Eureka Street

Keywords: Tension

AUSTRALIA

Falling, flying and the weight of the world
- Barry Gittins
- 18 December 2024
As airports swell with holiday travellers chasing far-flung reunions and tropical getaways, a paradox looms above the tarmac: while we demand action on climate change, few are ready to ground themselves. Flight represents humanity’s defiance of limits — an act of freedom, wonder, and consequence. Can we balance soaring ambitions with planetary survival?
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ARTS AND CULTURE

Sanmao and the priest
- Margaret Simons
- 13 December 2024
High in Taiwan’s mountains, Jesuit priest Barry Martinson found a soulmate in celebrated author Sanmao, who inspired millions with her writing. Their relationship—neither romantic nor conventional—was a profound meeting of kindred spirits, rooted in shared curiosity, literary love, and the sacrificial essence of friendship.
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ARTS AND CULTURE

Evangelicals, exiles, and other tall tales
- Ken Haley
- 12 December 2024
Lech Blaine’s Australian Gospel is a quintessentially Australian tale of faith, family, and identity. Blaine explores the fractures of belief and belonging in an effervescent and vivid work of creative nonfiction. But where does the ‘non-’ stop and the ‘fiction’ begin?
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AUSTRALIA

The horror of synagogue burning
- Andrew Hamilton
- 12 December 2024
The firebombing of Melbourne's Adass Israel Synagogue is a profound tragedy, reflecting the weight of historical hatred and contemporary tensions. Amid global grief and anger, this act of antisemitism compels us to reflect on the shared humanity of all people and the urgent need for peace, understanding, and ethical leadership.
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AUSTRALIA

Inviting in and locking out
- Andrew Hamilton
- 25 November 2024
4 Comments
Social Inclusion Week invites reflection on our shared humanity amidst deep divides. From childhood cliques to culture wars, the tension between inclusion and exclusion is a paradox rooted in belonging. Can we overcome fear and forge connections across difference, or will anxiety keep us apart? The answer shapes our society’s future.
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EDUCATION

Degrees of discontent
- Erica Cervini
- 14 November 2024
4 Comments
At an ACU graduation event, students walked out in protest as Joe de Bruyn gave an address condemning abortion, single-parent IVF, and same-sex marriage. The event highlights tensions for Catholic institutions trying to balance traditional Catholic values while also embracing often opposing perspectives a diverse, pluralistic society.
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AUSTRALIA

A house divided: In conversation with Alan Kohler
- David Halliday
- 08 November 2024
As house prices soar, half the nation finds itself locked out of the property market. In conversation with Eureka Street, Alan Kohler untangles the web of tax incentives, population pressures, and government policies fueling the housing crisis to discover why, despite public outcry, solutions remain frustratingly out of reach.
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AUSTRALIA

Demonic youths and sacred children
- Binoy Kampmark
- 31 October 2024
3 Comments
Two narratives dominate Australia’s view of children. The first casts them as dangerous, irredeemable offenders. The second, as vulnerable innocents threatened by risks online. Both anxieties reveal deep-seated tensions over safety, innocence, and societal responsibility.
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AUSTRALIA

The gates to the secret house of death
- Andrew Hamilton
- 30 October 2024
2 Comments
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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RELIGION

Pope Francis and the politics of Catholic conscience
- John Warhurst
- 02 October 2024
4 Comments
During a recent interview on his Papal plane coming back from Singapore Francis made some pointed remarks in response to a veiled question from an American journalist about the US Presidential election contest between the Democrat Kamala Harris and the Republican Donald Trump. He chose to describe the choice as between the ‘lesser of two evils’ because Harris is pro-abortion rights and Trump is anti-immigration.
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ARTS AND CULTURE

Wasting time with poetry
- Andrew Hamilton
- 15 August 2024
4 Comments
In a world driven by profit and speed, poetry stands as a quiet rebellion. It honours and explores what is distinctive about human beings – communication through words. And if we dismiss as a waste of time the slower rhythms involved in the writing and reading of poetry, we are likely to discover how time spent unreflectively wastes us.
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ECONOMICS

Surge in protectionism creates new era of global trade
- David James
- 06 August 2024
1 Comment
In a world increasingly divided by geopolitical tensions, a new wave of protectionism is reshaping global trade. As nations turn inward, once-dominant economic models are being dismantled and new strategies are emerging. Is Australia prepared?
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Keywords: Tension