Politics
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WILLIAM BRIGGS. Tear gas – only fit for civilians
Television cameras show streets filled with angry men and women. The air is thick with tear gas. There are batons, armoured police, and pepper spray. For some a symbol of resistance. For others fearful scenes of anarchy. For many more a sign that something is terribly wrong. Continue reading »
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CAVAN HOGUE. How should Morrison respond to Trump’s invitation?
President Trump wants to invite Australia to attend the forthcoming G7 meeting as a guest along with Russia, Japan, South Korea and India. Mr Morrison has said he will consider a reply. Continue reading »
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JOHN ASHTON. The UK with the world’s second worst response to COVID-19.
The UK response to COVID-19 has been marred by bad decisions in the face of an impending crisis, built on a decade of inadequate resources, planning and organisational preparedness to make the UK second only to the USA in terms of deaths from the virus. Continue reading »
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MARIANA MAZZUCATO and GIULIO QUAGGIOTTO. The big failure of small government(Social Europe 26.5.2020)
It is no coincidence that countries with mission-driven governments have fared better in the Covid-19 crisis than those beholden to the cult of efficiency. Continue reading »
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TIM BUCKLEY & PRAVEEN GUPTA. Energy is pivotal to India’s economic development and sustainability goals. Part 1 of 2.
In Part 1, Tim Buckley and Praveen Gupta explore the factors influencing India’s economic growth, energy and water security, natural resources, air pollution and environmental sustainability. Continue reading »
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GIDEON LEVY. ‘Being Black in America Shouldn’t Be a Death Sentence.’ What About Being Palestinian? (HAARETZ 30.5.20)
Did you see the American police officers? Did you see how they choked George Floyd to death in Minneapolis? Continue reading »
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DENNIS ARGALL. We are ill prepared for inevitable dramatic change. and the need to shift fundamentals of national strategy
“A revolution is not a dinner party”: Chairman Mao. We are in the middle of a number of revolutions, which we must try to understand and which require independent national strategy and vigour. These processes will be rough and unavoidable. Can we make it? Not with present political leadership and community attitudes. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Morrison has all of the flexibility in the world
No modern Australian prime minister has faced the political, economic and social challenges of Scott Morrison. But it’s a funny sort of crisis because no prime has ever had such access to the extra resources he can call to bear — if he wants to. Continue reading »
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MIKE SCRAFTON. The Deep State conspiracy theory
When, without apparent reason, good things disappear or bad things appear it cannot be random. That’s when conspiracy theories flourish. The US presidential election campaign is haunted by one. Is Trump laying the groundwork for The Great Presidential Robbery? Continue reading »
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NOEL TURNBULL. There’s no doubt Morrison is swimming against a tidal wave Part 3
The Morrison Government is adopting the newest form of doubting climate change by arguing that yes it does exist but that it can all be fixed by some unproven technological developments such as carbon capture or hydrogen both of which may end up looking a bit like nuclear fusion – just around the corner for Continue reading »
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MARK BUCKLEY. Scomo wrote us a letter of apology
I dreamed that Scott Morrison woke up one day, very recently, and was filled with regret. He was so overcome with regret that he wrote a letter of apology to the people of Australia. The gist of his imaginary letter went something like this: Continue reading »
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MUNGO MACCALLUM. Scott Morrison’s cooing of doves.
Morrison has finally built a store of political credit through his deft and lucky handling of the COVID-19 crisis and obviously believes that as long as he keeps moving, there is a fair chance that the punters will forgive him for a few mishaps. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. The size of the COVID deficit is a political, not an economic choice
We have had an obsession with the balanced budget and with at least the aim of a reduction of government debt, at least since John Howard blew the Budget in 1983-84, then, more than a decade later, discovered a $5 billion “black hole” in the last Keating Budget. Continue reading »
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Authoritarian cultures in Hong Kong, the US and Australia.
Authoritarianism as a way to govern has been embraced in democracies and by dictators. It rests on assumptions that leaders know best, dissent should be suppressed, democracy derided, free speech stifled, control made effective by violence and secrecy. Continue reading »
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NICK DEANE. My fear – a US led war with China?
My fear is that Australia’s warring mind-set and its entanglement in its alliance with the USA will eventually lead the country into a US-led war with China. The possibility of stimulating defence industries to assist with the post pandemic recovery only adds to my trepidation. Continue reading »
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Are Australians paying for secret US weapons tests at Woomera?
Australian taxpayers will fork out close to $1 billion for the Woomera Range Complex upgrade, used by the ADF, the US and UK. With revelations that the US military denies Australia access to computer source code needed to operate key components in our war-fighting equipment, Michelle Fahy investigates the real beneficiaries of the secret test range. Continue reading »
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JENNY HOCKING. High Court says ‘Release the Palace Letters’
In an emphatic 6:1 decision the High Court has ruled that the ‘Palace letters’ between the Governor-General and the Queen relating to the 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam government are Commonwealth records, ending the Queen’s embargo over them and opening them for public access under the Archives Act. Continue reading »
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CHEK LING. The mutating ‘China question’
What a shemozzle! The cash cow has turned into a contagious apparition! Continue reading »
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MUNGO MACALLUM. Thanks to Jenny Hocking’s indefatigable efforts, national pride has been salvaged.
It has taken more than 40 years, but Australian social democracy has prevailed over British hereditary privilege. Continue reading »
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LINDA SIMON. VET system a dud? I don’t think so.
The VET system has again been criticised by the Government, this time by the Prime Minister in his recent address to the National Press Club, when he referred to it as a ‘dud’ system. Continue reading »
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JEFF KILDEA. The Irish Elections of 2020 – still no government
Almost four months after the Irish general election on 8 February 2020 Ireland is still without a government. What’s been happening and who is running the shop during the Covid-19 crisis? Continue reading »
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JOHN BROWN. Three cheers for the working class
I have come to realize even more sharply over the last 12 months the extraordinary and unappreciated contribution that the working class – those much-maligned trade unionists and workers make to Australian society. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 31 May 2020
It’s not difficult knowing what to do to prevent an environmental and human catastrophe. What’s difficult is making it happen and starting it now, especially in Australia. Today’s articles highlight some recommendations for governments. Finally, a couple of wins in court, and reproduction and Raymond Chandler. 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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MICHAEL KEATING.. What should we do with the $60 bn left over from JobKeeper?
The discovery of an error of $60 bn in the costing of JobKeeper raises the issue of what should be done with this money? However, as JobKeeper was always incomplete these deficiencies should be the first call on this extra money. Continue reading »
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ABUL RIZVI. Global Talent Independent Visa: Permanent residence in a week or two
The new Global Talent Independent (GTI) visa provides a direct permanent residence for ‘highly skilled professionals in high growth sectors’. According to the Department of Home Affairs, processing times range between two days and two months with many being decided within a week or two. Continue reading »
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ALEX MITCHELL. NRL power play in NSW
Who governs NSW – Premier Gladys Berejiklian or NRL boss Peter V’landys? One is elected, the other isn’t. One is a blue-stockinged Tory from Sydney’s North Shore, the other is a Labor supporter from working-class Wollongong. Who will prevail? Continue reading »
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SUE WAREHAM. Roadmaps on the two biggest threats ready to go
Our security lies in our capacity to work together for the common good, rather than in weapons that terrify other humans. Roadmaps to address our two biggest threats, nuclear weapons and climate change, are ready to go. We’re not waiting for a vaccine, but simply for governments, including our own, to learn that increasingly alarming Continue reading »
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GEORGE BROWNING. Australia’s two personalities-pandemic and climate change
In recent domestic policy and international engagement Australia is demonstrating two contrasting personalities. One is demonstrated through our response to COVID 19 and the other through our troubled inability to form responsible climate and energy policy. Why do we have two personalities? Continue reading »
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John Tan. Neoliberalism: IT’S TIME for progressive fiscal policies (Part 2/2).
The RBA is bound by its mandate from government. This mandate needs to be re-worked by a progressive government. Continue reading »