|
Late last night, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange had a win in the UK High Court: he can now appeal his extradition order to the United States.
Legal efforts to keep Assange from being sent to the US, where he potentially faces a 175-year jail term for publishing sensitive government documents, have been some of the most protracted in recent memory. Just getting complete permission to appeal took three highly publicised hearings.
As Holly Cullen explains, one of the key grounds for appeal is freedom of expression. And that’s what makes yesterday’s decision, and the appeal that will now follow, legally groundbreaking. Never before has a UK court, nor the European Court of Human Rights, decided whether a potential violation of freedom of expression can stop someone from being extradited.
While the decision will please Assange’s team and his many supporters, the extradition threat still looms. If the appeal, which is likely to be held later this year, is unsuccessful, he could still find himself in the US.
Meanwhile, closer to home, international students have found themselves accused by both sides of politics of putting undue pressure on the housing market. But is this fair? And will political plans to curtail international student numbers really help Australia fix its problem with housing availability and affordability?
University of South Australia researchers Hannah Soong and Guanglun Michael Mu have been studying international students in their state. They found that at least a quarter of SA students live in the Adelaide CBD, many in university accommodation, while others are scattered sparsely through the remaining suburbs, meaning it’s hard to see how they can be skewing the market all that much.
Soong and Mu found that like many Australian renters, international students are finding it expensive, difficult and stressful to secure a place to live. “This suggests they are experiencing the problems of Australia’s housing crisis. But it does not indicate they are causing it.”
Analysing breaking news and using research to evaluate political ideas are two of the things our expert authors do best. Your donations are crucial in helping us publish this valuable journalism. If you have already given to our donations campaign, many thanks. If you would like to donate, you can add your contribution here.
|
|
Erin Cooper-Douglas
Deputy Politics + Society Editor
|
|
Holly Cullen, The University of Western Australia
The WikiLeaks founder has been granted leave to appeal the order to extradite him to the US. What happens now?
|
Hannah Soong, University of South Australia; Guanglun Michael Mu, University of South Australia
International students have come under fire for their supposed impact on Australian housing. Our research shows they are finding it stressful and difficult to secure accommodation.
|
Catherine Jane Archer, Edith Cowan University
A sexualised gaze can fall on any image of a child online, no matter how innocently it was shared. But there is room for parents, policymakers and platforms to do more to protect children online.
|
Eric Lob, Florida International University
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced a five day period of mourning following the discovery of wreckage on hillside.
|
Nicole George, The University of Queensland
The plight of Australians trapped in New Caledonia should focus the government’s attention on France’s failures in the territory.
|
Ben White, Queensland University of Technology; Casey Haining, Queensland University of Technology; Lindy Willmott, Queensland University of Technology; Rachel Feeney, Queensland University of Technology
The NT government has invited views on access to voluntary assisted dying. But whether it should include access for those with dementia is not so clear cut.
|
Samantha Marsh, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Janine Paynter, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Peter McIntyre, University of Otago; Rajneeta Saraf, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Influenza accounts for more than half of all potentially vaccine-preventable hospitalisations of children under 14. But those living in poverty are three times more likely to require hospital care.
|
Alexis Anja Kallio, Griffith University
Music can provide incarcerated youth with opportunities to build confidence, engage with learning, develop social skills, and and redefine themselves from young offenders to young artists.
|
Theo Evans, The University of Western Australia; Qian Tang, Harvard University
Using DNA sequencing, the origins of one of the world’s most common insects, the German cockroach, have been traced back to Asia. Learning more about this urban pest can help us fight it effectively.
|
Jake Renzella, UNSW Sydney; Vlada Rozova, The University of Melbourne
Is most of the content on the internet fake? Here’s what the dead internet theory really means – and why we should be warier of how we’re manipulated for profit and political gain.
|
Michael Allen Fox, University of New England
The concept of fate endures across cultures and religions around the world, inspiring pundits, philosophers and conspiracy theorists.
|
Eloise Stevens, The Conversation
Psychologist Deborah Wells explains why dogs are so cute - and yours in particular – on The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast.
|
Politics + Society
|
-
Joshua McLeod, Deakin University; Hunter Fujak, Deakin University
Several sports leaders from across the globe have recently sought to extend or eliminate term limits. Why should we care, and how long is too long for sport administrators?
-
Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne
Labor had a 52-48% edge over the Coalition in the latest Newspoll, while Albanese’s net approval jumped six points.
|
|
Health + Medicine
|
-
Megan Prictor, The University of Melbourne
We don’t know much about the nature of this large-scale ransomware attack. But it’s not entirely surprising – health data is a prime target for cybercrime.
-
Lauren Ball, The University of Queensland; Emily Burch, Southern Cross University
Here are some cheaper, healthy alternatives to olive oil.
|
|
Environment + Energy
|
-
David Lindenmayer, Australian National University; Chris Taylor, Australian National University; Kita Ashman, Australian National University
Native forest logging was meant to be over in Victoria. Why are the chainsaws still going?
|
|
Books + Ideas
|
-
John Hawkins, University of Canberra
Stuart Kells’ latest book on the finance industry is the story of two key characters, both bright Australian expats in America.
|
|
Business + Economy
|
-
Mark Crosby, Monash University
Both should work hand in hand to ensure the best outcomes for the economy as a whole. But they operate quite differently.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
The Conversation AU
Melbourne VIC, Australia
•
Full Time
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
| |
Featured Events, Courses & Podcasts
|
View all
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
