Economy
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Infrastructure Australia should be abolished
A review of Infrastructure Australia risks putting the cart in front of the horse. It should consider whether the organisation should exist. Continue reading »
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Industry policy for a changing world
The Biden administration’s ambitious new AUD 400 billion industrial policy initiative once again confronts Australia with the question of whether we want to be in the forefront of science and innovation, or way back in the slipstream. Continue reading »
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Chegg, cheating and Australian Universities
The note on Radio National’s Background Briefing on the morning of July 31 was sombre. A student, who did not divulge his real name (he is professionally pseudonymised as Ramesh), talks about services that aid him in his study. Aid is less accurate than do – given that he is working gruelling night shifts in Continue reading »
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Keith Mitchelson: What is wrong with western governments?
The imposition of neoliberalism as the theology of state has created a world-wide orthodoxy of government. Political leaders fear excommunication, or worse. Continue reading »
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Facial recognition technology down under
The language is far from reassuring. Despite being caught red handed using facial recognition technology unbeknownst to customers, a number of Australia’s large retail companies have given a meek assurance that they will “pause” their use. The naughty will only show contrition in the most qualified of ways. Continue reading »
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Avoiding a gas shortage is one thing, but what’s needed is action on prices
The Albanese government has accepted the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recommendation to “initiate the first step” to trigger the controversial Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism to avert a supply crisis in eastern Australia. Continue reading »
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Alan Pears: Climate action will drive disruptive change, but we can build on past experience…
Election May 2022 – a new beginning for climate and energy policy? Continue reading »
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The United States, in decline but still able to kill us all…
The global dominance of the United States, in so many fields, from space, to science, to entertainment, to sport, to novelty in the development of the English language, has been taken for granted, is part of our fabric of Australian existence. Continue reading »
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Monetary Policy: How far will interest rates need to rise and how fast?
In response to higher inflation since the beginning of May the Reserve Bank has aggressively increased interest rates, albeit from an exceptionally low level. From here on, however, a more cautious approach is needed. Continue reading »
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Hush – loose lips on foot and mouth scare biz
Legini and Gimah have foot and mouth. They’ve just been vaccinated privately for Rp 100,000 ($10) each. Had an Indonesian government vet wielded the syringe the cost would have been Rp 40,000, but Ibu Bambang fears officials might seize her precious charges and give no compensation. Continue reading »
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Keith Mitchelson: The thievery of British Petroleum started in Australia
Global oil companies like to be thought of positively. British Petroleum was initiated by a colonial Australian conman, and there is virtually no evidence of any improvement in its business culture since then. Continue reading »
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Do Australians pay too much income tax? Six charts on how we rank against the rest of the world
Australians pay too much income tax – or so some argue. Continue reading »
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Will 2022 be the year primary health care takes a step up?
One thing primary care has a lot of is reports about reform. But despite a significant investment in reviews, consultations, and paper over the last five years, not a single cent has been invested in transforming these words on paper into policies which benefit patients and practitioners. Even though the previous government’s ten-year primary care Continue reading »
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A national well-being budget
Every functioning household knows the importance of budgeting. No more so than when hopes, expectations and demands exceed resources available. What is possible at one moment may not be possible at another. A priority at one moment will change in different circumstances. A good budget is one that reflects the values of the household and Continue reading »
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Sri Lanka and Green Policy
Sri Lanka’s food problems do not stem entirely from Green Policies or Organic Farming as is being alleged in some media outlets, but from general economic and external pressures. Continue reading »
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Will Timor Sea oil and gas go begging?
The Attorney-General dropped the case against Bernard Collaery on July 7. Dreyfus’ announcement has greatly improved our relationship with Timor Leste and opened the door for smoother negotiations between Australian oil and gas companies and the Timorese government. That relationship is now oiling the wheels for further explorations in the Timor Sea but the wheels Continue reading »
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Why am I so busy: the paradox of busyness in the modern world with so many pointless jobs
Walk through any work place and ask how people are going, most will respond – busy. Continue reading »
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Restoring integrity to Commonwealth infrastructure spending
The new Parliament should take responsibility for dealing with pork barrelling – not pass the buck to an integrity commission. 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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Why Albanese needs to protect capitalism from capitalists
One of the first things Anthony Albanese and his cabinet have to decide is whether the government will be ‘‘pro-business’’ or ‘‘pro-market’’. Continue reading »
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The minimum wage decision, inflation and the low paid
The Real Unit Labour Cost is presently 20 per cent lower than it was in 1986 meaning the growth in productivity gains to employers has been substantially higher than the growth in real wages. Continue reading »
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If only…..Australia
It would be easy to develop a history of recent Australian history around the theme of if only. Continue reading »
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Wages and the cost of living
An increase in the wages of the lowest paid employees, so that they can keep pace with the cost of living, is unlikely to lead to higher unemployment. Instead, it may well help improve overall economic outcomes. Continue reading »
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Albanese and minimum wages. Should the government support a 5.1% increase ?
There has never been a better time to increase minimum wages than now. And there has never been a bigger need. Continue reading »
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What a new Minister should do about trade policies and trade justice
As you go to the polling booth on May 21, your candidates will be asking for your vote to repair an economy hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, floods, and fire. But before you entrust them with your vote, you should also ask how their party’s trade policies will help or hinder the national recovery. Continue reading »
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The Coalition is guaranteeing essential services and lower tax. We can’t have both
In the midst of Labor’s campaign about the cost of living, the Coalition has zeroed in on one of those costs – taxes – and guaranteed to stop them rising. Continue reading »
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Dancing on the edge of calamity
Our leaders are blindly dancing on the edge of calamity sternly refusing to look at the quagmire opening below them. The blindfold that Morrison has firmly tied around his own eyes, and which Albanese has failed to pull from his, is our obsession with a long term cap on tax at 23.9% of GDP – Continue reading »
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Stagnating living standards under Morrison
Living standards have stagnated since the Coalition was elected to government, but in the Budget it is now forecasting an improved performance. How likely is this? Continue reading »
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Which party is the better economic manager? Neither!
The reality is that neither of the major parties can reasonably claim to be ‘better economic managers’ than the other. Continue reading »
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Don’t believe what you hear about fuel excise and road funding in the forthcoming election campaign
It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that road spending is way too high, priorities are wrong, and there is a roads empire which is out of control. Continue reading »
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