Labor needs to fire up on behalf of working people to punch through the "pandemic of populism" locking progressive parties out of government, and it needs to pitch an "Australian new deal" grounded in the Hawke/Keating principles of economic reform with a social dividend, according to Chris Bowen. As Labor braces itself for the release of the tightly held campaign review, Bowen, will make his first substantial public intervention since the May election loss, delivering his rationale for why Labor lost at the inaugural Keating lecture in western Sydney.
Margaret Court has urged Tennis Australia to "sit and talk with me'' ahead of the 50th anniversary of her grand slam year, saying she won't return to Melbourne Park unless she is formally welcomed back and her career achievement properly recognized. Tennis Australia, which earlier this year feted Rod Laver for his half-century grand slam anniversary, is torn over how to commemorate its greatest ever player, whose opposition to homosexuality and gay marriage has made her a polarizing figure among contemporary players and influential women such as Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova. Court's presence at January's Australian Open would kindle the bitter debate over whether her name should remain on one of the tournament's main venues.
The world lies at the crossroads of fragmentation and integration, and, as one of the largest countries and economies, China has "great responsibilities" in helping to determine which path the world should take, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said. "Today, what the world needs most is leadership," he said. In a world beset by turbulence, Beijing can lead by helping to set standards of behavior in areas including economics, politics, and technology, Mr Chan told a forum in Shanghai.
The annual Melbourne Cup parade would be scrapped under a proposal lodged by Australian Greens representative Rohan Leppert for the City of Melbourne to cut ties with horse racing. Councillor Leppert on Wednesday lodged a motion to be debated on Tuesday at the Future Melbourne committee meeting that would add "events that celebrate or involve horseracing" to the list of ineligible event applications. A majority vote of six of the 11 councilors is needed to pass the motion that would axe next year's Cup parade. Lord mayor Sally Capp, who this year carried the Cup with Victoria Racing Club chair Amanda Elliott through the parade and attended Derby and Cup day, heads that committee.