Dear Australia, from Hong Kong, China10 Feb

January 20: cars floating off the Great Ocean Road; Sydney sewer sharks and tennis

In Australia, January decided subtlety was overrated. Along the Great Ocean Road, tents, caravans, and the nation’s collective sense of normal weather were swept to sea by a “freak storm” — which, given the last few years, seems less “freak” and more “standard operating procedure.” Meanwhile, Sydney offered its own natural spectacle: a chain reaction beginning with torrential rain, followed by sewage overflow, then baitfish, and finally sharks. It’s the food chain — with extra steps and worse PR.

In Parliament, Anthony Albanese has united the nation in disagreement by bundling gun reform and hate speech laws into one bill — a move greeted by the opposition with the enthusiasm usually reserved for a vegetarian sausage sizzle. Having demanded faster action, they are now furious that action has been taken quickly. A magnificent display of political physics: equal parts hypocrisy and conservation of outrage.

And in Melbourne, the Australian Open continues its noble mission to remind Australians that “Eala” is not pronounced “Eel-ah.” Filipina star Alexandra Eala became the first woman from her country to enter the top 50 — and although she lost, she left the court with dignity intact, which, for an Australian politician, would currently qualify as a major upset.

Music played:

Yara - Common Sense

Kylie Auldist - Get In the Game

The Black Cockatoos - Feelin' It

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