These COVID weeks are becoming a blur — a melange of death and fear, lockdown, closed borders and lost freedoms, all spiced up with dashes of hope and pure craziness. Crikey’s job is, as ever, to pick apart the accepted wisdom of much of politics and the news media, and shed light where there is dark.

To that end, this week we’ve come at the pandemic in all manner of ways, from economics (the housing market and inflation) and health (the vaccine “deal”) to politics (the government’s failings on aged care) and cannabis (apparently we are more stoned than usual — who knew?). It would be exhausting to list them all, but here’s a top three: Bernard Keane’s Postcard from Australia, Guy Rundle’s paean to Melbourne’s lockdown, and a suite of articles by conflict of interest reporter Georgia Wilkins.

Of course, there is more to life than COVID-19 (even if it doesn’t seem like that). Crikey’s week started on a high note with news that Amber Schultz’s Inq reporting on the abuse of disabled Australians had prompted an inquiry into one case (and hopefully others), and ended with a special Crikey Talks webinar with Labor leader Anthony Albanese. (If you haven’t signed up to Inside Access yet, we encourage you to do so.) Albo talked so much with me and Keane that he suggested we do it again soon — would love to do that, but first we are going to invite the PM and treasurer. As with our first Crikey Talks event with Malcolm Turnbull, I’m sure readers would have a heap of questions for Josh Frydenberg and Scott Morrison.

Of course, there are many lighter sides to Crikey. One of my favourites this week was Charlie Lewis’ short piece on what Apple could buy with its A$2.7 trillion valuation (it could “buy” Australia with it, if it were clear who’d be selling), and I also liked Charlie’s quick run-through on the members of Trump’s inner circle who have faced or are facing criminal charges. On US politics, I’d recommend Rundle on the Democratic convention and Richard Holden on Joe Biden’s economic priorities. And to finish back on COVID-19, I’d like to thank all the correspondents in Crikey’s Missing Voices series — we asked for views and reflections on the pandemic from Australians over 70 years old. Your responses have been truly inspirational. Keep them coming.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

While the idyllic South Pacific monarchy of Australia presents a successful face to the world, corruption and incompetence mean trouble for local strongman Scott Morrison.

AMBER SCHULTZ 2 minute read

Georgi Hadden is finally having her claims of abuse and neglect taken seriously.

CHARLIE LEWIS 3 minute read

Steve Bannon is just one of more than half a dozen of Trump's associates to face criminal charges.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

Scott Morrison's team is masterful at spin and marketing but won't even accept responsibility for the aged care crisis, let alone address it.

AMBER SCHULTZ 3 minute read

Most people use marijuana to manage pain — and boredom. Now, as lockdown drags, medicinal cannabis approvals have reached new highs.

CHARLIE LEWIS 2 minute read

If we had a trillion dollars... We could buy Australia, New Zealand and most of Micronesia and still have change.

JASON MURPHY 3 minute read

Grocery prices are on the rise for the first time in a long time. Combined with a rise in unemployment, and a decline in wages, Australians are about to get a nasty shock.

JASON MURPHY 5 minute read

This is not the global financial crisis. Australian banks and lenders are well prepared, but people with home loans need to stay sharp.

CRIKEY 4 minute read

How older Australians are dealing with grief, loss and staying connected during the pandemic.

STEPHEN MAYNE 4 minute read

With the COVID-19 crisis in aged care spinning out of control, is the current minister in charge really the best man for the job?

BERNARD KEANE 4 minute read

The government constantly insists Australia is under cyber attack — yet nearly three quarters of its departments fail to do even the basics of cybersecurity.