Julia Banks emerged from post-politics life this week to reignite the already hot debate about the treatment of women in Parliament and politics, particularly on the Coalition side. (Though the Liberals and Nationals are hardly Robinson Crusoe in having to deal with entrenched misogyny.)

But Banks has created a whole new headache for the government — claiming in her new book Power Play that an unnamed minister inappropriately touched her while she sat among fellow MPs, and that Scott Morrison tried to spin her quitting the party with suggestions she was under duress as a result of leadership changes. Crikey’s Amber Schultz secured one of the first published interviews with Banks, and political editor Bernard Keane looked at what Banks’ revelations say about the PM’s habit of gaslighting.

Much of the rest of the week has been characterised by the absence of Morrison and the rise of Lieutenant General JJ Frewen, who has been put in control of Australia’s chaotic vaccine rollout. Guy Rundle had much to say about Frewen’s elevation, and Kishor Napier-Raman and Keane analysed what is and what isn’t going on with the PM.

There was plenty of other good stuff too, including Madonna King’s plea about empathy in the pandemic, and Cam Wilson’s exclusive article about two women rejected for ABC board positions despite having the support of the independent appointments panel.

GUY RUNDLE 5 minute read

Giving a lieutenant general the job sends a worrying message to Australians: when the going gets tough, the tough are put in charge.

MADONNA KING 3 minute read

Politicians and the media are obsessed with the numbers, but at the heart of each COVID-19 outbreak lie real people suffering real symptoms.

CAM WILSON 2 minute read

The list of recommended candidates was largely ignored by Communications Minister Paul Fletcher whose captain's pick has no media experience.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

Until the rort of political donations and the revolving door of jobs for ex-politicians and staffers are radically reformed, there will be other Crowns and more corruption.

AMBER SCHULTZ 2 minute read

St Joseph's College, whose year 12 students were inexplicably given access to the Pfizer vaccine by NSW Health, boasts an impressive alumni list — including members of NSW Parliament.

CHRIS WOODS 8 minute read

As global warming gets worse and activist more determined, the coalminer is becoming aggressively litigious.

JASON MURPHY 3 minute read

Australia is positively brimming with millionaires. That's good, right? But what's behind the boom, and what lies ahead wealth-wise?

BERNARD KEANE 4 minute read

The premiers are the most powerful leaders in the country, but how much can we rely on them to do the right thing by Australians?

CHRISTOPHER WARREN 3 minute read

When the numbers are crunched it appears pretty obvious the cap on arrivals decision was driven by 'hermit kingdom' politics.

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 3 minute read

It's been admitted on national television: the government no longer cares about getting caught pork-barrelling, as long as it wins elections.