Politics
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NOEL TURNBULL. The political limbo rock – how low can you go
One of the best ways to determine how history will judge a politician is not to tot up what they achieved but to try to evaluate the depths they sometimes sank to as they pursued their careers. Continue reading »
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MARK BUCKLEY. Why Labor Lost
As this year’s election result became clear, Bill Shorten stated, “We were up against corporate leviathans, a financial behemoth, spending unprecedented hundreds of millions of dollars advertising, telling lies, spreading fear – they got what they wanted.” That is the voice of a hapless victim, complaining about forces beyond his control, and not the alternative Continue reading »
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RICHARD WHITINGTON. What will Weatherill, Emerson and the willy-wag-tails teach the wombats?
Here we have two wombats, Lofty and Rorty. They’re stranded on the median strip in the middle of a busy freeway, on their way home from a meeting where, against most expectations, they were outflanked in their bid to take over the Association of Australian Native Animals (AANA). Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 10 November 2019
Nearly all about climate change this week: 20 fossil fuel companies responsible for producing 35% of all greenhouse gas emissions and confusing the public and politicians about the causes of climate change; the USA starts the formal process of withdrawal from the Paris agreement: will others follow? is the Paris agreement dead in the water Continue reading »
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SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media Continue reading »
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TONY SMITH. A flicker of interest in human rights
Foreign Minister Marise Payne recently incurred the wrath of China by daring to mention the treatment of the Uighurs. At first sight this might seem to signal the beginning of a new commitment to human rights by the Coalition Government. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is leading domestic policy in the opposite direction. Continue reading »
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JERRY ROBERTS. Thinking about economics
Whether anybody — anybody at all — understands the workings of the world economy, or even the national economy, is a moot point but there are lots of interesting theories. Continue reading »
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CO2 is rising at the fastest rate since 66 million years ago.
As the CO2 level rises to 408 ppm and the total greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, including CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, reaches about 500 parts per million CO2-equivalent, the stability threshold of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, currently melting at an accelerated rate, is exceeded. Under warming drought conditions, firestorms currently engulfing California, large parts of South Continue reading »
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JOHN MENADUE. Democracy or oligarchy .
Our political contest used to be between Left and Right, Labor and Conservative. That has changed with growing anger that power is now rigged in favour of a largely unchallenged and powerful oligarchy. Our democratic system including our traditional parties are just not properly responding .Voters are fleeing the major parties and particularly Labor. Continue reading »
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MICHAEL KEATING- Scott Morrison and the ‘Quiet Australians’
Prime Minister Morrison says that he will make sure that government services are reliable and responsive to the needs of those “quiet Australians” whose legitimate expectations are consistent with past practice and social conventions. What that means for the growing number of other Australians, who are less able to have a go and look after Continue reading »
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ALLAN PATIENCE. Schmoozing America, antagonising China
The Morrison government is cleaving ever more closely to the USA, asserting that the two countries have shared values and aligned interests. Meanwhile it has taken to lecturing China about human rights abuses and emphasising how the values of the Chinese Communist Party are anathema to Australia’s cultural values and democratic politics. Continue reading »
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ALEX WODAK. Draft recommendations supporting drug decriminalisation released by the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into Ice
The Commissioner of the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into Ice, Dan Howard QC, will now consider what amounts to a draft report by Council Assisting, Sally Dowling SC. He will submit his officIal report in January, to be then considered by the NSW Government. Council Assisting accepts that relying heavily on attempts to cut Continue reading »
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CAVAN HOGUE: Why is Mr Dutton afraid of Australian children?
The Australian women and children facing danger in Syria are not being brought home because it can’t be done or because they would be a threat to Australia but because of cheap domestic politics. As H.L. Mencken observed: “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be Continue reading »
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LAURIE PATTON. Catch 22.0 – we wouldn’t need inquiries if public administration wasn’t so broken
On ABC Insiders host Fran Kelly asked health minister Greg Hunt why the Government didn’t have an immediate response ready on the aged care royal commission report just released. “It wasn’t a surprise to anyone, was it”, Ms Kelly observed with obvious frustration. Continue reading »
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MIKE SCRAFTON. It’s not all about Brexit
Everyone’s crystal ball is fogged. The outcome of the UK’s election is clouded. More than the future of the nation’s relationship with Europe depends on the outcome. Brexit might be one of the lesser consequences. Continue reading »
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JOCELYN PIXLEY. Politicians and Central Banks
Central banks are rarely discussed until booms turn to busts. Like many others, politicians turn on central bankers in ignorant blame, particularly when central bank (CB) messages are unattractive. The LNP detests the Reserve Bank of Australia’s urging that it fosters higher wages and engages in long-term investment. But what can CBs actually do? Continue reading »
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Schadenfreude, thy name is Tony Abbott: No one is above the law
If a law can be abused, it will be. This is as true of laws enacted in the name of national security and anti-terrorism as any other law. Why is this simple reality so hard for politicians to grasp? Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM Don’t cry for me, Indonesia
Though it started well earlier this year, the signals now flashing from across the Arafura Sea are no longer cheering. The world’s third largest democracy celebrated a successful poll in April when the voters made their wishes clear. Since then Indonesia’s politicians have ignored the electors and set about imposing agendas never revealed during the Continue reading »
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MIKE SCRAFTON. The Speech Albanese should have given
No! No! No! The headland speech given recently by Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, was just more of the tired old evidence that he doesn’t get it. His are the economic and political priorities of another time when people still believed resolutely in the worth of neo-liberal economics and unfettered globalisation. It was not the bold Continue reading »
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ROB STEWART. Labor’s Vision Thing: Jobs and the future of work. Really?
Anthony Albanese delivered his first major “Vision Statement” last Tuesday. However, after 6 months wait, the Statement is a disappointing, damp squib of a thing. I hope future Statements are more…um, visionary. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 3 November 2019
The articles this week provide follow-ups to previously reported items: the NSW government changes legislation to promote climate change; the world’s largest reinsurer models the risks posed by climate change and walks away from coal; melting glaciers are but one manifestation of the changes wrought by climate change in mountain areas; December’s Conference of the Continue reading »
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SATURDAY’s GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND
A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media Continue reading »
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IAN McAULEY. Reclaiming the ideas of economics: Globalisation
“Globalisation” is too broad a term to have any useful meaning. Continue reading »
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TERRY FEWTRELL Plenary Council – Faith and Hope in Abundance
Catholics are growing restless with their bishops. A Plenary Council process is underway to review the state of the church in Australia. But Catholics are increasingly wary, amid fears attempts are being made to stifle calls for reform from ordinary Catholics. Continue reading »
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JOHN MENADUE. We should stop pretending that the Coalition is a good economic or business manager
The Coalition, supported by our corporate media and billionaires like Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer, claims that it is the superior manager. This claim has become part of the public mindset. But the evidence shows that the Coalition is a very poor manager. Its priority is not to resolve problems or manage them well, but Continue reading »
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MICHAEL KEATING. The Official View on the Economic Outlook.
The last twelve months has seen GDP per capita fall in Australia, but the Government and its key advisers still expect the economy to recover to trend rates of growth in the current financial year. Nevertheless, the Reserve Bank is still calling for more fiscal stimulus, while on the other hand the new Secretary of Continue reading »
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PAUL MILLS. Australia: Aligned and Independent
Last week as American vehicles withdrew troops from Northern Syria they were pelted with potatoes and rocks by outraged and betrayed Kurds. Continue reading »
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TONY SMITH. The use and abuse of victims
Victims and their suffering are politically important to the Australian government. The Coalition creates some victims who genuinely suffer as a result of policy decisions. They persuade other people that they are victims – of political correctness for example – in order to justify inquiries and legislation for which there is otherwise little need. Continue reading »
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JOHN MENADUE. The National Party has deserted country people on Climate Change, NBN, Health Services and more.
The Nationals have a serious problem. It is not just a problem of Michael McCormack’s beige leadership and being pushed aside by Scott Morrison on key country issues like the drought. It has failed on numerous policy fronts. Continue reading »
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MICHAEL KEATING. Key Questions about Snowy Hydro 2.0
The Morrison Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expand the Snowy Scheme as a key part of its strategy to meet its target for carbon emissions. However, independent estimates suggest that the cost and completion date is blowing out dramatically. In addition, it is argued here that the pumped hydro power from the Snowy Scheme Continue reading »