The Monthly

The Monthly is an Australian monthly magazine of politics, culture and the arts founded in 2005. It publishes long-form journalism, essays and criticism engaging contemporary Australian debates involving figures from Australian Labor Party, Liberal Party of Australia, High Court of Australia, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne and cultural institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Festival and St Kilda Festival. The publication has featured contributions by writers and commentators connected to entities including Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review and international outlets such as The New Yorker, The Guardian, The Economist and Foreign Affairs.

History

The magazine was established in 2005 amid debates following events like the Iraq War, the 2004 Australian federal election and policy contests around the Howard government. Its founding coincided with cultural responses to productions at Opera Australia and scholarship at Australian National University, with early funding and patronage drawn from donors linked to institutions such as Sidney Myer Fund, Myer Foundation, Macquarie Group and business figures connected to Westpac, Commonwealth Bank and ANZ. Over time editorial leadership and governance engaged personalities with ties to University of New South Wales, La Trobe University, Monash University and public intellectuals who participated in forums at Melbourne Writers Festival, Sydney Writers' Festival and panels at the Lowy Institute. The magazine’s timeline intersects with national controversies including the 2007 Australian federal election, the Gillard government, the Rudd government, debates over the Gonski Report and inquiries such as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Editorial Profile and Contributors

Editorially the publication positions itself within debates involving journalists, novelists, academics and critics associated with Commonwealth Literary Fund-era networks, with contributors drawn from backgrounds at Australian Book Review, Griffith Review, Quadrant, Meanjin, Wesleyan University, Columbia University and institutions such as Oxford University and Harvard University. Regular contributors have included commentators who write about figures like Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Paul Keating, John Howard, Bob Hawke and analysts with links to think tanks such as the Centre for Independent Studies, Australia Institute, Grattan Institute and Lowy Institute. Literary and arts contributors often have affiliations with publishers and festivals including Allen & Unwin, Penguin Books Australia, Bloomsbury, Text Publishing, Currency Press, Sydney Festival and the Adelaide Festival. The masthead has at times included editors and advisors with careers stretching through roles at ABC News, SBS, The Australian, The Age and academic appointments at University of Queensland and Australian Catholic University.

Content and Features

The magazine runs essays, reportage, fiction and poetry, often engaging historical topics such as the Vietnam War, the Gallipoli Campaign, the White Australia policy and public debates tied to the Treaty of Waitangi and regional issues involving Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, China and United States. Features frequently profile figures in arts and letters like Patrick White, Tim Winton, Peter Carey, Helen Garner, Germaine Greer, David Malouf, Les Murray and critics who review exhibitions at Tate Modern, Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Victoria and productions by Bell Shakespeare or analyses of films by directors such as Peter Weir and Baz Luhrmann. The magazine also publishes long investigations into public policy arenas including climate debates involving Liberal Party of Australia, Labor Party (UK), international accords like the Paris Agreement, economic reportage referencing Reserve Bank of Australia decisions and pieces on legal matters touching the High Court of Australia and landmark cases such as Mabo v Queensland (No 2).

Circulation and Reception

Circulation and subscriptions are measured against peers including The Monthly Magazine (18th century), The Australian Financial Review, The Monthly Review and literary journals such as Meanjin and Griffith Review. The publication has been reviewed in outlets including The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC Radio National, The Australian and international commentary in The Guardian and The New York Times on specific essays. It has received awards and nominations connected to prizes such as the Walkley Awards, the Miles Franklin Award (via contributors), the Australian Book Industry Awards and journalism prizes administered by organisations like Public Interest Journalism Foundation and university-based fellowships at University of Melbourne and Australian National University.

Controversies and Criticism

The magazine has been subject to critique over perceived political alignments, fundraising ties and editorial decisions, provoking commentary from figures at Liberal Party of Australia, Australian Labor Party, intellectuals associated with University of Sydney and journalists from The Australian. Specific controversies have intersected with reporting on the Asylum seeker policy, the War on Terror, commentary on Indigenous Australian affairs and polemics involving public intellectuals such as Germaine Greer and debates around institutional sponsorship by entities like Macquarie Group and philanthropic arms including the Myer Foundation. Criticism has appeared across media including Sky News Australia, ABC News, The Guardian and op-eds in The Australian Financial Review.

Category:Magazines published in Australia Category:English-language magazines Category:Monthly magazines