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A new government is often judged by its first 100 days: long enough for a sense of where it is going, what its priorities are, and how the people it governs are responding. On Friday, Joe Biden crosses that mark, having taken the reins of his country in January after a turbulent four years, to say the least, under Donald Trump.
So what can we make of the new administration so far? Bruce Wolpe points out that the vast experience Biden brings to the job — not the least of which is eight years as vice president to Barack Obama — has shown in the exceptionally smooth, yet also ambitious, start to his presidency. Biden has had notable success on two key issues: first, while the pandemic management was a disaster, the vaccine rollout has been a success; second, his
restoration of the economy is underway. He has also shown a far more unilateral approach to foreign relations, including with China, and has demonstrated a determination to take action on climate change (though how this translates into action remains to be seen).
But while it is a “so far, so good” analysis of his first 100 days, Wolpe says, it is the next 100 days that will be truly telling: whether Biden can get his infrastructure plan through Congress will be a key marker of his presidency. And how Americans in general and the political class in particular respond to him will determine whether he is remembered as a strong president or a weak one.
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Amanda Dunn
Section Editor: Politics + Society
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AAP/AP/zz/Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx
Bruce Wolpe, University of Sydney
With the country's vaccine rollout succeeding where pandemic management failed, and Biden moving boldly on climate and immigration, his presidency is off to a promising start.
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Bidgee (Wikimedia commons)/The Conversation
Michelle Arrow, Macquarie University
Historical artefacts of every facet of Australian life - from government to migration to popular culture - is held by the National Archives. Without an urgent injection of funds, it could all be lost.
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AAP Image/Department of Sustainability and Environment /Tim Arch
Andrew Baker, Queensland University of Technology
One mammal, the long-tailed planigale, can weigh less than a 10-cent coin. But it's ferocious, bringing down far larger prey with persistent, savage biting to the head and neck
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The bulloak jewel (Hypochrysops piceatus)
Michael Braby
Michael F. Braby, Australian National University; Hayley Geyle, Charles Darwin University; Jaana Dielenberg, Charles Darwin University; Phillip John Bell, University of Tasmania; Richard V Glatz; Roger Kitching, Griffith University; Tim R New, La Trobe University
There's still a very good chance of recovery for most of these species, but only with new targeted conservation effort.
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Shutterstock
Peter Hurley, Victoria University
Our current quarantine capacity would take six months to handle the return of 150,000 existing students, but 70,000 new students every six months would also be needed to halt the fall in enrolments.
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Georgi Licovski/EPA/AAP
Archa Fox, The University of Western Australia; Pall Thordarson, UNSW
Skyrocketing demand coupled with shortages of vital components is leading to bottlenecks in the supply chain of Pfizer's and other mRNA vaccines.
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Shutterstock
Pasi Sahlberg, UNSW; Amy Graham, UNSW
In the second phase of the Growing Up Digital study, researchers surveyed nearly 2,500 parents, grandparents and caregivers about children's use of digital media and technologies.
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Business + Economy
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Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Productivity was meant to be growing faster and faster. it's growing slower and slower.
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Arts + Culture
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Amanda Howell, Griffith University
The Mad Max franchise offers a distinctively Australian take on the action genre. And the fifth film, Furiosa, promises to be yet another extravaganza
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Cherine Fahd, University of Technology Sydney
At a time of pandemic, an extraordinary photographic project unfolded between sheets of clear plastic.
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Health + Medicine
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Tom Baker, University of Auckland; Ann E. Bartos, University of Auckland; Caitlin Neuwelt-Kearns, University of Auckland; Octavia Calder-Dawe, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Susan E Wardell
Crowdfunding campaigners appeal to potential donors by describing the recipient as the subject of misfortune, rather than personal irresponsibility, and therefore deserving of the their sympathy.
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Carey Wilson, The University of Melbourne; Thibault Renoir, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
Early reports suggested an apparent increase in OCD relapse rates and symptom severity during the pandemic. But a year on, we're learning this may not be the case.
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Politics + Society
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
All flights from India have been suspended until May 15, to take pressure off the quarantine system especially in Sydney and at the Howard Springs centre in the Northern Territory.
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Mathew Marques, La Trobe University; James (Jim) McLennan, La Trobe University; John Kerr, University of Cambridge; Mathew Ling, Deakin University; Matt Williams, Massey University
At least half of Australians and New Zealanders in a recent study believed in one major conspiracy theory.
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Eddie Clark, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Proposed new hate speech laws would tighten legal definitions but broaden their potential application.
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Science + Technology
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Adam David Hines, The University of Queensland; Bruno van Swinderen, The University of Queensland
Scientists still still don't fully understand how general anaesthesia affects the brain and body. A molecule found in bioluminescent stony coral may shed some light.
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