The citizenship saga: politics at its worst

Editor's note

It may be occupying politicians and journalists to an unhealthy degree, but the view of voters on the ongoing citizenship saga is that it is baffling, a distraction from more important issues and politics at its worst.

As Michelle Grattan writes, these are the views expressed by participants in the University of Canberra’s Queensland election study, in which they express their mystification that the High Court decision has ruled so many politicians invalidly elected, and their belief that the Constitution should be amended to avoid it happening in the future.

And in other news, some remote Indigenous communities have their drinking water restricted to just 77 hours a week during the six-month dry season, but their average water use is still ten times that of urbanites. A three-year research project led by Cara Beal aims to figure out how to cut water use and ease the restrictions.

Amanda Dunn

Section Editor: Politics + Society

Top story

There was much cynicism about Malcolm Turnbull resisting a full audit. James Ross/AAP

Grattan on Friday: Voters just want citizenship crisis fixed – but it isn't that easy

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

The bottom line is that voters want the matter fixed quickly. "We don't want this distraction to stretch for another two months. It's just dumb", declared a Brisbane engineer.

Environment + Energy

Some remote Australian communities have drinking water for only nine hours a day

Cara Beal, Griffith University

Some remote Australian communities have access to drinking water for only nine hours a day but can use ten times the average of urban households.
Negative charge: why is Australia so slow at adopting electric cars?

Graciela Metternicht, UNSW; Danielle Drozdzewski, UNSW

While other countries race into the distance, Australia is still on the starting grid when it comes to electric cars. Why so slow? Because we don't have a proper recharging network.

Education
Why children need to be taught to think critically about Remembrance Day Kim Wilson, Macquarie University Teaching students to recognise and understanding the political, social, and economic factors that influence how we celebrate Remembrance Day would make them more active citizens.

Arts + Culture

Friday essay: Mapplethorpe and me

Annamarie Jagose, University of Sydney

The distinctive visual style of Robert Mapplethorpe’s beautiful, oversized images seems now more classical than shocking. But he can still reveal the subconscious of an era we think we have outgrown.
Kantian comedy: the philosophy of The Good Place

Aleksandr Andreas Wansbrough, University of Sydney

The Good Place is a high concept comedy about what it takes to be a good person. One of the show's charms is the way it draws on real philosophers and philosophical dilemmas.

Business + Economy

Vital Signs: business conditions are peachy, so why aren't businesses investing?

Richard Holden, UNSW

Business conditions aren't translating to confidence, despite growing profits and jobs.
Could we nationalise the superannuation system even if we wanted to?

Suzanne Taylor, Queensland University of Technology

The Australian superannuation system was originally meant to be government-run, and so many necessary protections weren't included.

Cities
Sharing economy sounds caring, but let's put it to the ethical city test Ralph Horne, RMIT University In cities dominated by globalised market forces, how can we achieve social equity and justice? For any sharing economy idea, we need to ask what will it do to fix the big problems confronting us all.

Science + Technology

Those noisy crested pigeons use their unique feathers to sound an alarm

Trevor Murray, Australian National University

Crested pigeons make a rapid trilling sound when they take flight that can be used to warn others of danger. But what is it that makes the sound?
Dinosaurs could have avoided mass extinction if the killer asteroid had landed almost anywhere else

Matthew Wills, University of Bath

The mass extinction of the dinosaurs was down to the location of the asteroid's impact and the kind of rocks it landed on.
The ACCC investigation into the NBN will be useful. But it's too little, too late

Allan Asher, Australian National University

Australia's problems with the national broadband network run deeper than what can be solved through an investigation or more monitoring. Maybe we were just too optimistic.
Australian companies should cultivate local tech workers not play the 457 visa game

David Glance, University of Western Australia

Australian tech firm Atlassian has recently warned that changes to 457 visas threatens to stunt industry growth. But is there more Oz tech firms could be doing to cultivate local talent?

Health + Medicine

Can 'brown fat' really help with weight loss?

Andrew Carey, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute; Bronwyn Kingwell, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute

Cold showers have been recommended to activate brown fat, but they are unlikely to yield any health benefit.
Time for costly medicine monopolies to go from TPP trade talks

Belinda Townsend, Australian National University; Deborah Gleeson, La Trobe University; Hazel Moir, Australian National University; Joel Lexchin, University of Sydney; Ruth Lopert, George Washington University

Negotiators from 11 countries have been racing to resurrect the near-dead Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this weekend.
We made great strides with childhood leukaemia – we can do the same for brain cancer

David Ziegler, Children's Cancer Institute

Leukaemia used to be a death sentence. Now, the survival rate for the most common form in children is 85%. We can apply similar strategies to how we approach childhood brain cancer.

Politics + Society

How the 'Warwick egg incident' of 1917 exemplified an Australian nation divided

Jeff Kildea, UNSW

A little-known incident 100 years ago reminds us that Australia at the time was riven by class, religious and political divisions.
Sharkie told by Turnbull she may have to go to High Court

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Turnbull rang her on Thursday before he left for the APEC meeting in Vietnam. Sharkie had been in the media saying she wanted to meet him about the citizenship crisis.
Politics podcast: swinging into the Sunshine State's election

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

The pundits are reluctant to place bets on who will win Queensland's November 25 election.
Public shaming of workplace harassers may force employers to stop protecting them

Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon

Companies have long tended to protect rather than punish high-profile harassers. That may change as the #MeToo movement inspires more women to speak out.
Princes, power and purges: the Saudi royal family consolidates its rule

Ben Rich, Curtin University

The latest arrests of princes, ministers and military officials in Saudi Arabia might be in the name of anti-corruption but it also serves to bolster the Saudi royal family's power.