By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania
Logan Linkston, Graduate Researcher, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania
For each Australian federal election, there are two different ways you get to vote.
Whether you vote early, by post or on polling day on May 3, each eligible voter will be given two ballot papers: one for the House of Representatives (the “lower house”) and one for the Senate (the “upper house”). Each of these two ballots uses a slightly different system, so it’s worth understanding how your numbered boxes translate into real results.
Knowing how preferences work is key to making your vote count, before you get to enjoy your hard-earned democracy sausage.
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By Human Rights Watch
Asylum seekers embrace upon arriving in Panama City, Panama on March 8, 2025. They had just been released from an immigration reception station in the Darién region of Panama after being expelled from the US. © 2025 AP Photo/Matias Delacroix The United States carried out mass expulsions of 299 third-country nationals to Panama, subjecting them to harsh detention conditions and mistreatment, while also denying due process and the right to seek asylum.Many of these people had fled persecution due to ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, family ties, and political views.The United…
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Protestors hold signs as they march towards the White House during a Free Kilmar Abrego and a nationwide "Hands Off!" protest against US President Donald Trump's policies and executive actions, in Washington, DC, April 19, 2025. © 2025 RICHARD PIERRIN/AFP via Getty Images (Washington, DC, April 24, 2025) – The Trump administration’s first 100 days in office have been a relentless barrage of actions that violate, threaten, or undermine the human rights of people in the United States and abroad, Human Rights Watch said today. To illustrate the breadth and depth…
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By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University
Stephen Harrington, Associate Professor of Journalism and Professional Communication, School of Communication, Queensland University of Technology
Memes are the currency of the election campaign online. Here’s a report card on the Labor, Liberal and Greens efforts, from the good to the tone-deaf.
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By Natalie Peng, Lecturer in Accounting, The University of Queensland
For Australians approaching retirement, recent market volatility may feel like more than just a bump in the road.
Unlike younger investors, who have time on their side, retirees don’t have the luxury of waiting out downturns. A sharp dip just before, or as you begin drawing down your superannuation, can leave lasting damage.
It’s not just about watching your super balance dip.
The real danger comes if you need to start withdrawing funds during a slump. Doing so can lock in losses and make it harder for your remaining savings to recover. The timing of poor market…
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By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Fellow, Naval Studies at UNSW Canberra, and Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University
Nuclear submarines will allow Australia to project maritime power far from our shores. This is critical for an island nation heavily dependent on trade by sea.
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By Richard Meade, Adjunct Associate Professor, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University
With ongoing cost of living pressures, the Australian and New Zealand supermarket sectors are attracting renewed political attention on both sides of the Tasman.
Allegations of price gouging have become a political issue in the Australian federal election. At the same time, the New Zealand government has announced that “all options” are on the table…
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By Erika K. Smith, Associate Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University
Ingrid Matthews, Lecturer, Faculty of Law and Justice, UNSW Sydney
This article contains mention of racist terms in historical context.
Every Anzac Day, Australians are presented with narratives that re-inscribe particular versions of our national story.
One such narrative persistently claims “fuzzy wuzzy angel” was used as an “affectionate” name for local stretcher-bearers of sick and wounded Australian soldiers during the New Guinea campaign of 1942…
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By Lawrence Bamblett, Senior Lecturer, Australian Centre for Indigenous History, Australian National University
The Land Rights Act was a step toward Indigenous self-determination. Communities took back the right to manage and protect their own cultural heritage.
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By Wayne Peake, Adjunct research fellow, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University
The story goes that the late billionaire Australian media magnate Kerry Packer once visited a Las Vegas casino, where a Texan was bragging about his ranch and how many millions it was worth.
Packer produced a coin from his pocket and said: “I’ll toss you for it: my cash against your ranch”.
The Texan declined.
This story may or may not be true. But it is consistent with the old maxim that…
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