“…[S]ince 2019, we’ve been experiencing our share of setbacks and challenges…the sustained and devastating bushfire season of 2019-2020; the floods that engulfed entire towns; and the COVID-19 pandemic…punctuated by lockdowns, mask wearing, physical distancing, home-schooling, working remotely and all the other changes to our lives that increased the risk of social isolation”, says leading social psychologist and bestselling author, Hugh Mackay, in his latest book, The Way We Are: lessons from a lifetime of listening. … Read more.
Category: Writing Page 1 of 3
Content about writing & features
The sun may be up and the skies blue, but “murder is in the air” at Coopers Chase Retirement Village where a coterie of residents lend their help to police in solving crimes, the main protagonists being former intelligence officer with MI5, Elizabeth; one-time nurse, Joyce; former union official, Ron, and occasionally still-practising psychiatrist, Ibrahim. … Read more.
Canberra’s National Press Club was abuzz recently with the announcement of the winner of the 2023 Australian Political Book of the Year. The judging panel of the ABC’s chief political correspondent, and author, Laura Tingle; Australian political journalist, and radio and television host, presenter and commentator for the ABC, Barrie Cassidy; and ANU Political Science Emeritus Professor, John Warhurst, considered that Niki Savva’s Bulldozed: Scott Morrison’s fall and Anthony Albanese’s rise met the required criteria for the award. … Read more.
In a talk entitled AUKUS – AN Expensive Folly? at Manning Clark House (11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest) on Sunday, 29 October at 3-5pm, the head of the International and Security Affairs program at the Australia Institute, Allan Behm, will discuss AUKUS. The discussion will centre on whether nuclear submarines and increased defence spending will deliver increased national security as well as considerations of Australia’s cultural and historical experiences that have shaped Australia’s security thinking. … Read more.
The 2023 Manning Clark lecture is to be delivered by Craig Foster co-Chair (with renowned Olympian, Nova Peris) of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM), at 6pm on 2 May at Manning Clark Hall, Kambri Cultural Precinct, ANU. As one of Australia’s most respected sportspeople and broadcaster, social justice advocate and human rights campaigner, in Australia’s Third Act: Reconciled, Independent, Truly Multicultural, Craig will focus on the meaning of contemporary Australian identity, social and cultural changes since the 20th century, lessons from the 1999 Referendum and advances in historical understanding leading to a powerful national movement of truth-telling and reconciliation. … Read more.
This year’s Dymphna Clark Lecture “The Politics of Civility” will be presented by The Guardian’s political reporter and blogger, Amy Remeikis. The author of the bestselling book, On Reckoning, and a regular contributor on The Drum, Insiders, The Project, and various ABC Radio National programs, in this presentation, Amy will discuss who “gets a seat at the table”, “has the power to speak”, gets their views heard and has the power to deem who can be included. … Read more.
Edited by academics, Andrew Dodd and Matthew Ricketson both of whom have also worked in the media, Upheaval: Disrupted Lives in Journalism, is the result of 260 interviews with 57 journalists who, with the exception of one, were made redundant from various Australian media outlets in 2012-2016. Produced with technical support from the National Library of Australia (NLA), the book details people’s shock at going from many years of the hurly burly of journalism to the ranks of the unemployed, and, how fewer numbers and changed dynamics also changed Australia’s media landscape. … Read more.
In Daring to Fly, the ABC-TV’s News Breakfast co-host, Lisa Millar tells of her very happy childhood in the small Queensland rural town of Kilkivan and her experiences in journalism, including 10 years as the ABC’s overseas correspondent in Washington and later, London. From her start in journalism with The Gympie Times, newspapers in Brisbane and Townsville and ABC-TV’s parliament house bureau in Canberra, Lisa became familiar with covering confronting stories, work which was to take a toll on her emotional health. … Read more.
In her beautifully-written, thoughtful book, Phosphorescence, renowned author and journalist, Dr Julia Baird, describes her love for ocean swimming, the magic properties of water, and her quest for lightness. She notes that prayer, meditation, and taking advantage of life’s simple pleasures, have helped her through some very dark days of illness and other difficulties. … Read more.
Acclaimed Actor, comedian and writer, Kitty Flanagan, lays down some ground rules in her very amusing 488 Rules for Life, inspired by Jordan Peterson’s bestseller 12 Rules for Life. Kitty has taken her brief further – she has 12 rules for the bathroom alone. Her wise thoughts are those with which many of us agree, and include tips for the home, office, celebrations, food, dating, language, lifestyle, parenting, sport, technology and travel. … Read more.