As part of our  coverage on “The New City” we asked our bloggers for some pictures from their cities. Are there any places in their cities that are prime examples for sustainable urban living? But it could also be a negative example in order to show how a city should not […]

In January 2011, after weeks of rain, I was filled with dread upon hearing that the biggest flood in over 35 years was expected to hit my hometown of Brisbane. On January 13 my fears were realised, as the Brisbane River peaked at 4.46m above sea level, flooding more than […]

Reflections from the 56th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women Mark Twain once mused, ‘What would men be without women? Scarce sir, mighty scarce.’ Women are a crucial element of the human equation, and yet many of the world’s women, particularly rural women, have been relegated to […]

One week before the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires the state of Victoria cooked like never before.  On three consecutive days in late January the temperature exceeded 43 °C / 109 °F, scorching an already desiccated land and laying the foundations for the worst bushfires in Australian history.  On the fateful day […]

The Stop Online Piracy Act, SOPA. The Protect Intellectual Property Act, PIPA. The ISP based Australian Internet filter, the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. These are a few examples of many governments’ attempts, both within Australia and internationally, to fight what they see […]