When the late great John Lennon sang, “Nobody told me there’d be days like these,” he could not have foreseen life in 2025 with Donald Trump in the White House playing nasty and cynical games with the wellbeing of humanity and the planet – so don’t waste your money trying […]
Jacquelene
UK Defence Ministry examines AUKUS
It has taken some time for Australia’s mainstream corporate media to pick up on this news piece from the UK but, on April 2, the UK Parliament’s Defence Committee launched an inquiry into AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia. By Jacquelene […]
View from a Bellwether 3: the fine art of the Wobble Board
Political campaigns can be a fine art – direct mail, town hall meetings, corflutes, social media, well-honed funding promises and the recent phenomenon of the wobble board. By Jacquelene Pearson This is our third edition of View from a Bellwether. Here we are in sunny Point Clare, on the NSW […]
Bilby conservation efforts enhanced by Indigenous knowledge
One of the nation’s most iconic and at-risk critters could benefit by combining Indigenous knowledge with western survey methods, according to a new study led by Charles Darwin University (CDU) in collaboration with the North Tanami Rangers and Traditional Owners from the community of Lajamanu. By Charles Darwin University The […]
View from a bellwether 2: corflutes and seagull kisses
The streets of Robertson are lined with corflutes but not everybody thinks they should be plastering the fences of the main train line – and I thought this was the cost of living election. By Jacquelene Pearson By Jacquelene Pearson I’ve decided to keep this weekly commentary about the federal […]
2442 animals slaughtered per second
Animal Liberation will be 50 years old in 2026 and it continues to work to improve the lives of all species through legislation, advocacy, action and legislation. Earlier this year the group held one of its slaughterhouse vigils. By Lisa Ryan* On 16 January 2025, Animal Liberation, together with Animal […]
SAVING OUR WETLANDS PART 4: HAPPY ENDINGS CAN HAPPEN
Some communities, and politicians, have had the foresight to save and protect wetlands – the Central Coast Wetland on the site of the former Pioneer Dairy, south of the Wyong River, is one such fairy tale come true. By Jacquelene Pearson The Central Coast Wetland, on the site of the […]
ON YOUR MARKS – VIEW FROM A BELLWETHER
Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has called the federal election for Saturday, 3 May – that’s only 36 days away – let’s take a look at what you need to do to make your vote count. By Jacquelene Pearson I’m writing this from my home on the Central Coast of […]
SAVING OUR WETLANDS PART 3: UNDER PRESSURE
The old timers call it Porters Lake because it resembles a massive lake when flooded – a sight to behold. But over recent decades Porters Creek Wetland has been suffering death by a thousand cuts. A promised Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement may change that for the better, or it may not. […]
SAVING OUR WETLAND PART 2: HOW TO LOSE A WETLAND
Why would a council sell a wetland for less than its market value and even hide its biodiversity value from its own valuer – it doesn’t make sense but that is exactly what happened on the NSW Central Coast in 2021 – then, in 2022, the land was unlawfully cleared. […]