Tom Clark

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Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Oscars 2022: 5 experts on the wins, the emotions, the music – and the bold frocks on the runway

Ari Mattes, University of Notre Dame Australia; Claire Whitley, Flinders University; Gregory Camp, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Harriette Richards, The University of Melbourne, and Tom Clark, Victoria University

The Power of the Dog may have lead the pack when it came to nominations, but the big winner of the night was the understated CODA.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Oscars 2021: 5 experts on the wins, the words, the wearable art and a big year for women

Julia Erhart, Flinders University; Ari Mattes, University of Notre Dame Australia; Dan Golding, Swinburne University of Technology; Harriette Richards, RMIT University, and Tom Clark, Victoria University

This year, with shrinking audiences and pandemic restrictions, there was a bitter irony in the fact women won more Oscars, across new and highly visible categories, than ever before.
Who took the points in the first leaders’ debate of the 2016 campaign? AAP/Tracey Nearmy

Turnbull and Shorten face off in leaders’ debate: experts respond

Natalie Mast, The University of Western Australia; Brian McNair, Queensland University of Technology; Bronwyn Hinz, Victoria University; Jane Hall, University of Technology Sydney; Saul Eslake, University of Tasmania, and Tom Clark, Victoria University

The Conversation’s experts respond to the first Turnbull-Shorten debate with an eye across key policy areas and the leaders’ performances.
Noel Pearson’s speech has been hailed as one of the great Australian political speeches. What were its stylistic characteristics? AAP Image/Fairfax Pool, Peter Rae

A closer look at Noel Pearson’s eulogy for Gough Whitlam

Tom Clark, Victoria University

Gough Whitlam was a prime minister unsuccessful in three of his five federal election campaigns, including 1975’s extremely divisive contest. Somehow, though, his death has sparked an outpouring of kind…
‘Non-Indigenous Australian’ is one of the most multicultural ethnic identities in human history. Leigh Griffiths

Non‑Indigenous Australians have to reconcile their needs

Tom Clark, Victoria University

We know there will soon be a referendum on recognising Australia’s original inhabitants in the constitution – so what’s at stake? The answer is crucial for the policy approach we now call Aboriginal Reconciliation…
With Python, audience members are primarily laughing for their own memories of laughing. Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

Monty Python’s reunion gives you a funny feeling again? Luxury!

Tom Clark, Victoria University

The Monty Python crew have put many caveats on their upcoming reunion shows, which starts in London today and will be simulcast live around the world. Perhaps this quote from John Cleese rings truest of…
Sometimes satire loses the capacity to do its job. Paul Garrett

Knights, dames – be honest, Australia, you love it

Tom Clark, Victoria University

Say what you like about knights and dames – they know how to cause a stir. This week we witnessed one of those moments when satire loses the capacity to do its job. On Tuesday Prime Minister Tony Abbott…
45 seconds. One billion viewers. No pressure. Richard Harbaugh/EPA

Oscars speeches dos and don’ts – some lessons from history

Tom Clark, Victoria University

For some they’re tearful, for others fearful; and for those of us watching they’re sometimes too much to bear. Oscars acceptance speeches offer a microcosmic view into a microcosm: a small world writ large…
The existence of a dispute tells us more than its adjudication is ever likely to. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Keating’s Redfern speech is still worth fighting over

Tom Clark, Victoria University

The Redfern Park Speech, given by former Australian prime minister Paul Keating on December 10 1992, was a speech worth fighting for. It captured harsh truths about Australian history; it used those as…
Scott Morrison has defended his directive for asylum seekers to be called ‘illegal maritime arrivals’. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

Calling a boat person a spade: Australia’s asylum seeker rhetoric

Tom Clark, Victoria University

Immigration minister Scott Morrison is new to government, but he is a seasoned campaigner on Australia’s response to boat people. He knows how to get attention on this issue and he knows how to use the…
Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott have faced off in a televised debate for the third and final time this election campaign. AAP/Lukas Coch

Rooty Hill people’s forum: experts respond

Tom Clark, Victoria University; Andy Ruddock, Monash University; David Holmes, Monash University; Joseph Fernandez, Curtin University, and Stephanie Brookes, Monash University

Prime minister Kevin Rudd and opposition leader Tony Abbott faced off tonight for the third time in the 2013 election campaign at the Rooty Hill RSL Club in Sydney’s western suburbs. In the town hall-style…
Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott have faced off in a second debate - this time, a ‘people’s forum’ in front of 100 undecided voters. AAP/Lukas Coch

Rudd vs Abbott people’s forum: experts respond

Tom Clark, Victoria University; David Holmes, Monash University; David Maguire, Murdoch University; Denis Muller, The University of Melbourne; Fabrizio Carmignani, Griffith University; Joseph Fernandez, Curtin University; Marcus O'Donnell, University of Wollongong, and Sean Rintel, The University of Queensland

Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott have met in a “town hall” style leaders’ debate at the Broncos Leagues Club in Brisbane. Abbott and Rudd took questions from an audience of 100 undecided voters on issues from…

Defeat and critique amidst the boredom

Tom Clark, Victoria University

A week of denouement has seen a broad consensus emerge on how the two most powerful parties are faring in their opposed quests. Labor is losing, and it is not likely the Liberals will let them stop that…

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