by Peter FitzSimons
There has been a surge in the number of deaths over the past four years, while births are falling. This is Australia’s demographic destiny.
Opinion
Population

Forget sky-high migration, Australia’s got bigger population problems

Much has been made of Australia’s recent migration boom. But the real issue is much bigger and much closer to home.

  • by Shane Wright
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Opinion
Column 8

Tales from the cryptic

Always leave ’em guessing.

Violence in Alice Springs.
Analysis
Crime

What’s happening in Alice Springs?

A spate of recent violence has sparked calls for federal government intervention. Now, the Northern Territory government has declared an emergency, and a two-week curfew has been announced.

  • by Ben Cubby
The author, Clea Jones’ Facebook post to the Dull Women’s Club.

The Dull Women’s Club – the most exciting thing since men thought of it

As the cost of living starts to bite, the Dull trend is wooing men – and now women – in droves.

  • by Clea Jones
  Toyota LandCruiser

Opposition’s nuclear policy must be based on facts

For the good of the country and its own credibility and electability the Coalition needs to base its policy on evidence not exaggeration and misinformation.

Sydney traffic
Editorial
Population

Record immigration drives capital city population differences

Each day Sydney is becoming the new home for 391 people. But is this a good thing?

  • The Herald's View
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to do politics better after his government was elected in 2022.
Analysis
Immigration

Albanese promised a better way. On borders, he’s doing it Howard’s way

This was a humiliation for a government that wants to project a sense of command and control. Facing political pressure on borders, Labor threw good process overboard.

  • by David Crowe
Larry Fink, chairman and chief executive officer of BlackRock Inc.,
Opinion
Ageing

How to fix the ageing crisis? Follow Australia, says world’s most influential investor

BlackRock founder Larry Fink says we focus on helping people live longer lives but not even a fraction of that effort is spent helping people afford those extra years.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
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China is experiencing the fastest expansion of the middle class the world has ever seen.

China’s big gamble could blow up in its face

The implosion of its property sector has forced China into a major pivot to boost its economy. It needs help from the rest of the world for it to work.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz
The school gate ain’t what it used to be.

Education has become Game of Thrones, and we the faithful are cast beyond the wall

We’ve become the Wildlings of education. All we pray for is the opportunity to educate, to freely associate, and to serve where our help is accepted.

  • by Stephen Fogarty
Projects that take years to deliver benefits are out, replaced by quick-response programs tailored to meet ever-changing business demands.
Opinion
WordPlay

A second, minute or hour? What counts as a jiffy

Our language loves colourful terms for time and quantity, but their imprecision presents challenges.

  • by David Astle
Inflation may be cooling off, but the cost of living for many is still high.

Six tips to help manage your cash in a cost of living crisis

Inflation may no longer trending upwards, but cost of living issues are still taking a toll across Australia.

  • by Grace Bacon
Once an affordable housing option for permanent residents of caravan parks, land lease communities have morphed to include luxury resorts with six-star facilities.

Reform could mean major change for residents of lifestyle villages

Greater transparency and certainty is definitely a win for land lease community residents, but it may come with a trade-off.

  • by Rachel Lane
Financial advice can seem like a maze to navigate, and most of the time, you don’t really need it.

Reasons why you probably don’t need a financial adviser

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with financial advisers, but many people aren’t at a stage where a financial adviser would be the best way forward.

  • by Paridhi Jain
If you’re planning to put money aside for your child’s future school fees, there’s one investment option that makes the most sense.

What’s the best way to save for my kid’s private school fees?

If you’re planning to put money aside for your child’s future school fees, there’s one investment option that makes the most sense.

  • by Noel Whittaker
Parents wanting to help their children to get their first home have to be careful how they go about it
Analysis
Divorce

Helping kids into property? Watch out for divorce, parents warned

When providing financial help to adult children, it needs to be made clear what will happen in the event of a relationship breakdown.

  • by John Collett

What a way to start Easter – a plan to smash the nest-egg

One way to limit the budgetary cost of superannuation is to make its sole purpose to allow people to live comfortably in retirement. That’s not what’s going on now.

  • by Ross Gittins
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Opinion
Column 8

Show us your samples

Like a lamb to the hawker.

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The Australian Research Council’s funding model was rehauled last week.
Analysis
Science

A Christmas scandal sent scientists to war. Last week, they won

New legislation passed last week marks the end of a saga kicked off by the axing of six research projects by the Morrison government.

  • by Angus Dalton
Instagram has introduced changes to how users see political content.

Instagram’s latest change could make my generation the most ignorant ever

A new algorithm update means we will have less engagement in some of the most important issues of our time. We should all be seriously worried, and angry.

  • by Daniel Cash
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Labor has made significant progress, despite latest poll

Will Labor really lose any sleep over the Resolve Political Monitor’s latest results?

ABC’s Q and A.

Do planning rules really affect house prices? The answer is clear

There was a fierce slanging match on Q&A when Housing Minister Rose Jackson clashed with Max Chandler-Mather from the Greens. Who was right?

  • by Matt Wade
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Editorial
CCP influence

Double life of China’s man in Suva could help Australia in the Pacific

Beijing’s use of Chinese nationals to further its ambitions in the Pacific has received a setback by the revelation that their man in Suva is mentioned in Australian spy agency documents as having links with organised crime and drug shipments.

  • The Herald's View

Losing Sydney’s heritage is too high a price for a housing fix

Pulling threads in our heritage conservation areas risks unravelling the built history of our city, and it may not solve the housing crisis.

  • by Rita Glennon
Solomon Lew is moving ahead with the spin out of children’s stationary brand Smiggle and PJs brand Peter Alexander.
Opinion
Retail

Spin off and conquer: Solly Lew’s global plan for Smiggle and Peter Alexander

The retail billionaire’s end game appears to go beyond just growing these Australian businesses internationally. Rather, it is a plan to establish each as global brands.

  • by Elizabeth Knight
President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York on Thursday (AEST).

UN vote shows Biden has finally had enough of Netanyahu

Even fierce Israel defender Donald Trump is fed up with the conflict: “You have to finish up your war ... you’re losing a lot of support.”

  • by Matthew Knott
Credit cards, especially if you don’t regularly pay them off, are considered bad debt.
Analysis
Budgeting

Snowball or avalanche? How to pay back those stubborn debts

Changing your habits if you’re a regular borrower can be hard, but there are methods you can use to help slash your debt.

  • by Nina Hendy
Australian Ethical Chief Customer Officer, Maria Loyez , says

More want to invest ethically, but one thing’s holding them back

Many investors say they lack confidence in being able to select truly ethical investments, amid a crackdown on greenwashing.

  • by John Collett
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The West is putting the squeeze on Russia’s economy.

‘Banditry and theft’: The delicate plan to unlock a $350 billion Russian safe

After intense debate, the West has taken a big step towards a move that will upset Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin.

  • by Stephen Bartholomeusz

Smiling but lying – if real estate agents won’t tell the truth, I will

The only thing that’s real about the real estate industry is the apparent dishonesty.

  • by Jenna Price
Slogans are a big deal in Xi Jinping’s China.

China’s economy is in a terrible funk – just how Xi Jinping likes it

Xi is preparing China for war, and for that, he wants to make sure all parts of the economy are geared to respond to centralised control.

  • by Peter Hartcher
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Opinion
Column 8

No scurvy on Norfolk. We’re Sirius!

But beware the bypassed hops handler.