Politics
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The deceit of deterrence; a bankrupt strategic justification for defence expenditure
Although references to deterrence are regularly trotted out to justify defence acquisition decisions and alliance policy, the place of the idea of deterrence in Australia’s strategic policy is opaque and poorly understood. That the effectiveness of a deterrence strategy is highly dependent on contingent circumstances is regularly left unaddressed by advocates of ever greater defence Continue reading »
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The mechanics of elections to suit the major parties
The Commonwealth Parliament has a very long-standing practice of requiring its Joint Committee on Electoral Matters to conduct a post-mortem after every federal election – not about how it was won or lost (that has already been done in the media and elsewhere) but how the electoral mechanics worked and what changes might be made Continue reading »
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Labor could beat Morrison with a bit more mongrel
Some observers think that if the Morrison government were to fall apart over the next year, it would more likely be from bad luck, an own goal, or a resumption of internal Liberal bastardries than by a hostile act of the federal Labor Party. Continue reading »
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The China shock may provide a much-needed catalyst for change
In an opinion poll published in the Guardian online an astonishing 2/3 of voters either approved or strongly approved of the Prime Minister’s conduct of the nation’s affairs. Continue reading »
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Hotel quarantine report blasts government failures, but political fallout is likely to be minimal
The final report of the COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry, issued by former judge Jennifer Coate, outlines monumental errors made by the Victorian government and its public servants. Continue reading »
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Scott Morrison said NSW was the ‘gold standard’ in infection control but begging is not working in encouraging mask wearing
Recent infections in NSW demonstrate how fragile is our control of community acquired Covid infections. As it will be many months before Australians are immunised and immune to Covid-19 we must focus on stronger containment strategies now. It’s time to mandate mask wearing and not just ask people to wear masks. Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 20 December 2020
We finish the year with suggestions for getting the COP process back on track, delays to the federal government’s plans to get the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act off track, confirmation that Australian coal does produce less CO2, and graphs showing the healthiness and cheapness of solar power. Best wishes for Christmas. Back on Continue reading »
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Fever Pitch: Who’s an Enemy of the State?
“The character of our own government at present is imbecility,” said Samuel Johnson to James Boswell. Continue reading »
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Antisemitism claims mask a reign of political and cultural terror across Europe (Blog, Dec 11, 2020)
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has run a fascinating long report this week offering a disturbing snapshot of the political climate rapidly emerging across Europe on the issue of antisemitism. Continue reading »
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Even the Opposition Believes Venezuela’s Election Was Legitimate. A failed US coup attempt
Before the National Assembly elections on December 6 in Venezuela, the United States government began a campaign to delegitimize the process. Continue reading »
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Living in End Times: Denialism, Pentecostalism and Climate Science
Are we living in End Times? We are according to the Pentecostal eschatology to which Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Minister Stuart Robert, and some other Coalition MPs apparently subscribe. 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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China-Australia relations: it’s not as simple as ABC
There are many commentators with strong and legitimate concerns about China. The relationship between Australia and China is a very important one and it warrants open and vigorous debate Continue reading »
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The 2019 Federal Election: was there a level playing field?
The multifarious attempts at voter suppression in the 2020 US presidential election might prompt Australians to be grateful for the quality of our electoral administration. Uniquely, Australia has had since the 19th century a tradition of professional electoral administration, with administrators taking pride in an electoral roll as comprehensive and accurate as possible. Continue reading »
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The Most Lethal Virus is Not COVID. It is War
My personal Oscar goes to Peter Hartcher of the Sydney Morning Herald,whose unrelenting rousing drivel about the “existential threat” (of China/Russia, mostly China) was illustrated by a smiling Scott Morrison, the PR man who is Australia’s prime minister. Continue reading »
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Casual cruelty in Australia the backdrop to the Brereton report
That the Brereton report was released after Melbourne Cup day presaged government reliance on the distractions of Australia’s festive season. This will be yet another in the sorry list of Australian government cover-ups. Continue reading »
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Australia, China and the weaponising of trade
The conflict between Australia and China worsens with each passing day. The latest piece of news, China’s ‘indefinite’ pause in coal imports from Australia shows just how dangerous is the game that Australia is playing. Continue reading »
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Heart of Darkness: Our expeditionary imperial culture and alleged war crimes in Afghanistan – and elsewhere
We tend to forget that our military, political and other cultures were formed in the frontier wars of British imperial expansion in the 19th century. Because those wars were fought in the process of taking the land of Aboriginal and Maori peoples and of inflicting partial genocide en passant, they were always going to produce Continue reading »
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How Morrison repeatedly baulks at the vision thing and the moral thing
The unwillingness of the Morrison government to see the 2019-20 bushfire disaster as some sort of turning point was deliberate. That refusal to provide any sort of lead, or leadership, or to show some imagination about a new economy, and a new society, was again evident during the Covid-19 crisis. Continue reading »
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Politicians and Prosecutions
Straining gnats and swallowing camels is not reserved for biblical Pharisees. Australians in the 21st-century witness pious adherence to matters that have certain importance, but which are secondary to, and meant to serve, the great human principles of ‘justice, mercy, good faith’ (Matt. 23:23-24). Continue reading »
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Prime Minister: Saying you no longer intend to cheat on climate change does not merit applause
The Prime Minister has brushed off his failure to gain a speaking role at the Glasgow global warming summit as inconsequential. But the reality is that the Prime Minister and his government continue to fail us. Continue reading »
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Disillusioned Aussie youth diss democracy
Young Australians now rank among the groups most dissatisfied with democracy in the world –better than among others like Venezuela and the US but worse than Ghana and Peru. Continue reading »
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Fire and viruses did not cleanse bad government
The past year was a terrible year for Australia and Australians and in many ways the worst globally since World War II. And at least for Australians, a terrible year for good, decent and honest government. Continue reading »
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Undue influence? University grants questioned after ASPI US-funded research
The Australian Research Council launched an investigation into Australian academics solely on the basis of US government-funded research by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Continue reading »
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El Cheapo Aged Care: why the Coalition’s make-work schemes won’t work
The best interests of older people are not uppermost in this government’s thinking. Referring to older people requiring care as “consumers”, describing the transfer of residents to hospital as “decanting”, talk of “cohorting” residents into specific sections of a home and other dehumanising language set the scene for its priorities. Continue reading »
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Labor is set to have itself a nervy little Christmas. It’s not too late to make 2021 sing (The Conversation Dec 8, 2020)
Federal Labor marginal seat members face a very nervy Christmas. Continue reading »
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Who are we now? – Sovereignty and confidence
It’s gone a bit quiet this week, with our federal parliamentarians deciding to keep their heads down and not further antagonise their Chinese Government counterparts. But it was curious observing the Australian reaction and outrage expressed – and on balance rightly – about China’s demands that would impinge on our sovereignty and independence. Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 13 December 2020
The Amazon rainforest and Pacific islands are increasingly threatened by climate change but rich nations prefer spending on their military forces rather than climate change. A little-known hero of threatened species protection receives a posthumous tribute but Jeff Bezos’s philanthropy is not so fortunate. Pardalotes feature in Indigenous culture. Continue reading »
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Faithful and Labor: What Labor Ignores at its Peril
The history of the ALP at the national level is one long lesson in humility. More often defeated than victorious, glorious in government but only in retrospect. This is our party. 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 »
