THE COMMENTARIAT Call her Ms Higgins: the PM’s over-familiarity is revealing — Jacqueline Maley (The Sydney Morning Herald): “It may not have been deliberate, but the persistent use of Higgins’ first name, and Morrison’s comments about consulting his wife Jenny on how to handle the alleged rape, all gave the impression that this was a matter to do with Women’s Feelings. Women’s Feelings is a private emotional realm, tricky to navigate and best left to the ladies. It has little to do with male leaders, and nothing to do with important matters of state.” National security at risk without unity on threat preparation — Jim Molan (The Australian): “Civil defence must come back onto the agenda. Long-range missiles and the prospect of nuclear confrontations demand this. We also need a way to review our national security enterprise, and keep that view up to date. These last points collectively add up to the need for an office of national security. This office should be a statutory organisation sitting outside government, but responsive to all. Much like the Office of National Intelligence, this policy counterpart could co-ordinate all levels of government, develop appropriate policies for action and assess achievement.” Australia’s recovery appears to be going well, but it’s still very weird out there — Greg Jericho (The Guardian): “In this whacky state of affairs we live in, where lockdowns can happen mid-way through tennis matches, and where travelling to and from various states and locales can stop and start with next to no warning at times, it is little wonder that the economy seems rather discombobulated. The good news is things are improving. The bad news is we’re still in an employment recession.” | 