Voting is an essential service too. New Zealand can't be afraid to go to the polls, even in lockdown
Grant Duncan, Associate Professor for the School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University
GettyImagesIf we can do our grocery shopping under lockdown, we can vote under lockdown too.As much as supermarkets and pharmacies, the general election is an essential service and it must continue. There are ways and means to safely exercise our democratic rights during lockdown.The prime minister ...
Indonesia's coronavirus fatalities are the highest in Southeast Asia. So, why is Jokowi rushing to get back to business?
Tim Lindsey, Malcolm Smith Professor of Asian Law and Director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society, University of Melbourne
MAST IRHAM/EPAIndonesia is still struggling to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Its fatalities are the worst in Southeast Asia, but so far the most dire predictions have not come true. And yet, the government appears even less focused on controlling the disease and more on reopening the country for bus...
Yes, it looks like Victoria has passed the peak of its second wave. It probably did earlier than we think
Ian Marschner, Professor of Biostatistics, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney
It’s hard to recall a time when we didn’t nervously await the announcement of Victoria’s daily COVID-19 case numbers each morning.It was certainly disconcerting when the state recorded more than 700 new cases on two occasions not long ago. And likewise, now that we’ve seen a ...
Should you hold your child back from starting school? Research shows it has little effect on their maths and reading skills
Sally Larsen, PhD candidate, Education & Psychology, University of New England
ShutterstockWhether to hold a child back from starting school when they are first eligible is a question faced by many parents in Australia each year.If you start a child at school too early, there’s a fear they may fall behind. But many working parents may wish to send their child to school a...
how a new carbon dating timeline is changing our view of history
Chris Turney, Professor, Earth Science and Climate Change, UNSW
ShutterstockGeological and archaeological records offer important insights into what seems to be an increasingly uncertain future. The better we understand what conditions Earth has already experienced, the better we can predict (and potentially prevent) future threats. But to do this effectively, w...
These historic grasslands are becoming a weed-choked waste. It could be one of the world's great parks
Adrian Marshall, Author providedVolcanic plains stretching from Melbourne’s west to the South Australian border were once home to native grasslands strewn with wil…
Public housing renewal can make tenants feel displaced in their home, even before any work begins
Public housing estate redevelopments that displace residents to other suburbs are highly disruptive whereas projects that allow them to remain are suggested to be better…
coronavirus leaves international students in dire straits
ShutterstockMany international students in private rental housing in Sydney and Melbourne were struggling before COVID-19 hit. Our surveys of these students before and d…
Timing the share market is hard – just ask your super fund
ymgerman/ShutterstockThe past financial year has been one of the most volatile on record for stock markets, yet almost every Australian super fund has delivered similar …
Got your bag? The critical place of mobile containers in human evolution
ShutterstockToday, bags are everywhere — from cheap canvas ones at the supermarket to designer handbags costing up to US$2,000,000. But archaeological evidence sho…
Royal Commission into Aged Care reminds Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy it sets the rules
The Royal Commission into Aged Care put the Secretary of the Federal Health Department, Brendan Murphy, firmly in his place when he tried to make an opening statement to…
The Right Guide to Perfect Head-to-Toe Skin Care
Caring for your feet and hands is an easy task; they need to look relaxing and pampering. Your hands carry out various chores. On the other hand, your shoes might caus…
Russia's coronavirus vaccine hasn't been fully tested. Doling it out risks side effects and false protection
A scientist holding a coronavirus vaccine at the Nikolai Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, Russia.Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Russian …
New Guinea has 13,634 species of plants, and these are some of our favourites
_Bulbophyllum alkmaarense_: New Guinea is home to more than 2,400 species of native orchids. Andre Schuiteman/CSIROScientists have been interested in the flora of New G…
