Politics
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OSCAR ROMERO. Advent Readings from a Modern Martyr
In celebrating Christmas, many Christians do exactly the opposite of what the earliest Christians did. By celebrating Christmas, they succeeded in bringing Christ into the pagan feast of the sun. Today’s Christians’ neopaganism is managing to paganize Christmas. Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round-up, 15 December 2019
Strong evidence that every day’s delay in reducing greenhouse gas emissions makes the ultimate task more difficult (and less achievable; exploding the myth that natural gas is a safe, low emissions transition fuel to a carbon free world; hoped-for outcomes from the current COP meeting in Madrid; some Christmas suggestions; and a visual tribute to 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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ANDREW PODGER.- Grattan Ducks its own Push for a Sensible Discussion of Private Health Insurance.
In their first ‘Saving Private Insurance’ report in August, Stephen Duckett and Kristina Nemet from the Grattan Institute presented a most helpful framework for assessing the future role of private health insurance in Australia in the context of our universal public insurance scheme, Medicare. Continue reading »
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Morrison is perfecting the seal on his own personal Canberra bubble. (SMH 11.12.2019)
If you think Scott Morrison’s been busy doing not very much since the election in May, you are much mistaken. In truth he’s been very busy doing stuff of not much interest to you. But sometimes it pays to take an interest in things that don’t seem of interest. Continue reading »
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NOEL TURNBULL. Innovation and inequality – not as simple as the tech titans make out
If you were told that an Australian politician had published a new book, backed by a solid evidence base, with a highly original take on a major problem the normal response would be to wonder if Barry Jones had a new book out. Continue reading »
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JAMES CURRAN Our China panic is stepping into the world of paranoia (AFR 10.12.2019)
The China debate is close to losing all sense of rationality and proportion. Where’s the confidence in our institutions? Continue reading »
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Morrison’s Public Service “reforms” do us no favours
The mergers of Australian Public Service Departments announced by Scott Morrison on 5 December will do nothing to advance the cause of good government. The claims of efficiency gains that invariably accompany such announcements always turn out to be illusory, and, far more importantly, result in matters that ought to be debated out in full Continue reading »
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MAURICIO GARCÍA VILLEGAS. Levelling the Playing Field
The millions of people protesting in different Latin American countries have a variety of complaints. A main one in Chile and Colombia, is the lack of equality of opportunity which is normally provided by good public education. In those countries, the rich are educated in well-resourced private schools while the poor are sent to second Continue reading »
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Julian Assange, A Court of Star Chamber, Cruelty Beyond Belief
In the 15th century, King Henry VII of England established a Court of Star Chamber. Operated by Privy Counsellors and judges, it developed a reputation for arbitrary power leading to cruel and unusual punishments. There was no due process and no rights of appeal for the accused. Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM . Can young voices get into elders’ ears?
Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s Cabinet selection has been met with widespread dismay by liberal progressives. There have been some weird choices noted here https://johnmenadue.com/duncan-graham-dont-cry-for-me-indonesia/ The most disturbing was making Widodo’s bitter and brutal rival Prabowo Subianto, 68, Defence Minister, even though the former general with a suspect human rights record had been decisively rejected by Continue reading »
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LAURIE PATTON. Unintended consequences: How NSW planning laws have stolen democracy from ratepayers
One of the fundamental principles of the democratic system enjoyed in Australia for more than 200 years is the right to make representations to your local MP, or in the case of local government to your elected councillors. Regrettably, changes made last year to NSW planning laws have denied ratepayers this ability and effectively handed Continue reading »
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DAVID SHEARMAN. I have a Dream; Resurrection of Westpac as a Sustainability Bank
I have a dream that the outrageous performance of Westpac could lead to fundamental reform and the genetic engineering of one of the identical quads, the BIG4 banks which do not fulfil community needs or financial stability. Continue reading »
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GEORGE BROWNING. Morrison Government you are a disgrace
NSW is alight, and it is still not the right time to talk about Climate Change!!!!! What message of commitment did we have to give the world community in Madrid? – nothing. You said Australia is reducing its emission year on year. Your own department’s graphics shows this to be untrue. Asserting untruth does not Continue reading »
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JOHN DWYER. What a mess! Insurance for health care, both public and private, is increasingly dysfunctional with sensible and equitable solutions held hostage by “vested interests”. PART ONE
We Australians have for decades now made it clear that we want a health care system that delivers quality care in a timely manner with availability based on need not personal financial wellbeing. Increasingly it is obvious to all that the system should better fund programs to prevent illness not just treat it.These are the Continue reading »
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Israel’s Aussie Mensch
The Zionist Federation of Australia bestowed in November its 2019 Jerusalem Prize for “exceptional in strengthening Australia-Israel relations” or as Prof. Stuart Rees puts it, ‘for sucking up to Israelis,’ on an exemplary recipient, the prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrison. Continue reading »
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ABUL RIZVI. Highlights of 2018-19 Migration Program Outcome
Minister Coleman has at last allowed the 2018-19 Migration Program report to be published in early December. These are usually finalised each July. Two highlights: (1) the Partner visa application pipeline has reached almost 90,000 and is certain to grow much further in 2019-20; and (2) the backlog of employer sponsored visa applications is falling Continue reading »
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JOHN TAN. Rights v. Rights: Whose rights shall prevail?
Human rights are usually associated with those in the Universal Declaration, like free speech and freedom of assembly, but there are actually two opposing narratives of human rights, both having their origins at about the same time just after WWII. The second narrative, seemingly very powerful, is a right to be as wealthy as possible Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 8 December 2019
With this year’s climate change Conference of the Parties (COP) getting underway this week in Madrid, the articles this week focus on climate change: the future of coal and renewables in China, problems with projects funded by rich nations in developing countries, climate tipping points, responses to climate deniers’ arguments, and counting and reducing emissions 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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DAVID SOLOMON. Taylor’s numbers crunched.
When should a minister ‘stand aside’ (that is, be stood aside); when should a minister resign (be sacked)? Prime Minister Morrison has provided his answer in the case of Angus Taylor, his Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. Not now. But not ever? – we will see. Continue reading »
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BRIAN TOOHEY. Reports of China spies and takeover plots are fanciful (SMH 5.12.2019)
Wildly exaggerated intelligence warnings about communist influence are not new in Australia. A US naval intelligence officer who was posted as an attache to the American embassy in the late 1940s, Stephen Jurika, reported back to Washington that communism was “rife in the highest governing circles” in Australia. Continue reading »
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JOCELYN PIXLEY. What is new about Westpac’s robber barons after Hayne’s Royal Commission?
Was it surprising to hear AUSTRAC’s allegations that Westpac breached money-laundering laws 23 million times? When the LNP won government in May 2019, bankers cheered reinstalled Ministers, delighted that the Royal Commission’s February recommendations were unlikely to be fully implemented. Conditions were in place, then, with the unfolding script already tattered. Less discussed was the Continue reading »
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NOEL TURNBULL. Australian right wing religious fury over The Economist
The Australian right wing seem to be embarking on another cultural crusade – this time against what is probably the best weekly news magazine (which the editors insist on calling a newspaper) in the world, The Economist. Continue reading »
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MICHAEL MULLINS. Leaving Google
Last month an Amnesty International report took Google and Facebook to task for their ‘surveillance-based business model’ that is ‘predicated on human rights abuse’. Back in 2006, I recall a colleague telling me about Google’s ‘do no evil’ manifesto. I wanted to believe it and used many of its free and paid services. Until last Continue reading »
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JERRY ROBERTS. A matter of behaviour.The CFMMEU and the Banks.
The wheels are falling off the Government as Parliament winds down for Christmas. Both Coalition Government and Labor Opposition should consider a comment made by Pauline Hanson, who has asserted her authority with a sorely needed dose of common sense. Continue reading »
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DAILAN PUGH. A Fiery Future
Hundreds of ancient Brush Box and other rainforest trees, many over a thousand years old, have been felled in the head of Terania Creek, their bases eaten out by fire. While the community stepped up to stop the loggers 40 years ago, this time nothing could stop the assault initiated by human-induced climate change. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Health professionals stepping up to support action on climate change
Climate change is already causing injuries, illness and premature death. This is only going to get worse. Health professionals, individually and collectively, are taking action to highlight the health problems, including being arrested for blocking development of the Adani mine. Continue reading »
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WILLIAM BRIGGS Lessons in how to hate China
In an often-confused world, some things have a ring of certainty. The steady rise in anti-Chinese rhetoric is an example. It is disturbing, and largely baseless, but is becoming one of life’s truisms. This is not to suggest that China is beyond criticism or that its internal politics are in any way defensible. A country Continue reading »
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ALLAN PATIENCE. The shonk from the shire.
Maybe Australians took to Scott Morrison during the election campaign for two main reasons: (1) He was not Bill Shorten; (2) He cunningly presented himself as an authentic bloke, a “daggy dad”, Mr Mainstream. There were no airs and graces. He was happy to be photographed goofily playing amateur soccer or wearing a baseball cap Continue reading »
