Plus: is Labor losing its Voice?
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Saturday Jan 28
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You might remember how Witness J, a former intelligence officer, was secretly charged, convicted and imprisoned in early 2019. This week Maeve McGregor wrote about how secret trials became and remain possible in Australia.

The debate about a Voice to Parliament raged on as thousands marched in Invasion Day protests for a treaty and truth-telling process before constitutional reform. John Buckley reported on how the Greens are approaching the debate, Guy Rundle argued the Yes case is in shambles, and Michael Bradley considered what the prime minister needs to do to win back support.

Elsewhere Anton Nilsson offered a rare glimpse into how police prepared for the arrival of Brexiteer-in-chief Nigel Farage last year, and Arrernte Elder William Tilmouth wrote on the future of children in Mparntwe (Alice Springs).

Plus Julia Bergin spoke to a protester who wrote a pros-and-cons list before spray-painting a famous artwork.

We hope you’re having a lovely weekend.
Gina Rushton Gina Rushton,
News editor
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How secret trials became and remain possible in Australia
MAEVE MCGREGOR

There may very well be secret prosecutions and secret jailings happening now, and they can and will continue until the law is reformed.

Former military lawyer David McBride outside the ACT Supreme Court last year (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas)
 
Home Affairs had ‘urgent’ concerns about Nigel Farage’s visa, police docs reveal
ANTON NILSSON

Emails flew back and forth between the AFP and NSW Police over the one-time Brexit Party leader's visit to Australia last year.

Former UK politician Nigel Farage and a NSW Police document (Image: AAP/NSW Police)
 
Global climate action would be for nothing if China goes to war with Taiwan
EMMA ELSWORTHY

Australia needs to stay in Beijing's good books if it wants to continue getting its zero emissions technology supplies.

(Image: Gorkie/Private Media)
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Should we abolish Australia Day awards?
DAVID HARDAKER

Rather than giving Australian honours gongs a makeover, perhaps it's time to just junk them and start all over again.

Ex-PM Scott Morrison with Margaret Court and her husband Barry Court (Image: AAP/Richard Wainwright)
 
Voice to Parliament
Dutton’s decibels are drowning out the Voice, while the Yes case is a shambles
GUY RUNDLE

The campaign to enshrine the Voice is sinking in a mire of disorganisation and confusion. It'll go under unless the PM throws it a lifeline.

(Image: Mitchell Squire/Private Media)
How the Voice referendum could radically change Australia’s identity
MAEVE MCGREGOR

The Voice to Parliament decision will expose 'how all Australians see themselves as a nation and how they’re perceived in the world'.

Lidia Thorpe leaves door open to legislation on treaty ahead of Voice referendum
JOHN BUCKLEY and ANTON NILSSON

The Greens senator will keep fighting the 'waste of money' for the referendum on constitutional change, but will not support the No vote.

 
‘This is about protecting art’: why this climate protester spray-painted a McCubbin painting
JULIA BERGIN

The Frederick McCubbin masterpiece was unscathed, so why did two climate protesters opt for an 'illusion of damage'?

Ceramic artist and protester Joana Partyka spray-painting a painting by Frederick McCubbin (Image: Disrupt Burrup Hub)
 
Perrottet and Minns under pressure as housing stress overwhelms marginal seats
JOHN BUCKLEY

Advocates are begging the major parties for ideas to combat the housing crisis, as it cripples households in key marginal seats.

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns (Image: AAP/Paul Braven)
 
Prime minister, Alice Springs doesn’t need a ‘solution’. Our children need agency
WILLIAM TILMOUTH

To have agency is to have a voice and to be able to use it, writes Arrernte Elder and member of the Stolen Generations William Tilmouth.

When you’re out on Country, you feel the utnenge (spirit) there, says Children’s Ground co-director Veronica Turner (Image: Supplied/Children's Ground)
 
Melbourne Uni’s new anti-Semitism guidelines are an attack on free thought
GUY RUNDLE

Universities should never have speech guidelines. This one is designed to stifle criticism of Israel — and is an attack on the very idea of the university itself.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Image: EPA/Abir Sultan)
 
Passion, parents and pay cheques: inside the life of child actors
JULIA BERGIN

The odd tantrum, on-set sleep and gastronomical adventure. Child actors past and present on what it’s like to be a kid living the high life.

Claudia Karvan and Alex Cook on set of Love My Way (Image: Jimmy Pozarik)
 
Do the NSW Liberals care more about climate change than Labor?
EMMA ELSWORTHY

Labor's thrown a few ideas up in the air but the Perrottet government (with Matt Kean's prodigious output) has put ideas into action.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Labor Leader Chris Minns (Images: AAP)