Editor's note

Michael McCormack may have held on to the Nationals’ leadership in the recent ballot, but as Michelle Grattan writes, the party still faces a “wicked problem” - one with no obvious solution, and pitfalls in every direction. McCormack’s leadership is wobbly, but switching to Joyce seems too risky, while the path to a compromise candidate such as David Littleproud would be difficult.

Meanwhile, Scott Morrison’s government, in trouble all of its own, is being further damaged by the instability, and Morrison has no sway with the junior Coalition partner to make it more secure.

Amanda Dunn

Section Editor: Politics + Society

Top stories

Lukas Coch/AAP

Grattan on Friday: Morrison can only look on as Nationals ‘wicked problem’ damages his government

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

The Nationals face the "wicked problem" of how to subvert the uncertain fortnight behind them, with the possibility of further leadership spills constantly looming.

Liliana Eira/Unsplash

Friday essay: ‘I am anxious to have my children home’: recovering letters of love written for Noongar children

Elfie Shiosaki, University of Western Australia

The State Records Office holds hundreds of Noongar letters pleading for the return of Stolen Generations children. Among them, I find my grandmother’s grandfather: historical records of love.

Jerome Favre/EPA

There’s no evidence the new coronavirus spreads through the air – but it’s still possible

Ian M. Mackay, The University of Queensland; Katherine Arden, The University of Queensland

There's no evidence the new coronavirus is airborne. It appears to spread by larger droplets, direct contact and contaminated surfaces or objects.

Two adult seahorses living on the seahorse hotels four months after the hotels were deployed.

To save these threatened seahorses, we built them 5-star underwater hotels

David Harasti, Southern Cross University; Michael Simpson, University of Sydney; Rebecca L. Morris, University of Melbourne; Ross Coleman, University of Sydney

White's seahorse in Sydney uses seahorse hotels as temporary residence while their natural habitats recover.

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  • A stamp of approval for legendary sports commentators - but only the male ones

    Michelle O'Shea, Western Sydney University; Chelsea Litchfield, Charles Sturt University; Hazel Maxwell, University of Tasmania

    A new set of postage stamps pays tribute to the male voices of Australian sports commentary - but there have long been female sports broadcasters and their voices are getting louder.

 

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