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Editor's note
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Scott Morrison may have let out a great sigh of relief when Michael McCormack held on to the leadership of the National Party – and the deputy prime ministership – against an assault from Barnaby Joyce yesterday. As Michelle Grattan writes, a Joyce win would have been calamitous for Morrison, whose weakened political position was the reason there was a vacancy in the first place. If he hadn’t had a disastrously bungled summer, he might have toughed out the “sports rorts” affair and Bridget McKenzie might have kept her job – even though she deserved to lose it.
So now, McCormack stays in place, and the ambitious, articulate David Littleproud becomes his deputy – at 43, he has time on his side, and every reason to support his leader and wait his turn. Meanwhile, Morrison would do well to support his Coalition partner to try to quell the disquiet within the Nationals that the Liberals take them for granted. And if the Nationals decide they cannot make it to the next election with McCormack in charge, they would be better opting for Littleproud than Joyce, whose risk on every front is huge.
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Amanda Dunn
Section Editor: Politics + Society
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Top stories
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Lukas Coch/AAP
Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Scott Morrison dodged a bullet when the Nationals clung on to Michael McCormack. There was palpable relief when the news came through to the Liberals. “We still have a Coalition,” one MP was heard to say…
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Wu Hong/EPA
Yun Jiang, Australian National University; Adam Ni, Macquarie University
The Chinese government is accused of reacting too slowly to the health crisis and silencing its critics. Now, the public is angry and wants party leaders to be held accountable.
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There’s even a form of post-traumatic stress disorder linked to repetitive killing: Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress (PITS).
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Tani Khara, University of Technology Sydney
The hazards are both psychological and physical.
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Cameron Murray, University of Sydney
Super is inefficient, costly and directs money where it isn't needed. There's a way out.
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Arts + Culture
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Scott Davie, Australian National University
Audiences know what it's like to listen to Beethoven's iconic works - but to play his creations as a concert pianist is to grab the music with both hands and join the composer in a powerful battle.
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Education
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Rola Ajjawi, Deakin University; Mary Dracup, Deakin University
Between 23% and 52% of education, civil engineering, nursing and commerce students failed a unit of their degree. Those who failed a subject were four times more likely to drop out of their course.
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Joanne Dickson, Edith Cowan University
The way you pursue your goals can be the difference between maintaining happiness or feeling stressed. Try not to overthink it and break big goals up into smaller, more manageable ones.
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Health + Medicine
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Ian Wright, Western Sydney University; Jason Reynolds, Western Sydney University; Katherine Morrison, Western Sydney University; Michelle Ryan, Western Sydney University
If you want to swim in the Yarra River, you can check the water quality to see if it's safe. If you want to swim in the Nepean River, you can't – and that's a problem.
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Nicole Lee, Curtin University; Brigid Clancy, University of Newcastle
Around 30% of people who start FebFast don't make it through the month without alcohol. But you can increase your chances with careful planning and good support.
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Science + Technology
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Jathan Sadowski, Monash University; Anna Carlson, The University of Queensland; Natalie Osborne, Griffith University
'Smart cities', featuring networks of automatic lights, video cameras and environmental sensors, have been hailed as an enhancement to urban life. But they are also tools of surveillance and control.
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Cities
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Tan Yigitcanlar, Queensland University of Technology; Karen Vella, Queensland University of Technology; Kevin Clyde Desouza, Queensland University of Technology; Luke Butler, Queensland University of Technology; Nayomi Kankanamge, Queensland University of Technology
A new report assesses the smart city performance of local government areas representing 85% of Australia's population. NSW leads the way, and all the leading performers are in the major cities.
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Politics + Society
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Mark Kenny, Australian National University
The Greens' new leader has his work cut out to make sure the party is not just viable, but grows.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
If the PM continues to hide behind cabinet confidentiality and precedent, it won't just be his skin that sustains bruises, but that of his right hand bureaucrat.
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Kate Griffiths, Grattan Institute; Danielle Wood, Grattan Institute; Tony Chen, Grattan Institute
The release of political donations data reveals the impact of wealthy individuals in the 2019 federal election campaign, as well as the importance of a sizeable war chest to claim power.
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Yee-Fui Ng, Monash University
A strong ICAC – unlike the body the federal government is proposing – would have had the power to properly and impartially investigate the "sports rorts" affair.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The result will be a deep relief to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who stood to be a big loser if forced to partner with Joyce.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The Greens’ only House of Representatives member, Adam Bandt, is the party’s new leader, elected unanimously after Richard Di Natale’s decision to leave parliament.
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Environment + Energy
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Tim Baxter, University of Melbourne
The benefits of gas-fired power are badly overstated, and will take Australia further in the wrong direction on climate change.
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