Category Archives: Politics

Barnaby Joyce’s downfall has exposed the National Party as an outfit more concerned with dealing with corporate rent-seekers than with attending to the interests of its traditional rural base. It has also exposed Turnbull’s lack of resolve in dealing with … Continue reading →

US President Donald Trump comes in for widespread criticism, but he has at least one well-placed Australian defender. Former foreign minister Alexander Downer says that for Australia, Trump has been better than Obama. On the whole, Trump has been “good … Continue reading →

The crisis really is in real wage growth. – Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe, 2017 Increased inequality and low wage growth are constraining economic growth. But why is wage growth so low? And how should policymakers respond?

Not only is a developer wanting to construct a ‘wedding factory’ in the South Head National Part, but private interests have erected big tents on adjacent Camp Cove Beach for a party on Sunday 19 August 2018 (last night).  Camp … Continue reading →

The June quarter wages index headlined a slight lift of 0.6 per cent for the quarter, making 2.1 per cent for the year. Don’t be fooled – the numbers are worse than they look.

Foreign military contractors have been awarded a staggering $73 billion in contracts, apparently tax-free, because successive governments have struck contracts directly with offshore companies, even as far afield as the Atlantic tax haven of Bermuda.

In Australia it is common to hear criticisms of the corruption in developing countries. It is a constant theme, for example, in media coverage of Papua New Guinea, our nearest neighbour.

Australia was “unimaginable” without the dynamic presence of Chinese-Australians. Those were the words of Malcolm Turnbull last week, resetting the rhetoric of Australia-China relations.

In failing to act on human-induced climate change, our political leaders are neglecting the rights of the next generation.

The styles of Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull may vary but on many important issues the substance is similar. 

Despite the failure of the strategy in the Super Saturday by-elections, Malcolm Turnbull is more determined than ever to kill Bill.  What drives this homicidal obsession?

The leadership is in play.  Diabolical polling ensures that.

Revelations of corruption and actions that look suspiciously like corruption shock us but they shouldn’t: look for corruption in Australia – as in many western democracies – and you will never be disappointed.  It’s as common as other national institutions  … Continue reading →

After following politics and elections for over 60 years, it is quite extraordinary to see the Liberal Party still complaining about Labor’s  ‘Mediscare’ campaign. Malcolm Turnbull speaks in a continual and personally abusive  way about lies and liars. In this … Continue reading →

Desperate farmers in rural communities across Australia are being led into a cruel dystopia where reality is being smothered by false hopes.

A recent report from the Australian conservative, right wing think tankThe Centre for Independent Studies, 1. reckons that Australian millennials are lurching towards Socialism. In this report millennials don’t mention what they think about Socialism, or what shape or form … Continue reading →

If Peter Dutton was to be arraigned before an international tribunal for serial abuse of human rights I would cheer. If the charges were upgraded to crimes against humanity I would regard it as a fair cop. But if the court … Continue reading →

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts covered in other media.

When West Australian Opposition Leader Mike Nahan appeared on the news under fire for dual citizenship I hope everybody else shared my reaction. Not again, I moaned. Surely, we had enough of this nonsense in the federal Parliament. Do we … Continue reading →

The World Congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) was held jointly with the annual conference of the Australian Political Studies Association (AuPSA) in Brisbane in July 2018. The papers on Australia provided a snapshot of the breadth of … Continue reading →