Politics
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LobbyLand. The used motor vehicle lobby.
We are paying to protect an industry that no longer exists. We see it almost every day in the media; rent-seekers like the motor industries extracting benefits for themselves through political influence and lobbying at the expense of the broader community. It has very little to do with markets. Continue reading »
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Cui Bono from the decline in Australia/China relations?
The dramatic decline in Australia China relations has paralleled the rise in the anti-China rhetoric from the Trump administration, capped by its naming of COVID as “the China virus”. Who benefits from this situation? Hint: it’s not China and it’s not Australia. Continue reading »
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The pandemic, unemployment, skills shortages and a forgotten group of students
Even low-skilled jobs are going to be hotly contested in the next few years. We can’t let a large group of school leavers drift into the labour market with no real chance of getting a job. But offering more of the same is not going to be the answer. Continue reading »
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We need jobs which improve the Australian quality of life
The past week has seen yet another report from the royal commission into aged care, against pointing out the sub-standard services provided at Rolls-Royce prices by entrepreneurs making enormous profits, as well as the low standards being set for the non-profit sector. Continue reading »
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West Bank annexation – dead and buried or just comatose?
If Trump is re-elected and revives Netanyahu’s ambitions, Australia must have a plan to make the existing “suspension” permanent. Continue reading »
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Oh dear, what will the neighbours say?
Widodo’s lacklustre leadership – compounded by going soft on corruption and nuzzling up to the army – is opening space to big business, the military and faith fanatics with no interest in reform. This is worrying indeed and should be flashing alerts, particularly to Australia. Continue reading »
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The numbers game: how Morrison is playing journalism off a break (Crikey Oct 5, 2020)
All politicians know that numbers create news. It’s simple maths: the bigger the number, the greater the news. And Scott Morrison knows this better than most. He knows how to use numbers as signs of action for the media — and he knows journalists can’t resist them. Just look back over the past week… Continue reading »
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China’s wicked competitive advantage. A house is for living, not for speculation.
Cheap labour is frequently given as the basic factor underpinning the low cost to us of ‘made in China’ goods but is there another, more fundamental factor. Continue reading »
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Hydrogen, but not for the Hindenburg
In Mafia folklore, when faced with an existential crisis, the mobsters would “go to the mattresses” a euphemism for dropping everything to engage in a life and death struggle with their enemies. Continue reading »
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Lobby Land. Influencers or influenced?
Who lobbies the lobbyists? Not the voting public, not the politicians who are part of the reception and creation of knowledge which is the raison d’être of lobbyists, consultants, public relations firms and government relations officers in the large corporations. Only a few journalists like Michael West, the Grattan Institute and journals like P & Continue reading »
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Aged care providers have Coalition wrapped around their little fingers
Locking out visitors has made it difficult for staff to meet the daily care needs of aged care residents. So said the royal commissioners. What an indictment on aged care providers. They receive billions a year in funding, yet they rely on the unpaid work of family, friends and volunteers to help with meals, exercise Continue reading »
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Three important considerations for the budget: jobs, jobs and jobs
The straight talking New South Wales Premier, Neville Wran, set the scene in one terse sentence. “Delegates,” he rasped, ”this summit is about three things: jobs, jobs and jobs.” Continue reading »
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Lobby Land. Government gives in to mortgage broking lobbyists. Putting profits before people.
“Unintended consequences”. It’s the clichè consumer groups such as CHOICE are used to hearing from industry groups every time a major review recommends a change that would put people before profits. Continue reading »
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Scotty from marketing: A fact check
Trump is notorious for his lies, but it is time that a fact check was applied to Scotty from Marketing, too. Without it I doubt we can elevate the political debate from its present populism. Continue reading »
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See if budget creates a future, and beware of dirty tricks!
Close observers of Tuesday’s federal Budget will no doubt have their eyes out for evidence of the usual political chicanery towards political donors, lobbyists and friendly interests, as well as mates, cronies and relatives of senior members of government, this time in the alleged cause of stimulating demand and picking winners in the post-Covid economy. Continue reading »
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China diplomat urges end to ‘confrontation’ (AFR Oct 5, 2020)
One of China’s top diplomats has called for an end to ‘‘confrontation and abusive language’’ in increasingly hostile exchanges between Australia and China, saying the relationship can be salvaged through better communication by both countries. She blamed the Australian media for creating an ‘‘unfriendly atmosphere’’ and stirring up anti-China rhetoric. Continue reading »
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Smaller government has failed, but let’s cut taxes anyway (SMH Oct 5, 2020)
Think about this: despite a rocketing budget deficit, Scott Morrison is planning to press on with, and even bring forward, highly expensive tax cuts for high income-earners at just the time we’re realising that the 40-year pursuit of Smaller Government has been a disastrous failure. Continue reading »
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Lobbyland. Fixing corruption risks in lobbying
‘A lot of money can depend on the success or failure of a lobbyist’s representations to Government.’ That statement, in a report by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in 1990, was about lobbying by property developers, particularly in local government, but it is true of a great deal of lobbying at national, State Continue reading »
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The perils of outsourcing (privatisation) on many fronts
In Pearls and Irritations in recent weeks we have posted articles about the serious erosion in the quality of care and services in many fields – disability care, vocational education and training, child care and particularly aged care, where more than 650 older people have died in private, for-profit “homes”. All too often service quality Continue reading »
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Lobbyland: How the lobbies hijacked school education
In all areas of public policy there are groups that engage in advocacy and lobbying to influence public opinion and to advance their special interests. These groups have been obvious and successful over half a century of increasingly privatised school education. Continue reading »
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Susan Ryan
Susan Ryan was more than a feminist icon and achiever, Labor’s first woman cabinet minister and the model for all those who have followed her. Continue reading »
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Foreign Minister’s Tokyo claims Australia’s contribution to disinformation?
Australia’s Foreign Minister has announced she will travel to Tokyo to meet with other members of the Quad (the US, Japan and India) to jointly counter disinformation campaigns by authoritarian states and to ensure supplies of minerals and technology. Does this mean it is only authoritarian states that are not allowed to engage in disinformation? Continue reading »
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Clear-eyed responses as well as assessments needed on the PRC
Being clear-eyed about China under Xi Jinping is one thing. But managing the relationship effectively also requires Australia to be clear-eyed about the effectiveness of our policy options in response. Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 4 October 2020
Developing countries need help to avoid the clutches of the fossil fuel industry. Action is needed right now to combat climate change and the UK’s NHS is up for the challenge. 64 world leaders commit to ‘Living in Harmony with Nature’ to reverse biodiversity loss but Australia and Indonesia must have lost the invitation. China Continue reading »
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Rights in a time of pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has emphasised the civic split between those who accept that exceptional times demand exceptional measures and those who believe that nothing should trump individual rights. Bioethics should make clear whose argument should dominate, but the customs and beliefs of our pluralist time mean that ethical reasoning lacks authority. Continue reading »
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Colombia’s Strongman from Hero to Criminal
Today, violence in Colombia is once again spiralling out of control. Continue reading »
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A round up of the latest US polls
Whatever anyone thought of the first Presidential debate it doesn’t seem to have yet halted Joe Biden’s gradual increases in support as measured by a variety of US polls. Continue reading »
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COVID-19 and Poverty
That health and illness are close associates of wealth and poverty is well known. This dictum applies to covid-19 both within and among nations. Continue reading »
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Dromo(Klepto)cracy: The New Security World Order
Our society is opting out of debate through the machinations of a neoconservative credo that purports reason. Under the guise of the spectacle of freedom and democracy, such dogma exploits public disorientation following massive collective shocks to achieve control, by imposing economic shock therapy to affect change. 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 »