Latest Articles
Used as cudgels in divorce actions, domestic violence orders all too often reward perjurers and ruin innocent lives
Sep 19 2024
36 mins
The vice-presidential candidate, like many former critics, came to accept Trump was ahead of the curve on economic nationalism
Sep 18 2024
17 mins
The punditocracy won't admit that, when it comes to Trump's sharp tongue, he's a novice compared to, say, Paul Keating
Sep 18 2024
4 mins
Why I Walked Out on Shorten
Closing the Gap and reconciliation are important objectives requiring commitment, focus and above all else bipartisanship. Liberal and Labor leaders are at the heart of driving progress towards improved indigenous health, education, and jobs outcomes.Those objectives are not helped when leaders choose blame over bipartisanship. This is because indigenous disadvantage is a strategic challenge beyond political cycles.
On days like today, it was entirely inappropriate for Bill Shorten to include a party-political attack in his speech on Closing the Gap. His comments about government budget cuts demonstrates an appalling lack of judgement and leadership.
If the long-standing challenge of Indigenous disadvantage could be solved with more money, that would have happened years ago.
We have seen an 80% increase in real funding during the last decade under both Labor and Liberal governments, directed at a multiplicity of programs. Yet not enough Indigenous kids are attending school, and too many Indigenous people remain on welfare, not work. So closing the gap is is not just about money, and Bill Shorten’s comments are nothing but political point-scoring on a day where the emphasis should have been quite different.
To paraphrase Prime Minister Abbott’s speech: ‘We are not here today for political advantage, but as human beings.’
Mr Shorten should think again about what leadership means — and then demonstrate he understands that on issues like Aboriginal reconciliation and closing the gap.
Andrew Nikolic represents the seat of Bass in Tasmania
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
