The Loaded Dog

Does local government matter?

The day after ratepayers in NSW went to the polls to elect new councils, we ask: does local government matter?

Peter FitzSimons

Take some notes on humbling honesty

Peter FitzSimons There were a thousand stories in the naked metropolis last week. This is one of them ...

Doug Hall

We've had enough monumental lies

Doug Hall Among the carry-on of adversarial politics, the arts supposedly enjoys bipartisan support. But it is no longer central to national consciousness shaping.

Gerard Henderson

Condemnation by long memory tends to stretch matters

Gerard Henderson Ronald Reagan is reputed to have once said, in a private conversation, that some of his clearest memories were of events that never took place.

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Susan Ryan

Life goes on, and it's time we prepared for living into our 90s

Susan Ryan A recent report from the Australian Institute of Actuaries suggested it was plausible that the life expectancy of young people living today could exceed 120 years.

David Hensher

Corridors the key to unlocking congestion

David Hensher The commentary on the O'Farrell government's transport master plan has focused almost exclusively on a lack of timelines for action and any detail on where the money is coming from to pay for the...

Jayne Josem

Remembering 9/11 horror: a balancing act

Jayne Josem New York's twin towers memorial has been fraught with difficulty.

'All we want is to fish within the rules'

Gerry Geen The federal government's decision to legislate to give it power to selectively stop the Abel Tasman from fishing is a reaction to the controversy and anxiety stirred up by environmentalists.

Peter Craven

The city of my imagination is a living thing of many hues

Peter Craven Melbourne harbours a thousand worlds, whether we visit or not.

Michael Ahrens

Corruption stance gets well-earned pat on back

Michael Ahrens As the leading worldwide anti-corruption body, Transparency International named Australia as one of its most improved enforcers in our annual progress report on the enforcement of the OECD...

Michael Ahrens

The fight against bribery and corruption is far from won

Michael Ahrens Our Parliament needs to take firm action to ensure Australian businesses are held to higher standards.

Ranald Macdonald and David Gill

The price of development at any cost is just too high

Ranald Macdonald and David Gill Planning changes promoted by the Baillieu government for Victoria are the recipe for an unmitigated disaster for urban and city dwellers alike.

Lenore Taylor

Political tweeters may troll too close to home

Lenore Taylor Suddenly, politicians of all persuasions have begun worrying that we need to ''do something'' about ''trolls'' and the misuse of social media.

Suzy Freeman-Greene

House husbands still a TV fantasy

Suzy Freeman-Greene Imagine four male leads changing nappies or filling lunchboxes on the blokiest of TV stations, Channel Nine.

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Mary Crooks

Suffering a sad lack of respect

Mary Crooks Discord is created by a clashing of harsh sounds. Our reflex action is to shut our ears.

Mary Crooks

Democracy in distress

Mary Crooks Discord is created by a clashing of harsh sounds. Jarring and unpleasant, it jangles the nerves. Our reflex action is to shut our ears.

Andrew Darby

Fish wars on the high seas

Andrew Darby When Michael Egan quit his job as New South Wales' longest-serving Treasurer in 2005, he declared a retiring ambition to learn to fish.

Peter Hartcher

Puff for magic dragon ignores China's fragility

Peter Hartcher Australia is entering something of a China frenzy. The federal government is preparing to launch its Asian century white paper.

Gerard Henderson

Multiculturalism still has a long road to travel to reach all

Gerard Henderson There was much intimidation and considerable violence to and from the Muslim demonstration outside the United States consulate in Sydney on Saturday.

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