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Editor's note
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In the 18 years since the September 11 attacks, Australia has responded to the threat of terrorism with what one researcher has described as “hyper-legislation”. The numbers are staggering:
• From 2001-07, a new anti-terror law was enacted in Australia on average every 6.7 weeks.
• In total, 82 substantive anti-terrorism laws have been enacted since 2001, with a further six bills either currently before parliament or about to be introduced. This far exceeds the number of anti-terror laws in the UK, Canada and even the United States. (You can see a great visualisation of all 82 laws in the infographic our multimedia editor, Wes Mountain, created to accompany this story.)
As Nicola McGarrity and Jessie Blackbourn point out, Australia was starting from scratch in 2001 – there were no specific anti-terrorism laws at the federal level at that time.
But in the years since, they argue, successive Australian governments have come to prioritise anti-terror laws, even if that means increasing intrusions on our lives and the curtailing of our human rights.
What we need is a change in approach, they say, that recognises terrorism can’t be countered through tough laws alone.
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Justin Bergman
Deputy Editor: Politics + Society
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Top story
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Australia has enacted 20 new anti-terror laws since 2014. Several more bills have been introduced by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and are now before parliament.
James Ross/AAP
Nicola McGarrity, UNSW; Jessie Blackbourn, Durham University
Australia now has one of the most comprehensive ranges of anti-terrorism laws of any Western democracy. It's time to think creatively about solutions, rather than continually reworking old strategies.
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If family members are in a nursing home, it’s difficult to know if they’re getting the care they need. Here are some ways to find out.
Nancy Beijersbergen/from www.shutterstock.com
Lee-Fay Low, University of Sydney
If you've read the headlines about poor standards in Australia's nursing homes, it's only natural to be concerned about your own family or friends in residential aged care.
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About 5.6% of Australian defence veterans could end up homeless.
Flickr/Michael Dawes
Fiona Hilferty, UNSW; Ellie Lawrence-Wood, University of Adelaide; Ilan Katz, UNSW; Miranda Van Hooff, University of Adelaide
Researchers say the new figure should be used to improve services aimed at tackling the homeless problem in Australia's defence veterans.
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Business + Economy
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Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
One of the questions is how much we need in retirement. Another is whether we need 12% compulsory super to get there.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The government has announced very broad terms of reference for its inquiry into Australia’s retirement income system, which will trigger fresh debate about the planned future rises in the superannuation…
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Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Middle earners are set to pay 18.8% of their income in tax instead of 14.9% under the projections that show 10 years of surplus budgets.
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Science + Technology
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Bridget Harris, Queensland University of Technology
The Rape-aXe 'female condom', anti-rape underwear and an anti-groping stamp are all now on the market. But they put the onus on women to protect themselves, rather than on men not to attack them.
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Danny C Price, Swinburne University of Technology
The Universe is mind-bogglingly large and with the latest technology, the search is only just starting to heat up.
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Arts + Culture
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Ben Eltham, Monash University
A new report by the cultural think tank A New Approach establishes some useful baselines for Australia’s cultural debate.
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David Caldwell, University of South Australia; John Walsh, University of Adelaide
The AFL Grand Final is more than a physical contest between professional athletes: it is a day we collectively make meaning, and create culture.
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Education
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Ly Tran, Deakin University; George Tan, University of Adelaide; Mark Rahimi, Deakin University
A recent study on the impacts of the 485 visa (which lets international students work temporarily in Australia after graduating) found it attracts many students here. But the outcomes are mixed.
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Environment + Energy
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Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo, University of Sydney
From 3D printing using plastic waste to growing cherry trees in the Himalayas, young people are not sitting idle while the world burns.
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Leonie Monks, Murdoch University; Alanna Chant; Andrew Crawford
Despite the optimistic name, the showy everlasting only has three wild populations in Australia. But a West Australian public school has stepped up to help grow vital new seeds.
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Dale Dominey-Howes, University of Sydney
A devastating quake and tsunami in the Pacific Ocean prompted a new kind of post-disaster research. Ten years on, we need these lessons to prepare for a precarious future.
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Health + Medicine
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Janet Davies, Queensland University of Technology; Connie Katelaris, South Western Sydney Local Health District; Danielle Medek, Australian National University
If you get hay fever, minimising your exposure to grass pollen is likely to be useful. Fortunately, it's becoming easier to keep track of the pollen count. But what do you do when it's high?
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Politics + Society
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini and Michelle Grattan discuss the big stories in politics this week.
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Toby Carroll, City University of Hong Kong
The most likely explanation for the unrest lies not in Beijing’s influence over the city, but rather the nature of Hong Kong government and society itself.
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Featured jobs
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University of Technology Sydney — Sydney, New South Wales
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University of Western Australia — Perth, Western Australia
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Curtin University — Perth, Western Australia
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University of Melbourne — Parkville, Victoria
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Featured events
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UNSW CBD Level 6, 1 O'Connell Street,, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia — UNSW
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State Library Victoria, Village Roadshow Theatrette, Entry 3, 179 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia — La Trobe University
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Roundhouse, UNSW Sydney, ANZAC Ave, Kensington, New South Wales, 2052, Australia — UNSW
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SSB Lecture Theatre 200, Social Sciences Building, Science Road, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, 2006, Australia — University of Sydney
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