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Pauline Hanson loves to cause outrage. One Nation’s recent surge in the polls has been fed at least in part by outrage, powerfully mixed with grievance.
But when she suggested in a recent interview there were no “good” Muslims, the response was relatively muted. Yes there was outrage from some, but Ali Mamouri and Fethi Mansouri argue the low-key response speaks to an environment in which – in the wake of the Bondi terrorist attack in particular – Islamophobia has become normalised in a way other forms of discrimination are not.
The impact is potentially catastrophic, not just for Australian Muslims, but for our society more broadly: “Australian multicultural democracy cannot selectively defend some communities while leaving others to navigate hate and hostility on their own.”
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Amanda Dunn
Politics + Society Editor
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Ali Mamouri, Deakin University; Fethi Mansouri, Deakin University
Recent events show troubling signs that Islamophobia has become normalised and tolerated in ways other forms of racism are not.
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Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne
Polls have the combined primary vote for Labor and the Greens dropping. But there’s no sign of a boost for the Coalition after its leadership change.
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Melissa Licari, The University of Western Australia; The Kids Research Institute
People with Tourette’s experience uncomfortable physical sensations that build up in the body and come out as ‘tics’.
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Ruby Ekkel, Australian National University
From the last thylacine to Mollie the drinking, smoking orangutan, little Punch the monkey is the latest in a long line of lonely zoo animals.
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James Trapani, Western Sydney University
The Soviets came to Cuba’s aid in the 1960s. It remains to be seen whether Russia can do the same now.
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Catherine Kevin, Flinders University
Gisèle Pelicot’s compelling personal tale is very different from her daughter’s, reflecting their contrasting ways of surviving trauma.
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Ellie Crookes, University of Wollongong
Emerald Fennell’s film is not interested in the racial commentary many critics have found in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights.
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Nial Wheate, Macquarie University
Ivermectin has been proposed as a treatment for a number of diseases. Here’s what the science actually says.
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Politics + Society
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Brodie Fraser, University of Otago
Women make up half of the people experiencing homelessness in New Zealand. A study shows permanent housing improves their health and lifts their income.
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James Martin, Deakin University; Edward Jegasothy, University of Sydney
Where there’s demand, there will be supply, legal or not. From the ‘sly grog’ of the 1920s to the illicit vapes of today, getting regulation right is difficult.
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Milad Haghani, The University of Melbourne
The way cars are assessed for safety ratings is changing in Australia and New Zealand. The changes are broadly positive.
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Health + Medicine
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Kade Paterson, The University of Melbourne; Rana Hinman, The University of Melbourne
Until now, health experts have assumed stable and supportive shoes are the best for people with osteoarthritis. But a new study shows this isn’t always the case.
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Felicity Goodyear-Smith, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Like other high-income countries, Australia and New Zealand are leaning on GPs to solve increasingly complex health needs – without the necessary investment.
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Business + Economy
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Marina Yue Zhang, University of Technology Sydney
There are big gaps in Australia’s policy settings if we are to catch up on new AI-powered robotics.
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Philip Laird, University of Wollongong
The latest announcement follows more than 40 years of previous plans that amounted to nothing. Will this time be any different?
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Education
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Fiona Longmuir, Monash University; Tim Delany, Monash University
Teachers need to spend a lot of time face-to-face with students. But they also do a significant amount of work beyond the classroom.
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Environment + Energy
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Avril Horne, The University of Melbourne; Nick Bond, La Trobe University; Robert Morden, The University of Melbourne
Small streams are vital for nature and river flows, yet largely overlooked in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin plan.
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Science + Technology
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James B. Dorey, University of Wollongong; Nikolas Johnston, University of Wollongong
A new paper provides the first statistically derived estimate of bee species richness around the world. But this is about more than bees.
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Georgina Sauzier, Curtin University; Michael Vic Adamos, Curtin University
Police struggle to track down the makers of illegal 3D-printed guns. A new forensic chemistry method can help.
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Investing in water safety
“Your story on funding for elite winter sportspeople was in stark contrast to the story published recently about the decline in swimming standards in Australia. It seems foolish to invest so much public money preparing a few individuals for sports that most people in this country cannot access. I enjoy the spectacle of the Winter Olympics as much as anyone, but I don't feel the need for Australia to top the medal tally. I am
comfortable with the reality that we live in a largely dry country, surrounded by water. Let's ensure everyone can swim!”
Angela Brown, Tamworth NSW
Growth without gain
"We've had an enormous amount of economic growth since the start of the century, but as your article about real wages going backwards points out, we appear to be going backwards economically. Our environmental integrity is also being shattered, and our social infrastructure neglected. We need to follow the example of many Indigenous cultures and focus on the fundamentals – our relationship with the Earth, on which we entirely rely, and with each other. Our dependence on 'growth' is warping these relationships and driving inequality, creating an unsustainable and unsafe environment for our current and future generations."
Jennie Epstein, Little River, VIC 
Thanks for the warning
“Benjamin Muir may take solace in the knowledge that his withering review of Fennell’s adaptation of Brontë’s classic work has not contributed to my wanting to see the movie in any way. But I have definitely now placed a reservation on the novel at my local library!”
Sarah Murton, Kabi Kabi Country
We'd love to hear from you. You can email us with your thoughts on our stories and each day we'll publish an edited selection.
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The Conversation AU/NZ
Melbourne Victoria, Australia
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