30th January 2014 The New South Wales Parliament passed sweeping legislative changes today, including controversial mandatory minimum sentences and CBD lock outs, in response to so called ‘alcohol-fuelled violence’. In related news, democracy in NSW sculled half a beer, before proceeding to pass out in a pool of its own …

It’s a familiar pattern. Take the recent surge in stories of alcohol-related incidents with tragic endings; add an overwhelming amount of pressure from state media outlets, and it’s only a matter of time before Parliament must act. Last week, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell completed the moral panic cycle, announcing a …

Every year, a week or two before January 26th rolls around, my face begins to uncontrollably tighten into a cringe that lasts until supermarkets stop selling Union Jack bumbags, bikinis or historically shady t-shirts. Up there with ANZAC Day, Sydney to Hobart Day (otherwise known as ‘Boxing Day Sales Day’) and …