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Every now and then, a byelection garners greater than usual attention, and that will certainly be the case when voters in the NSW seat of Farrer go to the polls, likely in April or May. Sussan Ley, who has held the seat for 25 years, announced she would retire from parliament after losing the Liberal leadership to Angus Taylor last week.
Farrer, a sprawling regional seat that takes in the large town of Albury as well as rural areas, will potentially be contested by four parties.
The preferencing and politicking leading up to the byelection will be messy, but the outcome may well give us an insight into the mood of the electorate in traditionally conservative seats.
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Amanda Dunn
Politics + Society Editor
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John Hawkins, University of Canberra
Sussan Ley’s retirement from parliament means all eyes will be on the byelection in her regional seat of Farrer – and the contest may well be messy.
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Jeannie Marie Paterson, The University of Melbourne
The Federal Court will have to decide whether Coles’ ‘Down Down’ discounts were genuine, or crossed a line into misleading conduct.
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Hal Pawson, UNSW Sydney
Social housing is being built at the fastest pace since the 1980s. But we are still leaving hundreds of thousands of Australians waiting for a home.
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Caroline Gurvich, Monash University; Eveline Mu, Monash University; Jayashri Kulkarni, Monash University
The idea that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain is more than half a century old. The reality is more complex.
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Dennis B. Desmond, University of the Sunshine Coast
Private companies selling ‘intelligence as a service’ are changing the face of intelligence and how private and personal data is used.
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Emily Brayshaw, University of Technology Sydney
Costume designer Jacqueline Durran draws on 500 years of fashion to create a totally new visual world.
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Scott Duncan, Auckland University of Technology; Melody Smith, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Play is often treated as something we grow out of, yet evidence shows playfulness remains vital for adult wellbeing. Rethinking our spaces could help bring it back.
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Kevin Foster, Monash University
Shot, stabbed, poisoned with frog toxin – a new book reveals how the killing of political opponents has emerged from the shadows of government secrecy.
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Politics + Society
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Adam Simpson, Adelaide University
More than 40 progressive lawmakers could be barred from politics for life, but the election results show support for pro-democracy parties remains high.
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Caroline Shaw, University of Otago; Katherine Cullerton, The University of Queensland
An analysis of former transport ministers’ diaries shows which interest groups get face-to-face time with decision-makers – and which voices are largely absent.
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Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne
The Coalition is pulling ahead in Victoria, polling at 29%, while One Nation is just two points behind Labor, nine months out from the November election.
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Health + Medicine
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Hunter Bennett, Adelaide University
Weightlifting shoes could help with certain exercises, but it depends on your specific goals and situation.
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Environment + Energy
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Anilan V, Adelaide University
It’s easy to think cheaper EVs will encourage more people to switch. But new research shows subsidising these vehicles is poor value for money. There’s a better way.
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Science + Technology
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Siegfried Gudergan, James Cook University; Aalto University; Wayne Bradshaw, University of Tasmania
‘Green open access’ has existed for decades – and it’s not hard to get academics to use it more.
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Trump’s Iran talks
“What is the basis, under international law, for these talks? Under what international norm does a stronger power have the right to demand a weaker power comply with certain conditions to avoid war? Where is the 'rules-based order' that was established to ensure civilised discussions between states when disputes arise? Or, are we, in the 21st century, reverting to the laws of the jungle where the strong prevails over the weak?”
Ranjan Yagoda, Melbourne VIC
The collapse of academic peer-reviewing
“Why can’t academic publishing work the same way as book publishing? You submit your paper to a few publishers, the publishers weigh up the risks and benefits, they bid by offering an advance, you accept the best offer and you sign a contract for a share of the royalties. Royalties come to the universities involved with a proportion to the academics concerned. Scientists should not be undervalued as unpaid volunteers who undertake reviewing after-hours (or in retirement).”
Jennie Brand-Miller AO, FAA Professor Emeritus University of Sydney 
New lib leadership
“I was disappointed listening to the first press conference of the new Liberal Party leadership team. My disquiet was with the members of the press gallery. Their questioning was so predictable and formulaic. Why not quiz Taylor or Hume with a few questions like this: Do you have a few early ideas about how you can boost housing affordability? What are three quick ways you would try to lower the cost of living?”
Richard Goodwin, Doubleview WA
We'd love to hear from you. You can email us with your thoughts on our stories and each day we'll publish an edited selection.
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