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The internet can be an ugly place at the best of times, but for many First Nations people, it can also be deeply racist. Researcher Matteo Vergani and his colleagues investigated this issue. They examined around three million online posts, focusing particularly on three
key events in recent years: the Voice to Parliament referendum, the so-called March for Australia rallies, and the booing of a Welcome to Country at a Melbourne Anzac Day service last year. What they found were patterns. When something big happened publicly, the online hate directed toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people worsened. And from 2025, the hate shifted from
predominantly political to deeply personal. Vergani, who will present his findings to a parliamentary inquiry today, and fellow researcher Fiona Allison say the better we understand how online hate works, the more effective we can be at stopping it.
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Erin Cooper-Douglas
Public Policy Editor
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Matteo Vergani, Deakin University; Fiona Allison, University of Technology Sydney
A new study examining online hate during the so-called March for Australia rallies found white supremacy was rife. But there are patterns we can see to help stop it.
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Leonora Risse, Queensland University of Technology; Elise Stephenson, Australian National University
Of the top 20 occupations most at risk of being automated, 15 are dominated by women.
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Ritesh Chugh, CQUniversity Australia
People still remember the 2016 #CensusFail. So how safe is the 2026 census?
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Milad Haghani, The University of Melbourne; Abbas Rajabifard, The University of Melbourne; Iman Taheri Sarteshnizi, The University of Melbourne; Neema Nassir, The University of Melbourne
Pedestrians are more likely to be killed by heavier cars – and even more so if the vehicle is taller, Australian-first research has found.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Victoria’s election on November 28 has taken on a drama and significance we wouldn’t have anticipated a year ago and will be closely watched by federal players.
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Michelle Ward, Griffith University; Brendan Wintle, The University of Melbourne; Jack Pascoe, The University of Melbourne; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Martine Maron, The University of Queensland
From oyster reefs to bandicoot grasslands, many Australian ecosystems no longer exist. Restoring nature is a good goal – but we cannot return to the past.
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Mason Zhou, Adelaide University ; Dot Dumuid, Adelaide University
Student disengagement during the early high school years shouldn’t be dismissed as ‘just being a teenager’.
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Nial Wheate, Macquarie University
It sounds gross. Drugs seeping out of your body may be damaging your leather sofa. But how worried should we be, really?
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Ronnie Scott, RMIT University; Elizabeth MacFarlane, The University of Melbourne; Gabriel Clark, University of Technology Sydney; Pat Grant, University of Technology Sydney
Comic-art makers and avid readers agree: if the great Australian graphic novel exists, what makes it great just might surprise you.
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Politics + Society
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Bruce Wolpe, University of Sydney
Trump has demanded loyalty from his appointees – but he’s finding he can’t control the judiciary.
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Health + Medicine
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Luke C. Jenkins, Western Sydney University; Giovanni E. Ferreira, University of Sydney; Joshua Zadro, University of Sydney; Peter Stubbs, University of Technology Sydney
This therapy is thought to relax the muscle, reduce inflammation, promote healing and reduce pain. But what does the science say?
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Nerida Bun, The University of Papua New Guinea
Chewing betel ‘quid’ is culturally ingrained in PNG. But it is also linked to high oral cancer rates. A new project aims to improve early detection and reporting.
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Business + Economy
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Cécile L'Hermitte, University of Waikato
New research reveals a magnitude 8.5 earthquake is likely to trigger a cascade of problems for NZ’s freight networks. But how many are avoidable?
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Cindy Lee, Torrens University Australia; Anita Manfreda, Torrens University Australia
Billed as offering more flexibility, the new fees just add another burden for travellers.
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Education
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Tama Leaver, Curtin University
Navigating personal problems are a normal part of growing up. Young people are now turning to AI for help.
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Environment + Energy
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Catherine Lovelock, The University of Queensland
A new study suggests the world’s mangrove forests are expanding.
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Science + Technology
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Jennie Brand-Miller, University of Sydney; David Raubenheimer, University of Sydney; Les Copeland, University of Sydney
Intelligence is an energetically expensive luxury. And a new study in Science shows meat has never been the main fuel source for our ancestors.
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Himadri Saini, The University of Melbourne; UNSW ; Laurie Menviel, UNSW
Mountains of ice far away in the northern hemisphere surely couldn’t change rainfall in Australia – or could they?
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Arts + Culture
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Holden Walker, University of Wollongong
Based on Ellis’ 2023 book of the same name, new TV series The Shards follows elite Los Angeles teenagers as their world falls apart.
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Books + Ideas
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Kevin Davis, The University of Melbourne
Harrison Young has held senior banking jobs around the world, from the US and UK to China and Australia. In Prudence and Ambition, he shares what he’s learned.
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Your Say
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I'm so very scared that Australia is either not watching the United States, or is watching it and learning nothing. Pauline Hanson's Trumpian disregard for democracy and convention could and should have been stopped as it started. The media has a bigger responsibility than just to report the facts. They need to ensure that they can access the facts. If it's a ban on one, it should be a walk-out by all.
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