The Looking Glass

The Defence Minister’s lonely stand in defence of women in the military

Anne Summers — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:59:25 +0000

The Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith is coming under attack from his department, from ex-military (all men), from various commentators and from the federal Opposition – all because of his principled stand in defence of a female cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy who was sexually abused. It is a shocking spectacle. Read my article in The Drum

Gillard and the gender issue

Anne Summers — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:48:24 +0000

Prime Minister Gillard faces a ballot in her party room tomorrow (February 27) to retain her leadership of the ALP and her job as leader of the country. In my article in today’s newspapers in Sydney and Melbourne (the Sunday Age and the Sun-Herald) I examine the relentless slurs against her because of her gender. She is called “a menopausal monster” and worse, and her rival Kevin Rudd routinely refers to her as “bitch”. Male leaders do not have to put up with gender-related attacks. Why should women? Read the article

Gambling industry v the federal government

Anne Summers — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:13:26 +0000

My column today in Sydney Morning Herald on how the gambling industry forced Prime Minister Gillard’s hand on the poker machine reform in a campaign involving Karl Bitar, the former national secretary of the ALP, and formerly one of Gillard’s closest advisors. Read the article

Can anyone be a feminist? No.

Anne Summers — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:37:48 +0000

My column in today’s Sunday Age where I argue you need to sign onto certain principle in order to be considered a feminist. Being “pro-life” is not an option. Read the article

How to get a free university education

Anne Summers — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:09:55 +0000

My column in today’s Sydney Morning Herald examines an anomaly in the student loan system that enables well-off graduates to avoid repaying their debt. Read the article

Silence Like A Cancer Grows

Anne Summers — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:20:33 +0000

Read my latest column in the Sydney Morning Herald about the the sound of silence on the US primary election campaign trail.

Read article

The paradox of our Prime Minister

Anne Summers — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:28:53 +0000

My latest article in the Sydney Morning Herald looks at how Julia Gillard’s assets are not being conveyed to the voting public. Read the article

Women in combat in the Australian Defence Forces

Anne Summers — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:26 +0000

My latest article in The Monthly looks at women already fighting on the front line. Read article

A Tale of Two Profiles

Anne Summers — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:20:57 +0000

Good Weekend‘s John van Tiggelen has written an extensive profile of right-wing media ‘megaphone’ Andrew Bolt following on from my own profile in The Monthly in October. You can read both pieces: here and here

Tony Abbott’s big bad black hole

Anne Summers — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:08:11 +0000

Has the Opposition Leader dug a big hole for himself with his opposition to the Minerals Resources Rental Tax? Read my article in The Hoopla (www.thehoopla.com.au)