3 things you can do ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

The Jewish community is reeling after the terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi on Sunday. But the distress is felt more broadly as well.

This kind of distress is common after disasters and mass violence, and is a natural response of the human nervous system. It can also be fuelled by factors such as the rapid spread of rumours and repeated exposure to graphic footage.

As trauma expert Tara-Lyn Camilleri explains, there are three key ways the wider public can help reduce this secondary harm – and ensure the community heals after the horror we witnessed on the weekend.

Drew Rooke

Deputy Science + Technology Editor

After mass violence, trauma spreads socially. Here are 3 ways you can help reduce it

Tara-Lyn Camilleri, Monash University

After mass violence such as the Bondi beach terror attack, distress does not stop with those directly affected.

What NZ needs to watch as Australia reforms gun laws after the Bondi terror attack

Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato

With changes to its own gun laws on the table, New Zealand has even more reason to proceed with caution after the Bondi mass shooting.

Supermarket price gouging will be banned from July. Will consumers actually end up better off?

Sanjoy Paul, University of Technology Sydney; George Tian, University of Technology Sydney

The ban marks a departure from Australia’s traditional approach of preserving competitive processes rather than regulating prices directly.

Trump is close to naming the new Federal Reserve chief. His choice could raise the risk of stagflation

Henry Maher, University of Sydney

The stagflation crisis of the 1970s stands as a clear warning of what might happen if the Fed’s independence is compromised.

Mid-year budget update will project deficit of nearly $37 billion for current financial year

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Today’s budget update will project a better budget deficit than what was predicted.

In a cynical industry, Rob Reiner’s films taught us the power of sincerity

Adam Daniel, Western Sydney University

Rob Reiner, the celebrated Hollywood director whose diverse filmography was loved by a broad array of audiences, has died at 78.

Hong Kong pro-democracy publisher convicted of sedition, in major blow to press freedom

Yao-Tai Li, UNSW Sydney

In the years since the 2020 introduction of Hong Kong’s National Security Law, press freedom has slowly been limited. Lai’s conviction symbolises its end.

Is there much COVID around? Do I need the new booster shot LP.8.1?

Adrian Esterman, University of South Australia

As we prepare for the festive season, it’s easy to let COVID boosters fall off our to-do lists. But COVID is still circulating and new shots are available.

Politics + Society
Labor maintains dominant lead in Redbridge poll despite expenses claims Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne The polling, conducted before the Bondi terror attack, sees Labor maintain its lead, including Anthony Albanese increasing his popularity as preferred prime minister.

Health + Medicine
Christmas is peak kidney stone season. Blame dehydration, the heat and all that food Anthony Dat, Monash University Kidney stones are painful and surprisingly common this time of year. Here’s why, and how to prevent them ruining your Christmas.

Education
Leave notes, play games, go shopping: how to boost your child’s multilingual skills these holidays Julie Choi, The University of Melbourne Here are five practical, research-informed tips to help families build kids’ skills in their home language.

Environment + Energy

Hidden clues in colonial journals reveal why Tasmania’s remote west keeps burning

David Bowman, University of Tasmania; Greg Lehman, University of Tasmania

In Tasmania’s remote southwest, dry lightning storms are starting huge conflagrations across treeless plains. Could a return to cultural burning help?
Communities must be central to climate adaptation strategies – 10 insights to guide national policy

Bruce Glavovic, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Derrylea Hardy, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Huhana Smith, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Martin Garcia Cartagena, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

Adaptation and planned relocation are unaffordable for at-risk communities and tangata whenua. Government cost-sharing is essential.

Science + Technology
We think of mushrooms as food. But mycelium-based blocks could be the future of construction Kumar Biswajit Debnath, University of Technology Sydney Mycelium, the hidden network behind mushrooms, can be grown into durable, low-carbon materials.

Arts + Culture
Who really photographed Napalm Girl? The famous war photo is now contested history Kate Cantrell, University of Southern Queensland; Alison Bedford, University of Southern Queensland For five decades, the image was attributed to Associate Press photographer Nick Út. But a documentary recently released on Netflix is challenging this.

Books + Ideas
Aristotle’s Politics has wisdoms and warnings for our age of tech utopias and inequality Matthew Sharpe, Australian Catholic University Are we all political animals? Aristotle thought so. Politics, he believed, was the art of the possible, but extremes of wealth could harm democracies.

Festering hate
"There is surely no government on earth that can legislate against hate. True hate is something that individuals hold within their hearts and minds, usually as a result of background or upbringing. Most of what we term 'hate' is about anger and frustration at the many injustices happening in our world. Education and understanding are needed and the government and media should both play a part in this with accurate and informed reporting. Schools must also be involved in actively promoting tolerance and respect towards other cultures and beliefs."
Susan Flegg

Blame game
"Members of the Coalition (including Sussan Ley and Josh Frydenberg) have constantly broadcast their view that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should shoulder the blame. This is a cheap and negative shot at gaining a free pass to power at our next Federal election. This monstrous behaviour needs to be called out for what it is."
Anita Lawrance, Scone NSW

Easier said than done
"Many disparate voices are criticising the Australian government for not doing enough to combat antisemitism. Notably absent from their criticisms however is any realistic concrete action that a government of a democratic country might take to prevent such horrors. It’s easy for armchair observers to criticise government action as being insufficient. Coming up with realistic, actionable policy to deal with difficult social problems is quite another matter."
Gavin Oakes, Melbourne VIC

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