Welcome to the best of Crikey for the week,

It’s hard to imagine how the week leading up to today’s crucial byelection in Malcolm Turnbull’s old seat of Wentworth could have gone much worse for the government. The week opened with the government voting to endorse a phrase popularised by white supremacists — a vote that the government then immediately and incompetently walked back. It ended with yet more infighting and yet another possible leadership challenge.

Of course, dark days for the government are dark days for all of us. Guy Rundle argues the fascist violence we’ve seen across the globe is on its way here — and in that context, it’s little wonder, Helen Razer says, we fall for the foolish sentimentality of the royal visit. Elsewhere, Kate O’Halloran takes us through the hype of the AFL draft week, and Meg Watson reviews Nick “The Honey Badger” Cummins’ latest ocker offering.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

The Coalition's support for a racist motion from Pauline Hanson trashes its legacy of fighting fascism and signals a dark moment in Australian politics.

HELEN RAZER 4 minute read

On Monday, 28 ruling class arseholes did their Ordinary People act. I'm used to it. I am not quite so used to seeing them in their ordinary people drag while screeching racist rot.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

The Morrison government is coming to be characterised by misjudgement — reflecting not just a lack of experience but a lack of core values.

KATE O'HALLORAN 4 minute read

The AFL's much-hyped trade week ended last night, but for many fans, it's a welcome reprieve after a "failed" season.

CHRIS WOODS 4 minute read

Last week's IPCC report was uniquely depressing, but it was also a wake-up call. There are many ways Australia can turn this all around.

CHARLIE LEWIS 4 minute read

Embarrassing mistake? Terrifying attempt at dog-whistling? Both? We've broken down the timeline of the government's brush with white supremacist slogans.

ALANA SCHETZER 4 minute read

There are many reasons voters have backed micro-party candidates at the federal level. But will these hold up at the state level?

JASON MURPHY 4 minute read

In a talk at the Melbourne Business School this week, Hal Varian, Google's chief economist, had very few answers for the most pressing issues facing Google and its ilk.

GLENN DYER 3 minute read

The recently released Nine-Fairfax merger scheme has put the combined value of Stan and Domain at close to $2 billion. That dwarfs the value of Fairfax's newspaper services.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

A sixth leadership change in the Coalition since it was elected to office five years ago will be the perfect signal to voters that everything they hate about politics is true.

MEG WATSON 5 minute read

Nick "Honey Badger" Cummins is facing a media storm over his time as The Bachelor, but his new book and its associated image rehab tour reveals the power and appeal of the Aussie larrikin.

CHRISTOPHER WARREN 3 minute read

For most media organisations, responding to complaints is a business necessity. For the ABC, it's a means by which the government can exert control.

CHARLIE LEWIS 2 minute read

On Thursday afternoon, news broke that Guthrie was indeed proceeding with a claim against the ABC. Just what are her options?