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The September 13 Edition

Our love affair with home ownership, which flourished in the post-World War II boom, has been put to the test in recent years with soaring house prices. New data in June, which showed the average cost of a home nationwide had passed the $1  million mark, firmly reinforced that the Great Australian Dream has never been more out of reach. This sobering milestone prompted yet more discussion about the factors at play when it comes to housing supply and affordability – or the lack thereof – and what the possible solutions might be. Our story today on housing cooperatives explores one lower-cost option available in the notoriously expensive Swiss market and poses an interesting question: what if  home ownership had no profit motive and no capital gains? The idea that property ownership does not play a role in wealth creation would certainly require a recalibration of attitudes here in Australia. Whether these cooperatives will reshape how the world thinks about affordable housing remains to be seen. – Melissa Stevens, editor

13 stories

She stood by her mother Gisèle Pelicot in France’s shocking rape trial. They no longer speak

Caroline Darian supported her mum as her father was revealed to be a sexual predator. Yet on realising she was his “second victim”, she felt abandoned.

  • Celia Walden
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Tania Zambrano Ovalle and her husband Jean-Gilles Decosterd live in Le Bled with their 11-year-old twins.

Does the solution to the housing crisis lie in this upmarket Swiss neighbourhood?

What if home ownership had no profit motive and no capital gains? A “third way” between renting and buying could be the answer.

  • Thomas Fuller
The Elder’s, a small group of political giants meet in secret to discuss the world’s conflicts.

‘No armies, no budgets’: The quiet power of the planet’s most private peacemakers

Since 2007, a group of retired political giants and humanitarian leaders founded by Nelson Mandela has met to tackle global existential threats.

  • Mick Brown
Shamikh Badra (left), 38, and Mohammed Saleh: “When Mo arrived at Sydney airport it was like a dream,” Badra says, “as if Gaza had walked into the room.”

Mohammed asked Shamikh to save his family in Gaza. His friend went one better

After meeting on a Gaza beach as teenagers, Shamikh and Mohammed have been fighting for justice in Palestine – and for each other – ever since.

  • Tim Elliott
M Gessen

‘The flavour of the forbidden’: Russian-born author M Gessen’s unusual teen rebellion

The Russian-American journalist on the risks of making regimes angry, moving to the West – and friendships destroyed by global conflicts.

  • Benjamin Law

A disconnected phone is giving people a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones

Rotary-dial phones left in nature are helping some people finally say the things they’d wanted to express – but couldn’t.

  • Paul Connolly
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Laura Dern pairs paisley at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival.

High-end hippie: Seven looks for spring from $30

How to channel this season’s bohemian vibe with paisley prints.

  • Damian Woolnough

Just one peg for my wife’s undies? It’s a hanging offence

While women hang out their washing with meticulous care, men just sling clothes on in random orientations: our Modern Guru reports from the clothesline.

  • Danny Katz

Why do so many of our everyday Aussie sayings relate to food?

It’s a tough question to crack, writes Terry Durack.

  • Terry Durack
Serve up with some dressed leaves.
EASY

Zucchini and ricotta tart

This simple, picnic-friendly tart is a versatile recipe for this time of year.

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Julia Busuttil Nishimura
Canvas has panoramic views of Sydney Cove.
Good Food hat15/20

The MCA’s terrace has long had stunning harbour views. Now it has the food to match

Appointing a revolving door of high-profile chefs may sound risky but the approach is already paying off at revamped level-four fine-diner, Canvas.

  • Callan Boys
Staff in national costume at Otakoi Ukrainian Restaurant.
14/20

‘The food, oh the food! It’s so good’: This homespun Chapel Street venue will ‘wow’ you

I walk into a lot of restaurants. I can’t remember the last time I was transported like this, writes Dani Valent.

  • Dani Valent
Good Weekend quiz September 13, 2025.

Can you score a perfect 25 in the Good Weekend quiz?

Trivia buffs: test your knowledge with today’s interactive superquiz.

Other editions

The March 21 edition

Stephanie Alexander and The Cook’s Companion at 30 | Free-diver Ant Williams | Debra Adelaide and Gabrielle Carey | How to deliver a baby on a plane

  • 11 stories

The March 14 edition

The high-strung, low-key world champ who could become our most-capped swimmer | Ukraine’s world-leading robotics work | Filmmaking at -50C | Consoling a friend

  • 13 stories