Analysis

Fresh from the bushfire crisis, communities across Australia are being asked — no, instructed — to “look after each other” during the COVID-19 crisis. That would be fine if governments were not making this simple thing so hard to do, argues Pip Hinman.

While many countries have closed schools as a measure to stem the rate of COVID-19 infection, public schools in Australia are to remain open in stark defiance of the “social distancing” requirements of almost every other aspect of social and economic life. Graham Matthews asks why?

It is amazing what can be achieved by a potentially uncontrollable pandemic that doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor, doesn’t respect national boundaries and will destroy a global economy quicker than I’ll destroy a bottle of gin if forced to stay at home without sport to watch for more than a day, writes Carlo Sands

Bob McIlroy is a small farmer in the Bonang region of East Gippsland, Victoria, with 30 years' experience with the local Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA). He spoke to Green Left about the experience of the giant bushfires and what needs to be done.

While 'social distancing' measures are important, what we need more than ever to get through this crisis is “social solidarity”, write Pip Hinman and Susan Price.

Livestock have been scapegoated for all agricultural greenhouse emissions. But, properly managed, their contribution is negligible for methane, and they can be key to tackling the climate crisis, write Elena Garcia and Alan Broughton.

Eliminating livestock farming is no solution to curb the production of greenhouse gases. However, supporting ecological agriculture and attacking the fossil fuel industry are, argues Alan Broughton.

The Indigenous Social Justice Association says a pattern has emerged in successive First Nations coronial inquests, whereby authorities are excused of any wrongdoings, despite the court’s supposedly neutral stance, writes Paul Gregoire.

It is clear the federal government has badly mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic, with doctors now warning Australia is on track to be in a "worse position than Italy is currently in". But humane alternatives are possible, argues Chris Jenkins.

The priorities of the federal government’s stimulus package are not only wrong — they will not work. Lisbeth Latham argues the focus must be on protecting incomes.

Despite promises to the contrary, the New South Wales government looks set to privatise the remaining 49% of the WestConnex motorway, reports Andrew Chuter.

Abortion doctor and long-term pro-choice campaigner Kamala Emanuel outlines why abortion must be seen as a health issue, at an International Working Women's Day rally in Brisbane on March 8.