The author’s diaries record the early months of a year with change in the air

Notes from Melbourne as the pandemic persists

Melbourne in the time of pandemic

Collected thoughts on writers seeking permission to write, Eurydice Dixon, the Nobel for Murnane and dealing with errant chooks

This must be how it feels to retire

The hopeful and the hapless flow through a magistrates’ court

A day in the life of the Geelong Magistrates’ Court

Volunteers make visiting courtrooms less of a trial

The woman, her children and the lake: Akon Guode’s tragic story

Notes on Micheline Lee’s ‘The Healing Party’

The author of ‘This House of Grief’ and ‘Joe Cinque’s Consolation’ on writing about darkness

A one-woman assault on condescension

At home with Rosie Batty

A car accident brings an unlikely collection of people together

The rooftop bar was buzzing, late on a warm Friday afternoon. My friend and I found a spot under an umbrella and ordered up. Each of us was secretly longing to talk about the fact that the cops had charged a man with the rape and murder of Jill Meagher, …