In candid interview, Julie Bishop expresses scepticism about the peace process, says boycott Israel activists are ‘anti-Semitic’.

Immigration minister Scott Morrison will no longer hold weekly press briefings and will instead only hold conferences on an “as needs basis.”

Only weekly written statements will now be provided on boat arrivals and conferences will be held sporadically when the minister announces them, Morrison told ABC 7:30 in an interview with Leigh Sales on Tuesday evening.

“We'll do them on an as needs basis to detail operational matters that are able to be released and we'll respond to questions there," Morrison said.

We will never reach an agreement on what world view we should expose to our children, which is why we should get rid of the national curriculum altogether, writes Chris Berg.

(To the tune of "Bound For Botany Bay")

The Premier of South Australia

Lyn Bender asks the important question: What if Tony Abbott is not, in fact, evil but is just, simply, an idiot?

REMEMBER THE FAIRY TALE The Emperor’s New Clothes?

Cunning swindlers sold an Emperor cloth that could not be seen, because it wasn’t there.

The re-emergence of the Medicare co-payment idea for GP services could be the first step in the Coalition dismantling Australia’s universal health system, writes Dr Shaun Wilson.

All Australians should be deeply worried about the re-emergence of the Medicare co-payment idea for GP services.

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, says perpetrators of violent, alcohol-fuelled crime should face tougher consequences but said the power to address the issue is in the hands of state governments.

culture shapes our destiny.

We are in need of smartness. Desperately. Desperately seeking smartness...

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has once again distanced himself from Liberal senator Cory Bernardi after the backbencher called for a new debate on abortion, railed against ''non-traditional'' families and called for more flexible industrial relations laws.

CRAP

From the outrageous Murdoch media influence to the untold Saudi's control over al Qaeda, most of us, decent fair minded people, are taken for a ride...

The history of capitalism has running through it a history of alcohol.

Alcohol appeared at the beginnings of class society, with beer jugs found in the late Stone Age. Wine and beer existed in class society in Egypt, beer being brewed in the home. While most gods were local, Osiris, the god of wine, was worshiped across the country.

A recent poll asked people in Britain how many Iraqis had been killed as a result of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The answers they gave were shocking.

A threat to impose a fee for consular support after Australian activist Colin Russell was detained in Russia has opened the prospect of broader charges for government support of thousands of Australians who find themselves in trouble overseas.

On Friday foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop said the activities of the Australian government on behalf of Mr Russell had cost tens of thousands of dollars, and she would look very closely at recovering the costs.

"Of course cost recovery can be an important part of providing consular support," she said.