Issues
Local news, local stories
The Sydenham Dilemma Creative hubs risk privileging consumption over real creativity and human variety
In political and bureaucratic speak, the term ‘creativity’ has become a precinct development catch-all for everything from grassroots arts to pop-up retail, often ignoring ‘making’ in favour of ‘fun’.
Fear of a Vegan Planet Australia is the third-fastest growing vegan market in the world. Are we approaching a tipping point?
“Anyone who says that life matters less to an animal than it does to us has not held in his hands an animal fighting for its life.” - JM Coetzee
Tale of a Trip Advisor A Letter from Bali
The high-pressure system of TripAdvisor shadowed the resort manager’s days. A dark cloud, it followed him home, sometimes entered his dreams. He lived in terror of a bad review.
A View to Die For Final notice for people who kill trees
Poison allows them to commit their crime – often in the dead of night – quickly and quietly. Usually, the poison is administered via holes drilled into the trunk. Afterwards, it looks as if the tree has been shot.
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb A witness to Nagasaki offers a lesson in survival
It’s been a standing-room only two-hour event at Redfern Community Centre and people are impatiently lurking to speak to the revered 'hibakusha' - the nuclear survivor.
No Longer at Liberty Changing NYC’s statues
Are we creating an eternal city of the spotless mind?
Slave to the Rhythm Private job providers and their tactics of humiliation
It is designed this way to deter people from being on welfare, as it's too hard and they drop out, saving the government money. The job agencies are just Centrelink compliance offices.
Saving the Soul of Kings Cross Developers plan to gut the Bourbon and Beefsteak and much of historic Darlinghurst Road
The terms “village atmosphere” and “boutique lifestyle” are being bandied about to the mirth of residents fearful the development will deliver their opposite.
Blinded by the Type #MeToo, feminist slogans and revolutionary t-shirts
“As it turned out, the future wasn’t the feminist one I’d longed for...“
Dreamed a Dream by the Old ATM A Letter from London
Arguably, the healthiest thing about Bill-the-Homeless’s lifestyle in recent years has been its intense sociability. I made friends with him when he was still begging at the ATM.
Little Big Plan As the door to home ownership creaks shut, innovative alternatives are opening up
New rental-only building developments with community emphases shows there is another way possible in urban planning.
X-Files The sad déjà vu of ABC music library death
News of the ABC cutting 10 librarian jobs and ‘consolidating’ its music library into one location signposts the end for one of the nation’s great collections.