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Keywords: Melbourne Cup

  • ARTS AND CULTURE

    The Booker Prize and why it matters

    • Gillian Bouras
    • 12 November 2024

    As the Booker Prize winner is announced, the perennial questions resurface: What does winning truly mean for writers — and for readers? As public values shift, literary prizes ignite fierce debate about artistic merit, cultural relevance, and the commercial impact of awards. Can a prize still shape the future of fiction?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    The gates to the secret house of death

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 30 October 2024

      The traditions of All Saints Day and All Souls Day invite a rare reflection on death — a topic largely sidelined in contemporary Australia. Amid global events and various cultural spectacles, these days offer a quiet reminder to consider how we honour the dead and what that reveals about our values.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Betting on lost causes

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 23 October 2024

    In the spirit of Spring Racing, the United Nations promotes its own high-stakes race: World Disarmament Week and United Nations Day. Despite heavy odds and the relentless rise of nuclear threats, these efforts remain crucial for global peace. Can the underdog of diplomacy prevail in the face of overwhelming opposition?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Betting the nation: How Australia became the world's biggest loser

    • Claire Heaney
    • 11 October 2024

    Australia’s gambling culture, once seasonally grounded in the Spring Racing Carnival, has become a year-round obsession. From family sweeps to the rise of betting apps, gambling has become ingrained in the nation's identity, leaving in its wake a growing crisis of addiction, debt, and societal harm.

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    How justified is South Africa's allegation of Israeli genocide?

    • Chris Middleton
    • 24 January 2024
    6 Comments

    South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice claiming genocide has been committed against Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. As the world anticipates a preliminary verdict, we consider key questions.  

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  • AUSTRALIA

    The AI overmind: Can machines capture the human quirk?

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 09 November 2023
    4 Comments

    Can the essence of human frailty—our inconsistencies, our biases, our passions—really be replicated in ones and zeros? And if so, what becomes of the human voice once the machines learn to speak?

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  • INTERNATIONAL

    Being disinterested in Djokovic

    • Binoy Kampmark
    • 20 September 2023
    3 Comments

    Novak Djokovic's on-court triumphs are undeniable, yet off-court controversies spark widespread debate. Navigating the complex interplay of admiration, critique, and understanding becomes essential in grasping the narrative of this unparalleled yet enigmatic champion. Can we disentangle his sporting prowess from off-court controversies?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Father down the road

    • Barry Gittins
    • 31 August 2023
    2 Comments

    Father's Day: a symbolic marker in Australia's calendar, often evoking mixed emotions. From fond memories of childhood to the challenges of modern fatherhood, the journey is both beautiful and complex as the role of fathers continues to evolve.

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  • ARTS AND CULTURE

    Generalist v. specialist

    • Michele Frankeni
    • 04 August 2023
    1 Comment

    In an era where trivia knowledge reigns, what's the value of true expertise? Distinguishing between general knowledge and specialisation, what is the importance of experts in a world where answers are at our fingertips, and what does it mean to truly 'know' something?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Sowing the seeds of resistance

    • Andreana Reale
    • 25 January 2023
    3 Comments

    Threatened with the closure of the local nursing home, leaving elderly residents stranded, locals in Dimboola are selling home-grown produce to raise money to save the facility. And at the same time, they're breathing new life into the local sharing economy. 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Best of 2022: Is the Essendon saga evidence of faith under siege?

    • Chris Middleton
    • 12 January 2023

    It is highly doubtful that the Essendon Football Club appreciated the reaction that would occur when it presented its new CEO, Andrew Thorburn, with the option of giving up his role as a lay leader in the City on a Hill Anglican Church or resigning from his role with the Club. Even if many were uneasy about how the issue was caught up in the culture wars, it caused widespread concerns amongst people of faith.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    The Bolshie Cup

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 08 November 2022

    The Cup is stacked with horses from everywhere but Australia, is designed for celebrities and would-be celebrities to be seen rather than to see, and now restricts the space where the plebeians can ape the dress and the excesses of the privileged. Fortunately, the rain still falls on the rich and the poor alike.

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