Politics
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China’s universities on the rise
China’s universities are rising in the world university rankings. The United States is still well ahead, but the balance is shifting in China’s favour. The effects of Covid-19 are likely to intensify this shift. Continue reading »
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Abbott – a national disgrace
Just when you thought it was safe to open a newspaper again, Tony Abbott is back in the news. This time he is in the UK, where the Brits have appointed him a ‘trade envoy’. Continue reading »
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Many Australians are in for a difficult time in the months, and possibly years, ahead
A new report released earlier this week summarises the extent and effects of income and wealth inequality before Covid-19 and provides a lens through which to assess the affects of Covid-19 as it continues and governments and businesses respond. Continue reading »
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Swallowing a Huge Spider to Catch Foreign Relations Flies
In the name of foreign relations, the Morrison government is giving itself extraordinary powers to meddle in the affairs of States, Territories and universities. Continue reading »
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Falling into depression
It has always been argued that gas, while not a squeaky clean fuel, is a least a better bet than coal. But now it turns out that gas may be even dirtier, because the methane leaks that cannot be contained will probably nullify any advantages from emissions of coal. Continue reading »
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Overcoming individualisation is fundamental to social change
Individualisation positions the idea of the autonomous, self-contained individual at the centre of political, ethical and psychological frameworks, and determines much of our current politics. Continue reading »
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How governments made economic medicine less potent, more insipid
I expect the premiers will suffer little political pain if recovery doesn’t happen, is patchy or too slow. It will be Morrison and Frydenberg who are blamed. Continue reading »
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The EPBC Review says good-bye to environmental and human health on Planet A
The Samuel Report and its rejection of an independent regulator by the Minister have ‘grave’ implications for the health of countless communities around Australia. Continue reading »
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Greg Sheridan’s feverish cherry picking
What has Greg Sheridan of The Australian been smoking or taking, or is it just common or garden cherry picking? Continue reading »
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China policy – the children are in charge
Is the Australian Government serious about restoring the relationship with China? There are disturbing indications that it is not. Continue reading »
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PART 2: COVID controversies and vaccine shortcuts
The urgent need for a vaccine to protect us from COVID-19 is obvious. Scientists have produced some promising candidates but, as so often is the case in this pandemic perceived political imperatives are demanding ‘shortcuts’ in the development process that may hinder essential studies of efficacy and safety. Continue reading »
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McMahon, Abbott and Morrison.
Has Tony Abbott surpassed McMahon as the worst of our worst? Continue reading »
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Police state governance and the civil liberties of an MP
In disdain for human rights and to display power, governments deploy police forces to harass or arrest citizens, and then justify their actions with claims about the influence of foreign forces.And it’s happening right now in Australia. Continue reading »
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An appeal to the Australian legal fraternity – Lawyers4Collaery
International lawyers have banded together to support Julian Assange with an open letter to the British PM. Why haven’t Australian lawyers supported Bernard Collaery and Witness K with an open letter to our PM and Attorney-General? Continue reading »
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No 10 and the secretly funded lobby groups intent on undermining democracy (The Guardian Sep 1, 2020)
Thinktanks such as Policy Exchange are working to shift power away from state institutions – into the prime minister’s office. Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 6 September 2020
COVID is increasing deforestation but the Australian government moves rapidly to put fast-tracked development above the environment. Computer geeks start monitoring the sources of CO2 emissions and Indigenous groups use the law to challenge governments to protect their lands and lives. Sharks mount a media campaign to improve their image. Continue reading »
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New expose of Catholic Church’s rorting of taxpayer funding
Documents leaked to the ABC expose shocking rorting of taxpayer funding by the NSW Catholic school system with the approval of Catholic bishops. It is the latest in a long line of exposes about misuse of government funding by Catholic systems and which successive Coalition and Labor governments have meekly acquiesced to. Continue reading »
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For Hong Kong’s sake, the judiciary must regain Beijing’s trust (SCMP Sep 3, 2020)
How did it come about that Beijing has developed such mistrust of the Hong Kong judiciary? The courts have put a slant on the Basic Law, by applying obscure norms and values from overseas which are totally unsuited to Hong Kong’s circumstances. Continue reading »
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Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
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The Battle of Narrabri may well decide our climate future
Approval for the Narrabri gas project will say goodbye to any hope of an effective climate policy and usher in an expanding national gas industry with a rise in emissions and untold direct damage to the sustainability of this drying continent. Continue reading »
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Victoria should stay the course
Victoria is now facing a difficult choice: to continue stringent lockdowns in the hope of getting COVID-19 cases down to zero, or accepting the lesser goal of opening up once cases are in single digits. Continue reading »
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Tin ear PR
Sometimes PR campaigns to address problems cause even bigger PR problems. For instance the aged care industry is planning a major campaign to ‘change the conversation’ and ‘win the hearts and minds of middle Australia’ according to The Age (2 September 2020). Continue reading »
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Letters: Port of Darwin not at risk from China (AFR Aug 30, 2020)
Laura Tingle in ‘‘Why the PM decided to pounce on deals with China’’ (August 29-30)continues the furphy about the lease of the Port of Darwin being some sort of security risk. No one has ever, that I can recall despite all the rumblings from the cloak and dagger brigade, identified quite what these risks might Continue reading »
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Political parties are a fact of life, that’s what makes them damaging to democracy
We have a tendency to assume the way things are is the way they’ve always been. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s time to re-examine the political party. Continue reading »
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Those dangerous and subversive sister cities.
Sister cities provide opportunities for coercion, according to Professor John Blaxland. Continue reading »
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Air pollution from coal blights young lives, even before birth
Air pollution from Australia’s dirty coal-burning power stations needlessly causes 850 cases of low birth weight and at least 800 premature deaths per year. Coal is also the number one cause of the climate crisis. Clean renewable technology is available now to prevent these problems and protect young lives. Continue reading »
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Sexual misconduct in our society: Can we do better?
Collectively our society can do better. Women should not have to rely on voluntary social networks, valuable though they are, to have the confidence to come forward when they encounter unacceptable sexualised conduct. Continue reading »
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The Australian Government is pursuing economic suicide
The prime objective of a country is to maximise the interests of its inhabitants. That objective is met in trade by selling its goods at the best possible price. What the countries leaders may think of the politics of their trading partners is an irrelevant consideration. Continue reading »
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Pandemic: inconvenience for the privileged, tough luck for the poor (SMH 2.9.2020)
The popular coronavirus refrain that “we’re all in this together” is a call for everyone to pull together and be more conscious of the interests of others, not just our own. What it’s not is a statement of fact. Continue reading »
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When power – or the desire for it – ends
When asked during one of his long, long media conferences about speculation on whether he was planning to stand down as Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, replied “I’m not going anywhere”. Continue reading »