The downfall of now-ex ANU boss Genevieve Bell is just a microcosm of a broader crisis in Australian university governance.

Almost 30 years after Kelly released his Christmas classic, we finally learn what became of his cast of characters – and despite the title, this song is still very much from Joe’s perspective * Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email “She’s the one to save me,” errant protagonist Joe declares of Rita, his longsuffering partner and unpaid therapist, in the prison letter that forms the lyrics of Paul Kelly’s 1996 single How to Make Gravy. The perennial Christmas classic was recently voted the ninth best Australian song of all time. Almost 30 years after he wrote it, Kelly has released a sequel, Rita Wrote a Letter, in which we finally learn what became of Rita while Joe was in jail: she wised up and moved on. Last year, Kelly told Guardian Australia, “I have imagined, from time to time, that the protagonists of To Her Door [1987], Love Never Runs On Time [1994] and How To Make Gravy [1996] could be the same guy but I’m not definite about that.” Regardless of their identity, his knack of portraying the hapless underdog – plagued by bad timing and missed chances – has captured the public’s imagination and his own; Kelly has clearly been unable to resist revisiting Joe. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading...

Exclusive: Stories of murders passed down by Yamatji elders are confirmed by a cipher hidden in the 1850s journals of prominent pastoralist Major Logue. Now descendants on both sides want to break the...

CBS's decision marks a dangerous new stage for the culture at large.

Beaches are littered with fish carcasses and scientists warn they are only ‘the tip of the iceberg’ as underwater habitats deteriorate

Veteran environmentalist David Suzuki believes the time has passed us to stop climate change. He's wrong.

A film to celebrate our love of music.

Join Professor Bronwyn Parry for the launch of Professor Samantha Bennett’s latest book, ‘Gear: Cultures of Audio and Music Technologies’.

Anthony Albanese has delivered steady, gradual reform – but a minority government might force Labor to push through bolder solutions

The messages spruiking political candidates or parties in the election often come out of nowhere and usually don’t include an unsubscribe button * Who is H Fong, the man authorising the Trumpet of Patriots texts? * Polls tracker; Election guide; Interactive seat explorer * Party policies; Micro parties explained; Full election coverage * Get our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcast Another election, another wave of unsolicited political texts. Over this campaign, our digital mailboxes have been stuffed with a slew of political appeals and promises, many from the new party Trumpet of Patriots (backed by Clive Palmer, a veteran of the mass text campaign). The practice isn’t new, and it’s totally legal under current laws. It’s also non-partisan. Campaigns of all stripes have partaken. Behold, the Liberal party’s last-minute SMS to voters about asylum seekers before the 2022 federal election, or Labor’s controversial “Mediscare” text before the 2016 poll. Despite multiple cycles of criticism, these tactics remain a persistent feature of Australian election campaigns. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Continue reading...

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