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Category Archives: Economy
IAN McAULEY. Reclaiming the ideas of economics: Aspiration
“Aspiration” used to mean something more noble than greed. We need to claim it back.
KIM WINGEREI. The Curious Case of a Telco Merger Opposed
On one side of the courtroom: TPG, a consumer-oriented telco grown large on acquisitions and minimalist customer service, run by a reclusive billionaire. Next to them is Vodafone, a mobile carrier with a global brand, the perennial number three in … Continue reading
Posted in Economy
4 Comments
TONY SMITH. CEO remuneration and socio-economic decline
Superannuation investors are keenly interested in income distribution patterns. They also monitor the ethics of companies in which they might invest. Recently they published a report of research into the Australian Stock Exchange’s top 100 Chief Executive Officers. The report … Continue reading
Posted in Economy
5 Comments
NOEL TURNBULL. 181 CEOs take on Milton Friedman
When 181 US chief executives, organised by the Business Roundtable, issued a “collective statement on the purpose of the corporation” it caused fury among some investors and economists; joy among some activists; cynicism among other activists; and, horror among conservative … Continue reading
Posted in Economy
2 Comments
CLINTON FERNANDES. Worried about agents of foreign influence? Just look at who owns Australia’s biggest companies (Conversation 12-9-19)
The attention being given to possible covert influence being exercised by China in Australia shouldn’t distract us from recognising that very overt foreign influence now occurs through investment.
Posted in Economy, Politics
3 Comments
IAN McAULEY. Reclaiming the ideas of economics
Against all evidence there is a widespread belief that the Coalition is more competent in economic management than Labor. In part this is because it has appropriated the language of economics to suit its own ideological agenda.
ABUL RIZVI: Morrison’s Mixed Messages on Migration
A string of immigration related articles in The Australian on 5 September 2019 and on 7 September 2019 again dutifully conveyed the Government’s mixed messages on immigration policy without asking a single question about the inherent inconsistencies and loss of … Continue reading
Posted in Economy, Refugees, Immigration
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COLIN BROWN. The Indonesia-Australia Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA): A Game Changer? (Australian Outlook, 5 Sep 2019)
Despite their geographical proximity, Australia and Indonesia are minor trading partners. In 2018, Australian merchandise exports to Indonesia were valued at just $6,823 million, and imports from Indonesia $4,996 million. Trade in services was smaller still, as the exports to … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Economy, International Affairs
Comments Off on COLIN BROWN. The Indonesia-Australia Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA): A Game Changer? (Australian Outlook, 5 Sep 2019)
RAGHURAM G. RAJAN. The True Toll of the Trade War (Project Syndicate, 5 Sep 2019)
Another day, another attack on trade. Why is it that every dispute – whether over intellectual property (IP), immigration, environmental damage, or war reparations – now produces new threats to trade?
Posted in Economy, International Affairs
1 Comment
MICHAEL PASCOE. While Canberra ignores the RBA, the world pays attention (The New Daily 27-8-19)
The federal government is increasingly giving Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe the cold shoulder while the world’s central banks are paying him serious attention.
Posted in Economy, Politics
2 Comments
BILL CLEMENTS. Grain silos and war memorials
In 2008, archaeologists from the University of Chicago discovered ancient grain storage silos in Southern Egypt. Made from mud brick, they were there when Jacob’s sons, in a time of famine, came seeking grain. We are fortunate that these silos … Continue reading
Posted in Defence/Security, Economy
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ALEX COBHAM. We Could Eliminate Extreme Global Poverty If Multinationals Paid Their Taxes. (Truthout 18-8-19)
International tax rules have reached a crossroads. The reform programannounced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) this summer represents the last chance for the Organisation’s club of rich countries to find an approach that can curtail the … Continue reading
Posted in Economy, Human Rights
1 Comment
SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media
IAN McAULEY. Tuvalu, climate change and Westminster
The conventional wisdom is that Morrison’s intransigence on climate change, which has badly damaged our relations in the Pacific, is due to the arithmetic of his slim parliamentary majority. But why do we have to assume that our two-party “Westminster” … Continue reading
Posted in Economy, Politics
3 Comments
SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media
HAIQING YU. Inside the world of the Chinese shoppers who are unnerving Australians.
Reports on daigou (personal shoppers) in Australia have evoked mixed feelings about Chinese presence and influence in Australian everyday and economic lives.
Posted in Economy
Comments Off on HAIQING YU. Inside the world of the Chinese shoppers who are unnerving Australians.
CHRISTOPHER SHEIL & FRANK STILWELL. The continuing redistribution of Australia’s wealth, upwards
The recent release of the results of the ABS’s biennial survey of income and wealth met a critical response, perhaps due to a slip-shod press release. The official statistician’s headline read: ‘Inequality stable since 2013-14’. In summary, the ABS announced, … Continue reading
SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media
SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media
Posted in Economy
Comments Off on SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media
Posted in Economy
Comments Off on SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
MICHELLE PINI. Newstart, wage theft and big fat ducks (Independent Australia)
“Having a go” just to put food on the table? Unless you’re a well-fed restaurateur or politician, it’s unlikely that you’ll “get a go” from this Government.
Posted in Economy
3 Comments
BE SEO. Australia is turning into a car park for dirty vehicles (AFR 15.7.2019)
Australia’s most popular cars emit between 8 and 42 per cent more carbon dioxide than their UK counterparts, raising concerns that the country has become a parking lot for dirty vehicles.
Posted in Economy, Environment and climate
Comments Off on BE SEO. Australia is turning into a car park for dirty vehicles (AFR 15.7.2019)
SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media
PERCY ALLAN. How to Avoid a Recession – why QI should replace QE
Both the IMF and the OECD say that monetary policy is largely exhausted so fiscal policy should now be used to ramp up economic growth held back by the triple Ds of high Debt, ageing Demographics and disruptive Digitisation (including … Continue reading
Posted in Economy
6 Comments
MARTIN WOLF. Legacy of Bretton Woods is under threat (Financial Times 11.7.2019)
Trumpian populism is destroying 70 years of global economic co-operation. What can we put in its place?
Posted in Economy
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KIM WINGEREI. Facebook Libra Pitching for World Domination
Facebook’s Libra launch has the potential to propel Facebook into a major player in consumer payments and credit services and may turn out to be one of the most profound change to world’s financial systems since the abolishment of the … Continue reading
Posted in Economy
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JOHN MENADUE. Here we go again- attacking unions and ‘red tape’.
With no policy agenda and with the economy sagging, the Morrison government(‘We are the good economic managers’) intends to take us back to what Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey offered us six years ago, an attack on the trade unions … Continue reading
Posted in Economy
5 Comments
MUNGO MACCALLUM. Morrison cranks out surplus fetish
Scott Morrison has a new obsession – the budget surplus. In spite of his assurances to the contrary, this has not actually been delivered, and there are growing doubts that it will be – the storm clouds, the head winds … Continue reading
Posted in Economy
11 Comments
SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media
Posted in Economy, Politics
2 Comments
MONIQUE ROSS. Why the Pharmacy Guild is the most powerful lobby group you’ve never heard of (ABC News)
It’s been called the most influential lobby group in Australia, and some believe it has the power to bring down a government if it really flexed its muscle.