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The Monthly | Australian politics, society & culture

The September issue

Friday, August 25, 2023

CPAC mentality

The US-style conservative conference was a reminder that the Voice referendum is being used as a Trumpian Trojan Horse

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PREFERENCE CENTER

A new limited series Edition 4

Could we cut carbon emissions as quickly as we saved the ozone layer?

Australians who helped lead the way in phasing out CFCs reveal how to repeat their success to solve the climate crisis

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PREFERENCE CENTER

Essays  Right arrow

Climate Change

The summer ahead

The climate disasters unfolding in the northern hemisphere are a sign of what’s in store here, as governments fail to act on the unfolding emergency

The summer ahead
Demographics and the Voice

Politics

Demographics and the Voice

What past referendums tell us about the Voice to Parliament’s chances, and the political risk of the Coalition’s opposition

Science fiction in university labs?

Science and technology

Science fiction in university labs?

The case of UNSW and an “anti-cancer superdrug” highlights issues with self-regulation in universities about what constitutes research misconduct


Online Latest  Right arrow

Image of Josiah Wise, looking thoughtful with a fist poised near his chin.

Music

Snake charmer: serpentwithfeet

The restless R’n’B experimentalist brings his eclectic sonic palette to Australia

Record cover of Nina Simone’s ‘You’ve Got to Learn’

Music

Nina Simone’s ‘You’ve Got to Learn’

The lost recording of the legendary singer and pianist’s set at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival is powerful and pristine

Two men wearing jackets and beanies are seen in the bush. One is hugging the other from behind, resting his face on the other’s back.

Film

New Australian films at MIFF

Mark Leonard Winter’s portrait of wounded men in ‘The Rooster’ and Isabel Darling’s epic documentary about showground life ‘The Carnival’ are among the new Australian works screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival

Molly Manning Walker – a young woman with short, bleached blonde hair – can be seen wearing a light blue and white collared shirt.

Film

Pleasure principles: Director Molly Manning Walker

The British director’s debut feature film, ‘How to Have Sex’, is a deeply empathetic exploration of teenage friendship, social pressures and consent

The Nation Reviewed  Right arrow

Image of Parliament House, Canberra, under storm clouds

Federal politics

Robodebt and the life of Canberra staffers

Does the extreme pressure put on Canberra’s overworked political staffers fuel tragedies such as robodebt?

Illustration by Jeff Fisher

Asylum seekers

Refuge for queer asylum seekers

The community groups helping asylum seekers who have fled persecution based on sexuality or gender identity

Illustration by Jeff Fisher

Culture

Revert to type

How the pursuit of a vintage typewriter led to digitally disconnecting in ways beyond the clacking keys

Illustration by Jeff Fisher

Society

Wee of fortune

The history of Melbourne’s public toilets, from cast-iron pissoirs to robo-dunnies and the National Public Toilet Map app

Vox  Right arrow

The Vox Owl

The woodsplitter

A gruesome accident becomes a family’s touchstone moment of love and resilience

Arts & Letters  Right arrow

Writers Guild of America protest in New York, May 10, 2023

Culture

Workers’ singularity: AI and the future of art and labour

The Hollywood writers’ strike has put a spotlight on the impact artificial intelligence may have on artistic endeavour

Detail of the cover of the first issue of The Phantom, published September 1948

Books

Purple reign: The 75th anniversary of ‘The Phantom’

The longevity of the world’s first costumed superhero reflects an Australian publishing success story

Bhavin Rabari in ‘Last Film Show’

Film

Major minors: ‘Last Film Show’ and ‘Scrapper’

Feature films from Pan Nalin and Charlotte Regan tell stories of children whose difficult circumstances don’t deprive them of community and love

Noted  Right arrow

Cover image of ‘Fraud’

Books

Zadie Smith’s ‘The Fraud’

The acclaimed English writer’s latest book employs its 19th-century setting to interrogate the form of the novel

Courtney Barnett’s ‘End of the Day’

Music

Courtney Barnett’s ‘End of the Day’

A sparse instrumental album from the Australian singer-songwriter, drawn from the soundtrack to the biographical documentary ‘Anonymous Club’

Life sentences Right arrow

Flowers being watered

‘May condors never land on your tongue’

A quizzical line from the author’s father has always reminded him of the importance of playfulness, whatever one’s age

Podcasts  Right arrow

7am

Albanese’s wasted opportunity

Contributing editor for The Monthly Rachel Withers on what she learned at Labor’s conference about their plans for the future.

HOST Ange McCormack
GUEST Rachel Withers

Read This

Daniel Lavery Has Some Advice for You

This week Daniel Lavery chats with Michael about writing Slate’s long running advice column Dear Prudence.

HOST Michael Williams
GUEST Daniel Lavery

7am

Surviving in Australia’s hottest towns

Contributor to The Saturday Paper Dechlan Brennan on how Indigenous resilience and cultural knowledge can help us cope in a climate crisis.

HOST Ange McCormack
GUEST Dechlan Brennan