Getting Murdoched
A fascinating study of the Murdoch media’s bullying tactics Rupert Murdoch is almost certainly the most globally influential Australian. That Australia has one of the most concentrated media markets in the world is, sadly, a reflection of his influence, even though he has relinquished citizenship to become a dominant media […]
Yesteryear: is this viral novel’s time travelling tradwife really ‘perfect at being alive’?
Cottonbro/Pexels Rachel Williamson, Lecturer in English, University of Canterbury The film rights for Caro Claire Burke’s buzzy debut novel were sold to Amazon MGM Studios before publication. Adaptation plans are well underway, with Anne Hathaway, cited in the acknowledgements as “instrumental in bringing Natalie to life”, set to star and produce. […]
The Ruiners
by Ellena Savage A dazzling, subversive debut novel by the acclaimed author of blueberries about love, lust, legacy and the last days of civilisation as we know it. ‘Is there any hope for us? is not a question we can answer, and this book does it brilliantly.’ Lauren Olyer, author of No Judgement What […]
The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home
by Wil Haygood Award-winning author and journalist Wil Haygood explores how the Vietnam War became a mirror for the struggle of Black Americans—fighting for freedom abroad while demanding equality at home—and a powerful lens through which to understand the racial and political divides that continue to shape American life. Drawing […]
Policy by trial and error: how Silicon Valley culture has infiltrated governments
Fleur Johns, Dean and Head of School, University of Sydney Law School, University of Sydney United States foreign policymaking under the second Trump administration is frequently described as erratic and incoherent. We’ve seen the launch of trade wars and actual wars, all without consulting allies first. This administration advances foreign […]
Review:The Meaning of Your Life
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength, an account of how the modern world makes meaning so hard to find—and a plan to discover your life’s deepest purpose. If you struggle to discern life’s meaning, you’re not alone. Millions today describe a growing sense […]
Nations will release an extra 400 million barrels of oil to the market. All we need to do now is not panic at the pump
Tony Wood, Senior Fellow in Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute Despite being one of the world’s top exporters of fossil fuels (coal and gas), Australia has little left of its own oil. Neither does New Zealand. Both Australia and New Zealand sit at the end of a long supply […]
Canada’s Mark Carney to visit India, Japan and Australia to expand trade partners
Stewart Prest, Lecturer, Political Science, University of British Columbia Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is having a moment. Accordingly, on his visit to India, Japan and Australia, Carney is looking to find partners for his vision. He’s seeking opportunities to improve relations, expand trade and cooperate on issues of Pacific […]
The Elements of Power
A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth By Nicholas Niarchos The Elements of Power tells the story of the war for the global supply of battery metals—essential for the decarbonisation of our economies—and the terrible, bloody human cost of this badly misunderstood industry Congo is […]
A major overhaul of NZ’s local government is underway – will it really fix what’s broken?
Phil Walter/Getty Images Guy C. Charlton, Associate Professor, University of New England With a general election looming, the largest shake-up of New Zealand’s local government system in three decades sits on the table. New Zealanders are being invited to have their say on the draft policy proposal, Simplifying Local Government, which would fundamentally reshape how […]
David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest at 30
Julian Murphet, Jury Professor of English and Language and Literature, Adelaide University Thirty years ago, living in Cambridge, England, I wandered into Heffers Bookshop and picked up a monstrous new novel on the display table. It had a title out of Hamlet, a Simpsons-sky dustjacket, hundreds of endnotes, and ran […]
Hypocrisy and folly: why Australia’s subservience to Trump’s America is past its use-by date
(Left)Mark Beeson, Adjunct professor, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney. Turbulence: Australian Foreign Policy in the Trump Era – Clinton Fernandes (Melbourne University Publishing) Clinton Fernandes has established himself as one of the most original and insightful analysts of Australian security policy. An early career with the Australian Army […]
Getting Murdoched
A fascinating study of the Murdoch media’s bullying tactics Rupert Murdoch is almost certainly the most globally influential Australian. That Australia has one of the most concentrated media markets in the world is, sadly, a reflection of his influence, even though he has relinquished citizenship to become a dominant media figure in the United States. There are already a number of books about him, including biographies by journalists Michael Wolff and William Shawcross. The bitter family dispute, played out in the courts three years ago, about who would control Murdoch’s media companies after his death, could have been scripted by the writers of the successful television series Succession. Andrew Dodd and Matthew Ricketson have not written another biography of Murdoch, but rather a forensic account of how the Murdoch empire bullies, intimidates and destroys individual citizens and governments. Both writers, now professors of journalism, have worked across the media, including for Murdoch’s local flagship, The Australian. Getting Murdoch straddles the three countries where the Murdoch empire is a major player: Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. There are some differences in these three operations, often because of the different rules under which the media operates, but a consistent pattern emerges of a ruthless drive for stories that feed Murdoch’s political aims and prejudices. A quick glance through the index reveals the extent of Murdoch’s victims, from Prince Harry and Hugh Grant to a range of people who were unknown until the Murdoch press targeted them. Only in Britain has Murdoch experienced significant restriction, following revelations about the phone hacking engaged in by News of the World, which led to the closure of the paper and embarrassing appearances by Murdoch and his son James before a parliamentary committee. Because there are some significant differences between the story in the three countries, the book […]