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
Welcome to Country, Farewell to Australia
I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which I drink my coffee and write today. I would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present.
I understand that this kind of mawkish acknowledgement of country “is a demonstration of respect for the traditional custodians of the land on which a meeting or event is being held. It is recognition of the continuing relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Country.”
It’s become ubiquitous and extremely tiresome. It’s cant, pure and simple. I have a citizenship certificate issued in 1972 which says that this is my country. I know many people who were born in Australia and it is certainly their country. Many Diggers died protecting this country. It is most definitely theirs and their descendants’ country. We share it jointly and severally in national fellowship. I appreciate being welcomed into someone’s home or place of business as a visitor guest or…
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
