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Pearls and Irritations

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Australia risks weakening itself by overcorrecting on China

Australia risks weakening itself by overcorrecting on China
latest 1

Pearls and Irritations

James Laurenceson

The unpromised land down under

The unpromised land down under
yesterday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Duncan Graham

The gig economy promises freedom. The reality is different

The gig economy promises freedom. The reality is different
yesterday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Adrian Rosenfeldt

Multiculturalism should shape Australia’s foreign policy

yesterday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Jocelyn Chey

Virtue, not values, defines who we are

Virtue, not values, defines who we are
yesterday 10

Pearls and Irritations

George Browning

Open letter to the Prime Minister – Call for withdrawal of diplomatic relations with Israel

yesterday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Australians For Humanity

Wran showed how Labor can win and govern

Wran showed how Labor can win and govern
yesterday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Laurie Patton

Fossil fuel myths are slowing the energy transition

previous day 10

Pearls and Irritations

Mark Diesendorf

Time for Premier Minns to “move on” his anti-protest laws

Time for Premier Minns to “move on” his anti-protest laws
previous day 7

Pearls and Irritations

Shaoquett Moselmane

It’s time to tax gas exports in the national interest

It’s time to tax gas exports in the national interest
previous day 10

Pearls and Irritations

Michael Keating

Australia can’t have self-reliant defence and nuclear submarines

Australia can’t have self-reliant defence and nuclear submarines
previous day 10

Pearls and Irritations

Mike Gilligan

Major parties must adapt or be left behind

Major parties must adapt or be left behind
previous day 10

Pearls and Irritations

Crispin Hull

Recapturing the decency dimension of Australian foreign policy

Recapturing the decency dimension of Australian foreign policy
previous day 10

Pearls and Irritations

Gareth Evans

Nuclear disaster threat posed by war in sharp relief 40 years after Chernobyl

Nuclear disaster threat posed by war in sharp relief 40 years after Chernobyl
previous day 10

Pearls and Irritations

Brad Reed

UQP has cancelled a children’s book, citing antisemitism

UQP has cancelled a children’s book, citing antisemitism
monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Dennis Altman

Australia's foreign policy needs renovation, not demolition

Australia's foreign policy needs renovation, not demolition
monday 6

Pearls and Irritations

Peter Varghese

PM urged to act as court clears path for Duggan extradition

PM urged to act as court clears path for Duggan extradition
monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Paul Gregoire

We could have had fuel security by now. Let’s not make the same mistake twice

We could have had fuel security by now. Let’s not make the same mistake twice
monday 2

Pearls and Irritations

Tim Storer

The NDIS reform is a real test of Labor’s courage

The NDIS reform is a real test of Labor’s courage
monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Jack Waterford

ANZAC Day: remembering the past, facing the present

ANZAC Day: remembering the past, facing the present

ANZAC Day honours service and sacrifice, but its deeper meaning lies in recognising the human cost of war and the responsibility to learn from it. The...

monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Meg Schwarz

Australia and Japan need a new compact for comprehensive security

Australia and Japan need a new compact for comprehensive security
monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Shiro Armstrong

Israel’s war obsession

Israel’s war obsession

Israel’s escalating wars reflect a long-standing strategy of military dominance, but recent conflicts are exposing its limits and internal...

monday 7

Pearls and Irritations

Ramzy Baroud

We may be making Australia’s fire problem worse – not better

We may be making Australia’s fire problem worse – not better

Research shows that logging, thinning and prescribed burning can increase forest flammability, challenging long-held assumptions about bushfire risk...

monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

David Lindenmayer

Any sane foreign policy would put climate risks, not China, at centre stage

Any sane foreign policy would put climate risks, not China, at centre stage

Australia’s defence and foreign policy settings are focused on geopolitical rivalry, while far greater systemic risks – especially climate...

monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

David Spratt

We can’t know if Donald Trump has dementia. Even if he did, it wouldn’t excuse his actions

We can’t know if Donald Trump has dementia. Even if he did, it wouldn’t excuse his actions

Claims about dementia may seem explanatory, but diagnosing from a distance is flawed – and risks stigma, misinformation and misplaced...

monday 8

Pearls and Irritations

Joyce Siette

Climate policy must work for everyday Australians

Climate policy must work for everyday Australians

In a new book out today, Thom Woodroofe argues that climate and energy policy must connect with everyday economic pressures if it is to build lasting...

monday 9

Pearls and Irritations

Thom Woodroofe

Australian media’s ‘China threat’ narrative is a never-ending story

Australian media’s ‘China threat’ narrative is a never-ending story

Australia’s framing of China as a security threat remains deeply embedded – and is being reshaped to fit new geopolitical developments. The...

monday 10

Pearls and Irritations

Wanning Sun

America owes itself and that is the problem

America owes itself and that is the problem

The US debt debate often focuses on foreign creditors, but the real issue lies within America’s own political and economic system. The standard...

monday 8

Pearls and Irritations

Stewart Sweeney

Remembering David Malouf – a writer of wisdom, grace and generosity

Remembering David Malouf – a writer of wisdom, grace and generosity

David George Joseph Malouf AO, one of Australia’s most accomplished, internationally renowned and beloved writers, has died aged 92. Malouf’s...

26.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Brigid Rooney

Environment: Australia’s expanding urban fringes at high risk of catastrophic bushfires

Environment: Australia’s expanding urban fringes at high risk of catastrophic bushfires

Urban fire risk, failing carbon markets, rising energy demand and accelerating polar change highlight the growing scale and complexity of...

26.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Peter Sainsbury

Virtues, not values: Angus Taylor's poorly-designed public policy

Virtues, not values: Angus Taylor's poorly-designed public policy

Debates over migration policy risk confusing personal values with the shared civic virtues that underpin citizenship in a liberal democracy. Leader of...

26.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

John uhr

Geography doesn’t change, but minds can

Geography doesn’t change, but minds can

In the latest in our Foreign Policy Rethink series, Mark Beeson takes a look at Australia’s long-standing alignment with the United States and...

26.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Mark Beeson

The Trump–pope clash echoes a centuries-old struggle

The Trump–pope clash echoes a centuries-old struggle

Conflicts between political leaders and religious authority have shaped Western history for centuries – and continue to define debates over power...

26.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Joëlle rollo-koster

NDIS and the moment Labor blinked

NDIS and the moment Labor blinked
24.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Stewart Sweeney

Is Trump actually helping? Message from the Editor

Is Trump actually helping? Message from the Editor
24.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Catriona Jackson

The polls keep bouncing. The destination doesn’t change

The polls keep bouncing. The destination doesn’t change
24.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Kos Samaras

Japan’s arms sales, fatal law, and the K-pop community – Asian Media Report

Japan’s arms sales, fatal law, and the K-pop community – Asian Media Report
24.04.2026 20

Pearls and Irritations

David Armstrong

The return of great power relations: limits to middle power diplomacy – Part 4

The return of great power relations: limits to middle power diplomacy – Part 4
24.04.2026 20

Pearls and Irritations

Geoff Raby

The Anzac story is bigger than we remember

The Anzac story is bigger than we remember
24.04.2026 8

Pearls and Irritations

Mainul Haque

Bill the Bastard – An ANZAC legend

Bill the Bastard – An ANZAC legend
24.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Greg Latemore

Turning waste into wealth

Turning waste into wealth
23.04.2026 20

Pearls and Irritations

Julian Cribb

Fuel security needs a rethink – and rail is part of it

Fuel security needs a rethink – and rail is part of it
23.04.2026 3

Pearls and Irritations

Philip Laird

The Iran War is driving a global fertiliser shock

The Iran War is driving a global fertiliser shock
23.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Brad Reed

The real budget problem is what we call “spending”

The real budget problem is what we call “spending”
23.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Crispin Hull

Australia has a teacher shortage – and an untapped workforce

Australia has a teacher shortage – and an untapped workforce
23.04.2026 5

Pearls and Irritations

Sun yee yip

The return of great power relations: Xi Jinping’s global dream – Part 3

The return of great power relations: Xi Jinping’s global dream – Part 3
23.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Geoff Raby

Anzac Day: remembering the perils of imperial subservience

Anzac Day: remembering the perils of imperial subservience
23.04.2026 8

Pearls and Irritations

Douglas Newton

Lovin’ democracy? You’re probably doing all right, then

Lovin’ democracy? You’re probably doing all right, then
22.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Ross Gittins

The forgotten war Australia would rather not remember

The forgotten war Australia would rather not remember
22.04.2026 10

Pearls and Irritations

Paddy Gourley

Poorly designed campaign finance laws weaken our democracy

Poorly designed campaign finance laws weaken our democracy
22.04.2026 7

Pearls and Irritations

Simon Holmes À Court