National affairs
11 August 2014
The free speech debate has been marked by selectivity and score-settling, writes Graeme Orr
National affairs
24 July 2014
The Coalition’s new security legislation shows that it hasn’t learnt the lessons of twelve years of terrorism law-making, write Jessie Blackbourn and Nicola McGarrity
National affairs
18 July 2014
Yes, John Howard’s scheme did reduce gun deaths
Essays & reportage
26 June 2014
Babies born in detention are taking the federal government to court. Meanwhile, being locked up is making their parents dangerously ill, writes Peter Mares
Books & arts
6 June 2014
Emily Crawford reviews Glenn Greenwald’s account of the Snowden affair
National affairs
3 April 2014
The federal government’s plan to abolish the permanent security oversight body is based on a flawed reading of its role, argue Jessie Blackbourn and Nicola McGarrity
Essays & reportage
11 March 2014
The number of people imprisoned in the United States has fallen every year for the past three years, yet the land of the free still has a far higher incarceration rate than any…
Essays & reportage
25 February 2014
It’s five years since Canberra’s innovative Alexander Maconochie Centre admitted its first group of prisoners. Peter Mares visited to see if the facility is…
Essays & reportage
4 December 2013
Armed with an ambitious political and legal agenda, the new attorney-general faces a testing time, write Shipra Chordia and Andrew Lynch
National affairs
18 November 2013
Angela Daly examines the leaked chapter of the treaty’s recent draft
Essays & reportage
14 October 2013
A murder trial in Alice Springs held up a mirror to the town’s dealings with issues of race, writes Kieran Finnane, and the inter-racial dynamics turned out to be…
Essays & reportage
14 October 2013
Unlike Australia, the European Union buckled on plain packaging in the face of fierce lobbying, writes James Panichi. Still not satisfied, the tobacco industry sought to…
National affairs
1 August 2013
Over one hundred people died in the waters between Indonesia and Christmas Island on 21 June 2012 after repeated calls for help. This week’s coroner’s report calls…
National affairs
30 July 2013
Would Australia’s new whistleblower laws protect Edward Snowden, asks Gabrielle Appleby
International
15 July 2013
Popular unease about US surveillance of German citizens could pose a problem for Angela Merkel as national elections loom, writes Klaus Neumann
National affairs
26 June 2013
The referendum campaign is likely to leave voters confused, bored or both, write Jackie Hartley and Paul Kildea. But there are better ways to communicate the cases for and against
Books & arts
11 June 2013
Juries are confused, but Australian courts don’t seem interested in understanding why
6 June 2013
The East African country needs to take hold of its own future, the celebrated Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina tells Clar Ni Chonghaile. And he is deeply ambivalent…
National affairs
30 May 2013
By failing to consult adequately about its referendum on local government, the government has increased the likelihood it will fail, argues Gabrielle Appleby
National affairs
23 May 2013
Two new reports spell out pragmatic and overdue reforms to Australia’s anti-terrorism laws. But does the political will exist to act, ask Jessie Blackbourn and…
National affairs
21 March 2013
Are Australian gamblers getting value for money, asks Darryl Woodford
International
14 March 2013
A treaty alone won’t make significant inroads into the global arms trade, writes Stephanie Koorey
National affairs
31 January 2013
Antigua has taken a high-stakes roll of the dice, write Ramon Lobato and Darryl Woodford
Essays & reportage
6 December 2012
Jock Given looks back on 2012, the year the reality gap seemed to widen
International
6 December 2012
The Leveson report's case for more rigorous press accountability was immediately undercut by David Cameron, but despite the cheers from the tabloids, the prime minister has backed…
National affairs
9 November 2012
Constitutional reform has stalled, writes Paul Kildea. But that provides the opportunity to rethink how we go about achieving change
National affairs
28 October 2012
There are plenty of ways we can leave our money, but Australians remain remarkably conservative when they prepare their wills
Essays & reportage
12 September 2012
Ralph Johnstone meets the people at the sharp end of the complex challenges facing young refugees from Africa
National affairs
5 September 2012
Savitri Taylor takes a close look at the asylum seeker agreements between Australia and Nauru and PNG
National affairs
20 August 2012
The federal government has taken the risky punt that bad policies can achieve good results, argues Savitri Taylor in this analysis of the report of the expert panel on…