Politics
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JOSEPH STIGLITZ.-Plagued by Trumpism(Project Syndicate9.3.2020)
For 40 years, Republicans have been insisting that “government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.” Continue reading »
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Economic and money mismanagement
The Liberals claim they are better economic and money managers. But there is scant evidence to support that claim. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. The Life and Legacy of Len Hewitt
Jack Waterford writes on the life and legacy Len Hewitt, former secretary of the Prime Minister and feared government man. Continue reading »
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ROSEMARY O’GRADY. The Pell Appeal : A Hail Mary Pass
The Full Bench of the High Court sitting in Canberra this week is listed to hear the Appeal in M112/19 Pell and The Queen on Wednesday 11th March. Continue reading »
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MICHAEL GRACEY. ‘THE GAP’. A rhetorical thought bubble with good intentions
In February 2008 then Prime Minister Rudd stated that “our challenge . . . is to embrace a new partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians”. Continue reading »
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NOEL TURNBULL. The foundational U.S. myth
All societies survive on myths – whether fraudulent, foundational or both – but one of the most widely of those celebrated among Western world nations (other than Christmas and which encompasses both) is the US Thanksgiving holiday. Continue reading »
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BEN DOOLEY,MOTOKO RICH and HISAKO UENO.-Anger in Japan over virus begins to focus on Prime Minister(NYT 7.3.2020)
For nearly a month, as the coronavirus has threatened the health and economy of Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been almost invisible. Continue reading »
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MUNGO MACCALLUM.- Morrison’s Clayton’s Solution
The frazzled Josh Frydenberg more or less admits that his beloved surplus is about to become collateral damage; he will reluctantly kiss it goodbye. Continue reading »
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JOHN MENADUE: Justices of the High Court
No wonder we have lost confidence in institutions when Justices of the High Court act improperly Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Morrison needs new roadmap and more humility
One miracle is all he can hope for: now he needs something new to sell to a public that sees through him.The nation needs a leader it can respect Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM Reporting from afar using mining models
The Australian Associated Press closure in June will shut Australians out of much domestic journalism. Courts, councils and commissions whose workings underpin democracy will often go unreported. Continue reading »
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MUNGO MACCALLUM.- Porky Pies
Scott Morrison has stopped even pretending to mount a coherent argument over his sports rorts plagued administration. Continue reading »
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LAWRENCE MOLONEY. The Pell trial and its polarising aftermath.
Contributors to a site called, ‘CCC Guys’, most of whom are former seminarians, have had much to say about the Pell trials and the looming High Court decision. Continue reading »
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JOHN TAN. More securitisation of policing functions? More democracy decay?
There is a concerted push to have ASD (Australian Signals Directorate) help in tracking paedophile suspects. Are there implications for law enforcement accountability, FOI, journalism, human rights and democracy? Take a look at some issues that have arisen in other countries. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up.
Three articles from the USA, all with relevance for Australia. Economist Jeffrey Sachs analyses the costs and timelines for decarbonisation; activist and writer Bill McKibben provides an overview of climate change and climate action at the start of the decade; and essayist Mary Annaise Heglar discusses the relationship between climate change and racism and oppression. Continue reading »
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ALEX MITCHELL: Move to expel Richo from NSW Labor
Graham Richardson, aka “Richo” or “Cardinal Richlieu”, has infuriated his comrades in Sussex Street with anti-Labor broadsides prompting moves to expel him. Is this a good idea? Continue reading »
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JAMES GRUBER. China has effectively contained corona virus.
It’s now clear that draconian measures imposed in response to the crisis have worked. Continue reading »
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DAVID MACILWAIN. The Beechworth Principles – setting demands for Integrity in Government
As claims the Federal Government is honestly serving and representing the people look increasingly hollow, Independent MP Helen Haines has presented a historic scheme to hold them to account in “the Beechworth Principles”. Continue reading »
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ANDREW FARRAN/GARY SAMPSON. Brexiting in Brussels – High Noon awaits?
As the UK/EU negotiators face up to the definitive stages of shaping their post-Brexit world, questions are being asked in London and elsewhere whether the Johnson Government is approaching these negotiations with serious intent having gone from “let’s get Brexit done’ to “let’s get our Sovereignty back”. Continue reading »
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JOHN CARLIN. The Mad Viruses
As in the case of Mad Cow’s Disease, if people believe there is a crisis, there is one. Continue reading »
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JUDITH WHITE. Whatever happened to Whitlam’s vision for the arts?
In 1972 Gough Whitlam’s election campaign promised “to promote a standard of excellence in the arts, to widen access to, and the understanding and application of, the arts in the community generally, to help establish and express an Australian identity through the arts and to promote an awareness of Australian culture abroad”. Continue reading »
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PATRICK COCKBURN.-The Real Modi: Do the Killings of Muslims Represent India’s Kristallnacht? (Counterpunch 3.3.2020)
President Trump said he was satisfied that Modi was working “really hard” to establish religious freedom. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD. Covid-19 no need to panic yet.
The risks are two-fold, First would be in neglecting an attack on the virus in our neighbourhood. The other is from an officious overreach of power by the department of Home Affairs and its armed Border Force officers. Continue reading »
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PAUL BARRATT.-War in Afghanistan: 18 years of lies and obfuscation.(War Powers Bulletin 68, 1.3.2020)
The real story behind the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 Continue reading »
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PETER EDWARDS.-Australia and the Vietnam War: 50 years on.(The Strategist 29.2.2020)
The period from the Tet offensive of early 1968 to the Moratorium demonstration of May 1970 was the turning point in the most important battlefield of the Vietnam War—the battle for American public opinion. Continue reading »
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MUNGO MACCALLUM.-Scott Morrison is not one to let a chance go by
Desperate for political rehabilitation after his negligence and mismanagement after the bushfires, our leader has taken full control of the situation. Continue reading »
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Afghanistan ‘is not a war without a purpose.’
The Washington Post has obtained formerly secret information about the Afghanistan\ war, collected from military leaders, diplomats and others. Their account strongly contradicts that of successive US administrations. Continue reading »
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JACK WATERFORD.The big risk is this flu taking root in our neighbourhood, such as Indonesia, East Timor or PNG
Scott Morrison’s declaration of a coronavirus pandemic is premature, particularly for Australia, where the virus does not appear to have escaped quarantine and containment lines. Continue reading »
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GEOFF RABY COVID-19 is unlikely to be Xi’s Chernobyl moment(AFR 2.2.2020)
Cynicism is prevalent but is trumped by the CCP’s patriotic narrative and the government’s performance in delivering on people’s expectations. Continue reading »
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DOUGLAS LONDON.-Why the Taliban will never agree to a real peace deal (NYT29.2.2020)
They know they are winning. Why would they concede anything? Continue reading »