You would be unlikely to turn to a publication like ours seeking breaking news stories and up-to-the-minute debate. A journal that comes out once every three months does not lend itself to the fast-paced world of contemporary news media. Still, in usual circumstances a canny author can tailor their writing to remain relevant for at least a quarter of a year. In usual circumstance an author can make educated guesses and rely on at least a few assumptions about what the future will hold. But when writing about politics in this country, there no longer seem to be any usual circumstances.

In the last issue, Anne Summers wrote about the expectations and particular challenges that confront women in power, drawing on the experience of Julia Gillard to make her case. Barely had the ink dried on that issue of Meanjin before Gillard was ousted, debate about the role of gender in politics exploded briefly and then diminished, and Summers’ count of countries led by women diminished by one. How does any author contribute meaningfully to the political debate when the ground is shifting so significantly and at such speed?