All Articles
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Bring Home the Suffering Australian Children and their Mothers in Syrian Camps
The Albanese government has had bequeathed to it several unresolved human rights scandals which together have severely shrunk the moral character of Australia and Australians. Notable among them has been the plight of Australian overseas citizens who have fallen from grace. Continue reading »
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Weekly roundup Saturday 25 June
Weekly roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy. Continue reading »
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The Asian Media this Week
Uncomfortable choices between US and China; support for stronger Japanese military role; Marles moves closer to India; Myanmar military oppression worsens; South Korea joins space race. Continue reading »
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Environment: Can capitalism deliver the future we want?
We need to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions, not just CO2. Solar and wind slowly replacing coal as Australia’s source of electricity. Sydney and Canberra middle of the pack for sustainability. Continue reading »
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African youths make it clear they prefer China over US
The 2022 African Youth Survey released on Monday has sent shock waves across the world. China has surpassed the United States as having the biggest positive influence among African youths. Continue reading »
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It is critical that the housing bubble is safely deflated
Stratospheric housing prices are perhaps the most critical domestic issue in Australia. Not only are a collapse of the housing bubble and a recession now threatening, but homelessness and rent stress, unaddressed and exploited, can quickly fester into ugly politics. Continue reading »
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Ann Wright: Largest ever US and Nato naval war drills in Pacific a threat to both peace and marine life
Military posturing in the Asia-Pacific also risks nuclear war and the potential extinction of the human species. Continue reading »
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The United States- the Pacific bully
The US dominates the Pacific Islands to an extent China can never hope to achieve. With Australia’s support, the US is now engaged in an arms build-up in its Pacific territories and de-facto colonies in a little known boost to its containment of China. Continue reading »
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New Heads of Departments in Canberra
The appointments announced by the Prime Minister on Wednesday 22 June seem mostly sensible, offering the APS a more professional leadership which can both provide strong support for the Government and demonstrate its impartiality in its policy advising and management of programs. Continue reading »
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Government benefits from Opposition’s divisions
The new Albanese Labor Government is facing a host of difficult problems that will thoroughly test its capacity to govern, but politically it is in an enviable position enjoyed by none of its predecessors in the past half a century and more. Continue reading »
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EPBC Act and regional landscape and resilience plans
The new Australian Government is well positioned to pick up the challenges from the Samuel review of the EPBC Act and the IPCC’s adverse comments on Australia’s institutional performance in managing climate risks. A way forward could involve formal recognition of a regional landscape planning approach in partnership with States and Territories. Continue reading »
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The Teals will force the Greens to get smart at last
John Menadue asks whether the Greens can avoid the perfect obstructing the good. The Teals will force the Greens to Get Smart. Continue reading »
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US will stop being a democracy most Americans say
MOST Republicans and Democrats believe that the United States will cease to be a democracy, according to a new poll by Yahoo News and YouGov. Continue reading »
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Picking up the pieces in the cultural sector – but where to put them?
The recent Federal election was greeted with much relief by the cultural sector, and understandably so. As Tony Burke said in his first speech as Arts Minister: “The nine-year political attack on the arts and entertainment sector is now over. The neglect, the contempt and the sabotage of the previous government has ended.” The culture Continue reading »
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The U.S. – China dispute over the Taiwan Strait’s legal regime
In the most recent flap over the legal regime governing passage of warships through the Taiwan Strait, both China and the U.S. are partially right –and partially wrong. Continue reading »
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Keith Mitchelson. How long, how long the climate blues
Chris Bowen has announced reconfiguration of the energy generation system will not ‘commence until 2025’. Can Labor and Australia wait that long? Continue reading »
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Reflections on Criminal Justice in Hong Kong since 1997
The judiciary, the prosecutions division and the police force have all faced great challenges since 1997, and they have all learnt from their experiences and emerged stronger.That is not what the anti-China media have told us. Continue reading »
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The value of the Federal Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the worth of its non-legal members
The Federal Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) serves an important role for the citizens of Australia. Its value and the work of its members including its non-legal members need to be more widely appreciated and supported. Continue reading »
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RYAN YOUNG. Elon Musk’s gambit: Twitter and Free Speech
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has sharpened philosophical and epistemic differences over speech and content moderation. He will create an interesting natural experiment between different moderation approaches on platforms, if he is successful in changing the philosophical attitudes at Twitter. Continue reading »
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What now for government in Australia?
Now that the ALP has formed a government, we should ask what it can practically do to restore governance in Australia and convince the Australia public of the massive task it, and the public confront, in the face of so many festering problems. This task will not be easy, but a comprehensive narrative will have Continue reading »
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Tripartite bargain on Immigration Policy
Given current skill shortages and how gummed up the visa processing system has become, the new Government will need a focussed strategy on what needs to be fixed first. Continue reading »
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The Outlook for Living Standards: Part 3
Previously Part 1 of this article assessed the impact on living standards from surging prices relative to wage growth, and rising interest rates. Yesterday, Part 2 considered what the new Labor Government can do to lift the rate of wage growth relative to prices. Today, Part 3 discusses how best to respond to the two Continue reading »
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The scourge of lobbyists and a role for the Greens and Teal. A revised post from Jan. 3 2022
Regulation of the way we manage lobbying in Australia is an even more important issue than a National Integrity Commission. The lobbying of governments around the world by the fossil fuel industry is a major reason for the Climate Emergency we now face.. Continue reading »
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Anti-China is in the Australian DNA
Is there any hope for Australia-China relations? I have spent most of a 60 year career on the periphery of those relations – in Canberra, Hong Kong, Moscow and Japan, with some time in China mainly during the crucial Cultural Revolution period. Continue reading »
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Attorney-General’s has not been a recent friend of real law reform
Those in favour of a strong and effective integrity commission, including the retired judges who have done so much to outline the need, should be very suspicious of the central role being accorded the Attorney-General’s department. Continue reading »
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The Crimes of Julian Assange!
The US wants to cover up the crimes that Julian Assange exposed. Assange… Continue reading »
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China, a country of the mind
China has always been a country of the mind, a big Rorschach test into which we pour all our dreams or hopes of good and evil. But it has rarely matched those dreams. Continue reading »
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The UN Human Rights report on Israel and Australia’s welcome statement
The UN special Human Rights investigation into Palestine/Israel which found Israel to be primarily responsible for ongoing unrest and violence received a strong rebuke from the US, which in turn sought support from its allies to sign its statement. Australia declined to do so, issuing its own statement. Continue reading »
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The Outlook for Living Standards: Part 2
Yesterday Part 1 of this article assessed the impact on living standards from surging prices relative to wage growth, and rising interest rates. Today, Part 2 will consider what the new Labor Government can do to lift the rate of wage growth relative to prices, and tomorrow Part 3 will consider how best to respond Continue reading »
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If Albanese asks for Assange’s freedom, Biden has every reason to agree: Bob Carr
Two years ago at my local ALP branch, I moved a motion urging the party to support dropping extradition proceedings against Julian Assange. Maroubra ALP is not inner city. It might be regarded as a bastion of the right. The motion was carried, near unanimously. After the debate, one member came up and said: “I Continue reading »
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