Politics
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John Menadue. Some personal reflections – a light has gone out.
Gough Whitlam’s death has prompted a quite remarkable bipartisan response in the parliament. And rightly so, for he was a great parliamentarian for over 26 years along with 70 years of public life. His forum was the parliament rather than the street or the protest march. He had great respect for the parliament and that Continue reading »
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Frank Brennan. My tribute to Gough
Gough Whitlam once asked me why there were so many social reformers to emerge from Queensland in the early 1970s. I told him it was simple. We had someone to whom we could react: Sir Joh Bjelke Petersen; and we had someone to inspire us: him. I have written elsewhere about his contribution to Aboriginal Continue reading »
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John Faulkner. Gough Whitlam – Academy awards and Passiona!
At the ALP Caucus today John Faulkner spoke movingly of Gough Whitlam as a towering figure in the ALP. The link to his speech follows: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/edward-gough-whitlam-labor-party-caucus-condolence-motion-20141021-119b4y.html John Menadue Continue reading »
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John Menadue. Farewell to Gough Whitlam, 21 October 2014
Few public figures have left their mark on Australia like Gough Whitlam. I knew him for fifty years. He was the most exciting and challenging public person I have met. Australians owe him a great debt for giving them new opportunities and linking the aspirations of working people with those of the university educated. For Continue reading »
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Faith in coal.
In my blog of 5 January 2013, ‘A Canary in the Coal Mine’, I said that ‘The future of new thermal coal mines is doubtful. Would any sensible investor take not only the political risk but also the financial risk of investing in new thermal coal mines in Australia?’ The canary warning is getting Continue reading »
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John Menadue. Post-script from France.
My wife and I and quite a few members of our family, have been summering in France for a week or two. We have enjoyed the history, the architecture and the beauty of the countryside. Not for nothing, France has 37 sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Many other Australians also feel the attractions Continue reading »
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The Failure of the South Korean National Security State – The Sewol Tragedy.
Earlier this year, the Sewol ferry sank off Korea’s southern coast with 304 passengers drowned, mainly school children. An article by Jae-Jung Suh draws attention to an abdication of responsibility by the Korean Government and many others. He says ‘The whole tragedy serves as a reminder of how neoliberal deregulation and privatisation puts people’s safety Continue reading »
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John Menadue. Asylum seekers – institutionalised cruelty, the banality of evil and immorality.
You might be interested in this repost. John Menadue The recent statement by the Australian Catholic Bishops on asylum seekers says ‘The current policy has about it a cruelty that does no honour to our nation … Enough of this institutionalised cruelty … We call on the nation as a whole to say no to Continue reading »
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Medibank Private and members’ equity.
In the New Daily on 6 October, George Lekakis drew attention to a letter sent to a policy-holder in 1994 by Mary-Jo Henrisson, a customer services manager in Medibank’s NSW head office. Mary-Jo Henrisson said “We would be sorry to see you lose the equity you have built up in the fund.” For the full Continue reading »
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John Menadue. Nelson Mandela’s leadership.
You might be interested in this repost. John Menadue. In all the tributes and stories about Nelson Mandela, there was one that caught my attention. In his book ‘The Long Walk to Freedom’ he said: ‘A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the Continue reading »
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Geoff Hiscock. Abbott on the friendship trail with Modi
China rightly dominates most discussions of Australia’s economic outlook, but Tony Abbott has made it plain he also wants to be good friends with the other emerging Asian heavyweight, India. A tangible example came during his visit there early last month (September), when he handed over two ancient Hindu statues that allegedly were stolen from Continue reading »
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Marilyn Lake. fracturing the nation’s soul.
You might be interested in this repost. John Menadue. During World War 1 Australia lost its way. Its enmeshment in the imperial European war fractured the nation’s soul. Marilyn Lake World War I had consequences for individuals as well as nations. HB Higgins’s life would be deeply affected by the British decision to invade Continue reading »
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Peter Day. The Middle East: it’s important to talk.
David was a good Jewish man: faithful to his God; devoted to his family, and deeply connected to his land. Khalid was a good Palestinian man: faithful to his God; devoted to his family, and deeply connected to his land. Each year, in early spring, David and Khalid would meet for a chat at a Continue reading »
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John Menadue. Reform of our banking sector.
In my blog of May 30, 2014, ‘Are our bankers listening or caring?’ I drew attention to a conference in London on ‘Inclusive Capitalism’. At that conference the Governor of the Bank of England and the IMF Chief both said that bankers regarded themselves as different and not bound by the need for economic and Continue reading »
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John Menadue. Stuck in a closed information loop
Conservatives who read and listen to News Corp media have a problem. They are encouraged to believe that the world is really like News Corp says it is. The inevitable result is a loss of reality. Paul Krugman in the New York Times on September 23 wrote of the problems of right-wing Republicans who keep Continue reading »
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Mike Steketee. Buying favours of politicians.
You might be interested in this repost. John Menadue If the staggering evidence before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption has taught us anything, then it must surely be to end the charade that democracy can function properly when people are buying favours of politicians, directly or indirectly. The standard argument that political fund-raising Continue reading »
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John Menadue. The dubious trade deal with Korea
In earlier blogs – See July 6, 2014 ‘Turbocharging our trade or mainly hype’ – I drew attention to the exaggerated benefits of bilateral free trade agreements. We now have 7 of them with more under negotiation, including with China and two signed but not yet in force. These FTAs are third-rate in promoting trade Continue reading »
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John Menadue. Why health reform is so hard. It’s about power.
You may be interested in this repost. John Menadue. I have been actively involved in health policy for over twenty years. Throughout that period Medicare has been the shining light that has well and truly stood the test of time. But necessary health reforms are hard. They are deferred or avoided. Without ministerial leadership Continue reading »
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John Menadue–We stopped the boats; we will now stop the jihadists
You may be interested in this repost. John Menadue By linking boat arrivals and jihadists in the one sentence, a couple of weeks ago, Tony Abbott sounded very much like a dog-whistler that we can expect to hear more from in the future. He knows there is widespread, although a mistaken perception, that most Continue reading »
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Xanthe Emery: Family violence and immigration – is the message getting across?
Family violence in Australia is at epidemic levels, with some horrific high profile cases dominating the news in 2014. Migrant women in Australia are extremely vulnerable to violence from their partners. Threats to cancel a woman’s visa are used to frighten, intimidate, and coerce her to stay in a violent relationship. More could be done Continue reading »
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John Menadue. What does Labor stand for? Part 5
Democratic Renewal At the same time as addressing overarching ‘Labor’ principles that could guide Labor policies and programs, there are two immediate issues which must be given high priority. The first is democratic renewal in our public institutions, including the ALP Our democratic systems, almost everywhere, are under great challenge. We are increasingly alienated from Continue reading »
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John Menadue. What does Labor stand for? Part 4
Ethical responsibility Those in prominent office should promote those qualities which draw on the best of our traditions and the noblest of our instincts. The duty of those with public influence is to encourage hope and redemption rather than despair and condemnation, confidence rather than fear. It is to promote the common good – to Continue reading »
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John Menadue. What does Labor stand for Part 3
Citizenship We are more than individuals linked by market transactions. Our life in the public sphere is no less necessary than our private lives. As citizens we enjoy and contribute to the public good. It is where we show and learn respect for others, particularly people who are different. It is where we abide by Continue reading »
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John Menadue. What does Labor stand for. Part 2
From values to principles The purpose and role of a Labor Government could be to give expression to the values set out below – to achieve as far as possible the ‘common good’. Values such as fairness, freedom, citizenship, stewardship and ethical responsibility would be generally accepted by most people. As the values are translated Continue reading »
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Richard Butler. ISIL. Ask the right questions.
Any assessment of what, if anything, countries outside the region should do about the seizure by ISIL of substantial portions of Syria and Iraq, should be based on the answers to three basic questions: what is the significance of this event; whose fight is it; what can be done about it, effectively. On the principle Continue reading »
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John Menadue. The Great Complacency
Professor Ross Garnaut has spoken many times about our great complacency and our unwillingness to undertake the types of economic and social reform that we saw in the Hawke/Keating periods and in the early days of the Howard Government – think, GST. Have the golden days of reform gone forever? The former head of Treasury Continue reading »
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Tessa Morris-Suzuki. The CIA and the Japanese media: a cautionary tale.
When Japan surrendered at the end of the Pacific War, the occupation authorities pledged to democratise the country. They carried out many reforms and introduced a new peace constitution, guaranteeing human rights and freedom of expression. The reforms had a profound and lasting effect, but there was also a less democratic side to US-Japan relations Continue reading »
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John Tulloh. Islamic State – The Saudi Connection.
How ironic it was that last week Saudi Arabia should host a meeting between the foreign ministers of the Arab League and U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, to discuss what to do about the growing crisis about Islamic State (IS). The fact is that IS is inspired by Salafism, a small branch of Islam Continue reading »
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Hugh Mackay. Does every moral lapse make the next one easier?
The political decline of the Abbott government has been remarkable. No other federal government in recent history has fallen from favour so soon after an election, nor languished in the polls so intractably (consistently trailling Labor 47-53 for more than six months). The question is: why? There are at least two answers. The obvious one Continue reading »
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Michael Keating. The mining tax debacle
Tony Abbott has finally achieved another “triumph” with the end of the mining tax. Of course mining royalties continue, and have even been increased recently, and oil and gas are subject to a similar sort of resource rent tax that Abbott decried when it was applied to mining. No doubt the mining industry, their largely Continue reading »
