Policy
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25 years of reviews and policy statements: What do they reveal about Australia’s R&D challenges?
Australia’s ability to harness the full potential of its research and development (R&D) capacity has been a subject of intense scrutiny for at least 25 years. Continue reading »
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Policymakers confused about compost
Food waste collection services have dominated the discussion around landfill emissions recently. With a lot of things happening in the organic waste sector, I have recently mapped and met with many small-scale composters around Australia, to get an idea of the contribution that decentralised organic waste processing could make towards landfill reduction targets. The pattern Continue reading »
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The US sees China through the dark mirror of its own unbridled aggression
As China grows and prospers many in the US want us to believe that China will follow the same path that the US itself pursued – global military aggression, the overthrow of numerous governments around the world and persecution of minorities at home. (A repost from February 2023.) Continue reading »
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Dutton’s policy exposes the Liberals as slow learners
Prudent public policy seeks to protect us against black swan events. Black Swan Theory (BST) is a metaphor that describes a rare, unexpected event that has a huge impact and is difficult to predict. These events are considered outliers because there is no past data to indicate when they could occur. Continue reading »
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Reframing wealth: A stark disconnect between wealth and poverty
Australia is often celebrated as a wealthy nation, with a prosperity that is purportedly shared across its population. However, such assertions crumble under scrutiny. According to the 2021 census, 122,494 Australians were denied the basic right of shelter due to their inability to afford housing. This stark reality reveals the vast and growing chasm between Continue reading »
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Asian Americans also shifted to Trump this November: Afterthoughts
On November 5, Donald J. Trump was widely reported to have won a big U.S. presidential election victory. A key factor was his success in attracting more of American minority voters than usual: Latinos and Blacks. Indeed, this made a difference. Continue reading »
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Decriminalising drugs: “Open secret that most of the NSW Cabinet now support major drug law reform”
As Francis Hodgson Burnett said more than a century ago “at first people refuse to believe that strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done – then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries Continue reading »
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Will Climate 200 be precocious and put out “Donfather’s” wildfire?
Simon Holmes a Court tries hard to be politically unaligned, but I wonder if it is time for his baby, Climate 200, to grow up overnight and banish the scourge of our Two- Party-Preferred electoral duopoly (2PP). Continue reading »
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CSIRO patiently and methodically slaps down Peter Dutton’s nuclear nonsense
Australia’s premier scientific organisation, the CSIRO, has patiently and methodically slapped down the major nuclear talking points promoted by Coalition leader Peter Dutton in its latest GenCost report, which confirms – yet again – that integrated wind and solar are easily the cheapest option. Continue reading »
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Politicking wins, vulnerable people lose out
Isn’t it better to hold on to integrity, uplift the lives of the most vulnerable in our society and risk losing an election, rather than win an election through the brutal treatment of society’s most vulnerable people? Continue reading »
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Climate policy is on a collision course with physical reality
There is a chasm in outlook between the global climate policy-making elite with their focus on distant goals, market solutions and non-disruptive change, and activists and key researchers who see the world hurtling towards climate breakdown and social collapse. Continue reading »
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Are we locked in a dangerous illusion?
Two weeks ago, I was at a public event in Northern NSW listening to five speakers reflect on the state of the climate and what we might do about it – that, at least, was how it was pitched. Continue reading »
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Urgent case for statecraft on green iron and steel to secure Australia’s future prosperity
A handful of years ago, South Australia’s Whyalla steelworks, owned by British industrialist Sanjeeev Gupta, was touted as the potential birthplace of an Australian green iron and steel industry. Today, the mounting crisis at Whyalla brings sharply into focus both the risks and opportunities of this pivotal moment in Australia’s energy transition, and the transition Continue reading »
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Environmental breakdown: We have been warned
Sometimes a single event can throw global problems into sharp relief. The recent flood in Spain is one such phenomenon. If past experience is anything to go by, however, the implications of this catastrophic ‘weather event’ are likely to be studiously ignored by those in a position to do something about them. Continue reading »
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Devil in the detail of UAE trade deal reveals failure on Labor policy
The Labor government has a policy which requires enforceable commitments to internationally recognised labour rights and environmental standards in trade agreements, and to safeguard the rights of First Nations peoples and women. The announcement of negotiations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last year surprised many because the UAE has not ratified some basic labour Continue reading »
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Pro-Israel Democrats brought down their own party
For many years, American politicians have recited and acted in accordance with the “truism” that “no politician ever lost an election by being too pro-Israel.” Continue reading »
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Energy market governance can unlock $19b for consumers through local solutions
The need to restructure energy planning and regulation in Australia has been apparent for over a decade, since households and businesses began rapidly installing solar panels on their roofs, flipping the traditional one-way, large-scale supply of electricity into a two-way, consumer-led transition. There needs to be thorough expert consideration on how best to facilitate this Continue reading »
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A dangerous move toward a modern-day Stolen Generation
By focusing on punitive programs instead of community-driven support over a ‘youth crime crisis’ that did not exist, the incoming Queensland LNP government appears to be blind to the systemic issues that drive children toward vulnerability. Their policies will reinforce a cycle of criminalisation that will haunt our communities for generations. Continue reading »
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Earth’s water cycle off balance for ‘First Time in Human History’
“We must reshape our shared relationship with water, across borders and cultures, for sustainable, impactful, and just transitions,” says the global commission behind a new report. Continue reading »
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Beyond the rankings: Benchmarking for real university success
It’s ranking season again, and universities are once more fixated on their positions in global league tables. These rankings, such as those from Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings, often shape decisions for students and funders alike. While an institution’s rise in the rankings can be celebrated as a success, a drop can Continue reading »
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The hollowing-out of governance in contemporary Australia
Despite claims to the contrary, Australia is not a well governed country. At all levels of politics, in businesses large and small, and in the wider society, governance systems right across the country have been hollowed-out. Continue reading »
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Sulking over China
What the West wants from China is not often what China wants for China. They live in a special fairyland where they believe they know what is best for China. Continue reading »
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As US ally blows up the Mideast, China preserves Asia’s prosperity
Launching Cold War 2.0 against a reluctant Beijing while enabling Israel to set fire to an entire region is now official American foreign policy. Continue reading »
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Chinese economists were pleading for government action
Ren Zeping’s almost frantic call one week ahead of Beijing’s dramatic loosening of monetary policy. Continue reading »
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Dutton is unacceptable, but Labor under Albanese doesn’t deserve to be re-elected
Increasing numbers of political observers are arriving at the view that Anthony Albanese appears to be doing everything possible to assist Peter Dutton to look strong and visionary compared to his own hesitancy and timidity. Lost for an explanation, Jack Waterford wondered on these pages whether the Albanese strategy might be “part of some divinely Continue reading »
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Was the housing crisis caused by government policy?
A crisis in house prices and availability has been raging for years, particularly the dearth of low cost housing to rent, or buy. Is this housing crisis really a result of market forces, or is it created by previous government tax policies? [read more] Continue reading »
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Guess what? Tony Abbott got it wrong
Guess what? Science demonstrates Abbott got it totally wrong on carbon tax Continue reading »
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Albanese has a second chance with AUKUS
Australia is to spend mind-boggling money to weaken its own security. Minister RIchard Marles has released a National Defence Strategy which centres on what he calls “projection”. That is, Australian forces threatening China from China’s surrounding waters. The Albanese Government’s defence policy manufactures grievous risk for Australia. That risk must be understood by the government. Continue reading »
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For Australia to meet emissions reduction targets, we don’t need nuclear energy
The Federal Opposition’s energy policy includes the construction of nuclear power plants. Peter Dutton says that we need them because Australia’s emissions reduction target of 43 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030 is unachievable. Is this true? We argue that it is not – and especially if the Australian Government works with State and Continue reading »
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Record numbers of temporary graduates in immigration limbo
Temporary graduate visas are for overseas students who complete their study and wish to undertake work in Australia, often as a pathway to permanent residence. These visas work best when the bulk of temporary graduates seeking permanent residence are able to secure skilled work and eventually a permanent residence employer sponsored (or other) permanent visa. Continue reading »
