You’d be forgiven for thinking 2018 was a dismal year in Australian politics, with backstabbing leadership tussles, inaction on climate change, race-baiting scare campaigns and sexism in question time. But in elections across the country, Australians voted in those who campaigned on a progressive platform, rejecting dog-whistling and climate scepticism. Children and teenagers went on strike from school to demand more action on climate change and sexism in parliament was called out by female parliamentarians fed up with the status quo. In the face of rising populism around the world, Australians just aren’t buying it

• Australia is lucky. That's why the ubiquity of stupid in our politics is so infuriating | Katharine Murphy