Latest Articles
We are encouraged to rely more and more on government officials to do for us what we could equally well do for ourselves—and, maybe more importantly, not to do what might help us solve our own problems.
Sep 08 2024
10 mins
If we imagine a metric called the Pinocchio Scale, which measures the number of lies told by a politician as a percentage of his or her overall public statements, our current prime minister (for want of a better description), Airbus Albo, has moved well into uncharted territory.
Sep 06 2024
5 mins
Veronika Winkels: ‘The Magnolia Tree’
The Magnolia Tree
They felled the beautiful magnolia tree
When they extended the home.
Why couldn’t they leave the garden be?
That tree was replaced by a garage, see?
At least two camellias went as well,
But worse, they felled the magnolia tree.
Why not build “up”, why outwardly?
(If they had to extend at all,)
But why couldn’t they leave the garden be?
Did the apple and the orange make their plea,
And the hills hoist—all destroyed,
When they felled the magnolia tree?
My son—he’s five— he then was three,
Recalls and is sad by what he sees;
Oh why couldn’t they leave the garden be?
Had we not rented but owned that home
Before their renovations moved us on,
I would have left the garden be.
It wasn’t right to fell the magnolia tree.
Veronika Winkels
Madam: Archbishop Fisher (July-August 2024) does not resist the attacks on his church by the political, social or scientific atheists and those who insist on not being told what to do.
Aug 29 2024
6 mins
To claim Aborigines have the world's oldest continuous culture is to misunderstand the meaning of culture, which continuously changes over time and location. For a culture not to change over time would be a reproach and certainly not a cause for celebration, for it would indicate that there had been no capacity to adapt. Clearly this has not been the case
Aug 20 2024
23 mins
A friend and longtime supporter of Quadrant, Clive James sent us a poem in 2010, which we published in our December issue. Like the Taronga Park Aquarium he recalls in its 'mocked-up sandstone cave' it's not to be forgotten
Aug 16 2024
2 mins
