menu_open Columnists

The Conversation
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Could making tobacco cheaper actually cut down smoking rates? We asked 5 experts

Critics of the tobacco excise argue the tax has stopped working to further reduce smoking rates and should be lowered.

latest 20

The Conversation

Becky Freeman

Australia’s 2035 climate target is coming. Here’s how we’ll know if it’s good enough


A few key questions can help us judge if the federal government’s 2035 targets will flop or fly.

latest 10

The Conversation

Steve Hatfield-Dodds

A pretty face helped make Robert Redford a star. Talent and dedication kept him one

Good looks, a magical smile and natural charm all became synonymous with Robert Redford, who has died aged 89.

latest 10

The Conversation

Daryl Sparkes

Our new study found AI is wreaking havoc on uni assessments. Here’s how we should respond

New research argues the problem of AI and assessment is way more difficult than media debates have been making out.

latest 10

The Conversation

Thomas Corbin

Pacific leaders reach agreement on big issues – but unity remains elusive

Last week’s Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting showed why true integration remains challenging while island nations are at different stages of...

latest 9

The Conversation

Sione Tekiteki

Tiny crystals in Earth’s crust have captured the movement of the Milky Way’s spiral arms

The findings suggest Earth’s geological story was partly written in the stars – specifically, in the spiral arms of our home galaxy.

latest 3

The Conversation

Chris Kirkland

The ‘anxiety economy’ is booming. But should companies be profiting from our fears?

We are living in a world where our unease, vigilance, and even our guilt is being used for corporate profit.

latest 2

The Conversation

Paul Harrison

Top sports teams are bought and sold for billions worldwide. The risky trend is coming to Australia

Cricket Australia is the latest major Australian sport to ponder private equity investment. What are the pros and cons?

latest 2

The Conversation

Matt Nichol

A brief history of Bella Ciao, the anti-fascist Italian song cited in the Charlie Kirk shooting

Bella Ciao is a traditional Italian folk song known for its association with the anti-fascist resistance in Italy during the second world war.

latest 3

The Conversation

Justin Mallia

We studied over 160,000 pregnancies to show how your postcode affects you and your baby

New research shows fast-food outlets and with few healthy food options was strongly linked to indicators of poorer health for both mother and baby.

latest 1

The Conversation

Melvin Barrientos Marzan

Albanese leaves PNG with major defence treaty still a work in progress

Albanese put the best face on the situation after his plan to sign a major defence treaty with Papua New Guinea while in Port Moresby fell through.

latest 0

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tony Wood on ‘politics trumping climate policy’ and the hard road ahead

The energy expert says Australia’s only on track to cut its emissions by around 50% by 2035 – ‘so we’re going to have to step up the pace’...

latest 0

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Thinking of getting botox or filler? These are the laws for cosmetic injectables

New guidelines for minor cosmetic procedures have just kicked it, but laws remain inconsistent across Australia. This may not be such a bad thing.

latest 0

The Conversation

Christopher Rudge

A big, convulsive twitch while dozing off? Sleep experts explain the ‘hypnic jerk’

As we transition from wakefulness to sleep, the nervous system winds down and muscles relax. Sometimes, the brain misinterprets what’s happening.

latest 3

The Conversation

Yaqoot Fatima

1% of people don’t have sex. New research shows it may be partly genetic

A study of more than 400,000 people found 1% had never had sex – which was linked to a range of genetic, environmental and other factors.

latest 2

The Conversation

Brendan Zietsch

‘To my happy surprise, it grew beyond my imagination’: Robert Redford’s Sundance legacy

Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival provided support for independent filmmakers and transformed Hollywood in the process.

latest 1

The Conversation

Jenny Cooney

A ‘thoroughly white’ novel of national mythmaking: Peter Carey’s True History of the Kelly Gang at 25

Written in Kelly’s vernacular, this Booker Prize- winning novel is a masterclass in mimicry. But in exploring injustice, there are telling erasures.

latest 10

The Conversation

Maggie Nolan

Since WWII, it’s been taboo to force nations to cede land after war. Russia wants to normalise conquest again

Territorial concessions used to be common after wars. The formation of the UN after WWII was meant to put an end to this.

latest 10

The Conversation

Jon Richardson

Trump accuses ABC journalist of ‘hurting Australia’ and says he’ll report him to Albanese

The stoush comes as the prime minister prepares for his long-sought meeting with the president.

latest 7

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Viral violent videos on social media are skewing young people’s sense of the world

Social media is awash with videos of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, highlighting the failures of platforms to protect users.

latest 10

The Conversation

Samuel Cornell

Battle for the bush? Ignore the noise – most farmers like renewables

Getting to net zero relies on the bush. Rapid change can create tensions – but media framing and vested interests have inflamed the situation.

latest 10

The Conversation

Elianor Gerrard

From batteries to EV chargers, Australia and NZ need these 3 fixes to hit net-zero at less cost

From batteries to EV chargers, Australia and NZ need these 3 fixes to hit net-zero at less cost

New figures show Australians bought a record 85,000 home batteries in the first half of 2025. That’s almost three times more than the year before,...

latest 8

The Conversation

Flavio Menezes

Power struggle: why fixing NZ’s ‘broken’ electricity market is such a formidable challenge

Power struggle: why fixing NZ’s ‘broken’ electricity market is such a formidable challenge

The growing view that New Zealand’s energy market is “broken” has brought with it a stream of suggestions for piecemeal changes that nibble at the...

latest 10

The Conversation

Geoff Bertram

Housing stress takes a toll on mental health. Here’s what we can do about it

Housing stress takes a toll on mental health. Here’s what we can do about it

Australia’s housing crunch is no longer just an economic issue. Research clearly shows people who face housing insecurity are more likely to...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Ehsan Noroozinejad

AI companies want copyright exemptions – for NZ creatives, the market is their best protection

AI companies want copyright exemptions – for NZ creatives, the market is their best protection

Right now in the United States, there are dozens of pending lawsuits involving copyright claims against artificial intelligence (AI) platforms. The...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Graeme Austin

Volcanoes can help us untangle the evolution of humans – here’s how

Volcanoes can help us untangle the evolution of humans – here’s how

How did humans become human? Understanding when, where and in what environmental conditions our early ancestors lived is central to solving the...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Saini Samim

Tom Phillips’ children will carry complex trauma from their abduction – expert care will be crucial

Tom Phillips’ children will carry complex trauma from their abduction – expert care will be crucial

Public interest in the wellbeing of Tom Phillips’ children is understandably high. After almost four years in isolation – away from family, social...

yesterday 20

The Conversation

Kirsty Ross

Trading goods, not feelings: an academic goes on 100 dates to find a rich spouse

Trading goods, not feelings: an academic goes on 100 dates to find a rich spouse

“The night I was awarded my doctorate, I had sex with a stranger on the beach.” So opens Mariam Rahmani’s debut novel, Liquid – a provocative and...

yesterday 9

The Conversation

Astrid Edwards

Understanding the grisly group dynamics of people who hide bodies after a murder

Understanding the grisly group dynamics of people who hide bodies after a murder

Homicide cases where the victim’s remains are hidden are particularly harmful to the victim’s families and the community. For investigators, these...

yesterday 7

The Conversation

Nathan Ryan

12,000-year -old smoked mummies reveal world’s earliest evidence of human mummification

12,000-year -old smoked mummies reveal world’s earliest evidence of human mummification

Smoke-drying mummification of human remains was practised by hunter-gatherers across southern China, southeast Asia and beyond as far back as...

yesterday 9

The Conversation

Hsiao-Chun Hung

‘Bitch’ has a 1,000-year history. Its use has always been about power

‘Bitch’ has a 1,000-year history. Its use has always been about power

A few years ago, I was called a “bitch” in a workplace meeting simply for speaking up. The word stung, not just as a personal insult, but as part...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Karen Stollznow

View from The Hill: Hastie refuses to accept that politics, like military service, requires some discipline

View from The Hill: Hastie refuses to accept that politics, like military service, requires some discipline

Only a few months into her leadership, Sussan Ley is facing an extraordinary insurgency from Liberal frontbenchers. Last week she had to sack...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Opposition leader Sussan Ley commits to more targeted welfare, saying it shouldn’t go to high income households

Opposition leader Sussan Ley commits to more targeted welfare, saying it shouldn’t go to high income households

Opposition leader Sussan Ley says welfare should be targeted “to those who truly need it”, and people should be helped “off welfare and into self-...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Australia needs more workers. These are the policy changes that would help get them

Australia needs more workers. These are the policy changes that would help get them

Despite the fear of Artificial Intelligence (AI) taking our jobs, we actually don’t have enough workers. The Baby Boomer generation is retiring and...

yesterday 4

The Conversation

Aruna Sathanapally

Details on how Australia’s social media ban for under-16s will work are finally becoming clear

Details on how Australia’s social media ban for under-16s will work are finally becoming clear

The Australian government today released regulatory guidance on the social media minimum age law, which comes into effect on December 10. The law...

yesterday 2

The Conversation

Lisa M. Given

New climate report warns property prices face a $611 billion hit. What does that mean?

New climate report warns property prices face a $611 billion hit. What does that mean?

Climate risks are hitting where Australians feel it most: at home. One of the headline-grabbing figures in a new climate risk assessment was that...

yesterday 2

The Conversation

Ehsan Noroozinejad

Death Cap Murders portrays Erin Patterson as a woman who craved community – and would ‘stop at nothing’

Death Cap Murders portrays Erin Patterson as a woman who craved community – and would ‘stop at nothing’

Last week, Erin Patterson was sentenced to life in prison, with a non-parole period of 33 years, for three counts of murder and one of attempted...

yesterday 2

The Conversation

Kate Cantrell

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect had ties to gaming culture and the ‘dark internet’. Here’s how they radicalise

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect had ties to gaming culture and the ‘dark internet’. Here’s how they radicalise

Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old Utah man suspected of having fatally shot right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, is reportedly not cooperating with...

yesterday 4

The Conversation

Matthew Sharpe

Can Charlie Kirk really be considered a ‘martyr’? A Christianity historian explains

Can Charlie Kirk really be considered a ‘martyr’? A Christianity historian explains

Charlie Kirk: white nationalist, conservative Christian, right-wing social media personality, shooting victim, and now, a “martyr”. That is,...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Jonathan L. Zecher

Older Australians collect an average of 31 PBS scripts a year – new research

Older Australians collect an average of 31 PBS scripts a year – new research

Australians are living longer than ever before. While this is broadly good news, ageing well comes with a range of challenges. As people grow...

yesterday 5

The Conversation

Hui Wen Quek

Eradicating mould would save millions in health-care costs: how our homes affect our health

Eradicating mould would save millions in health-care costs: how our homes affect our health

Housing is a key determinant of physical health. Housing conditions can increase or reduce the risk of problems including respiratory illness,...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Rebecca Bentley

50 years without coups or dictators: how PNG built a durable democracy based on dignity and fairness

50 years without coups or dictators: how PNG built a durable democracy based on dignity and fairness

On April 20 1972, 100 newly elected parliamentarians gathered in Port Moresby for the opening of the Third House of Assembly, Papua New Guinea’s...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Brad Underhill

Around 900,000 Kiwis experience food insecurity: it’s a quiet crisis that needs urgent attention

Around 900,000 Kiwis experience food insecurity: it’s a quiet crisis that needs urgent attention

Most New Zealanders are feeling the effects of a seemingly relentless rise in the cost of living – at the supermarket, the petrol pump and in their...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Dennis Wesselbaum

6 ways to talk to your teens about sex without the cringe

6 ways to talk to your teens about sex without the cringe

Parents play an important role in teaching their children about sex and relationships. But our new report shows many parents – fathers in...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Jennifer Power

Despite improvements to early education, more children are starting school developmentally behind. What’s going on?

Despite improvements to early education, more children are starting school developmentally behind. What’s going on?

So far, 2025 has been a horror year for early education and care. Much of the recent media and political coverage about childcare has focused on...

previous day 1

The Conversation

Sally Larsen

Coalition’s primary vote hits record low in Newspoll, while One Nation support surges

Coalition’s primary vote hits record low in Newspoll, while One Nation support surges

The Coalition’s primary vote has plunged to its lowest level in Newspoll’s history, while support for One Nation has reached the double digits in...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Adrian Beaumont

There’s a new outbreak of Ebola in Africa. Here’s what you need to know

There’s a new outbreak of Ebola in Africa. Here’s what you need to know

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has declared a new Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province. It’s caused by the most severe strain: Zaire Ebola...

previous day 10

The Conversation

C Raina Macintyre

NZ First wants a compulsory KiwiSaver. Boosting the Super Fund is a better bet

NZ First wants a compulsory KiwiSaver. Boosting the Super Fund is a better bet

An ageing population not saving fast enough for its retirement has been called a “timebomb” and a looming crisis, with many New Zealanders facing...

previous day 9

The Conversation

Michael P. Cameron

Politicians are pushing AI as a quick fix to Australia’s housing crisis. They’re risking another Robodebt

Politicians are pushing AI as a quick fix to Australia’s housing crisis. They’re risking another Robodebt

“This is a game changer”. That’s how Paul Scully, New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, described the state government’s...

previous day 1

The Conversation

Ehsan Nabavi

When the kids of teen mums go to school, both mum and child can cop stigma

When the kids of teen mums go to school, both mum and child can cop stigma

When teenage girls fall pregnant, many report facing stigma from teachers and peers at their own school. What’s less well known, however, is that...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Jemma Hamley