Top 5
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US: Grand Theft Election
Trump is working on stealing the result of the election in November. His main contention of political substance – that it is a “law and order” election – is shadowed by the actions he is taking to prevent an unhindered, fair vote, from taking place. Continue reading »
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The Australian Government is pursuing economic suicide
The prime objective of a country is to maximise the interests of its inhabitants. That objective is met in trade by selling its goods at the best possible price. What the countries leaders may think of the politics of their trading partners is an irrelevant consideration. Continue reading »
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How market forces are failing us in opting out to private and for-profit child care
It is extraordinary that about 70% of our long day care services are now run by for-profit operators when we know that the for-profit sector generally delivers lower quality education care. Continue reading »
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It was a mistake to privatise aged care
We are trying to care for our elderly on the cheap. What an indictment that we seem willing to spend more on defence than we do on the elderly. Continue reading »
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Your ABC is turning into their ABC
The combined savagery of the Murdoch media, the jejune fogies in the Young Liberals, their fogy elders on the extreme right, as well as their urgers in reactionary organisations like the Institute of Public Affairs, is culminating in an unhappy deterioration in the ABC’s programming and in the quality of its presenters. Continue reading »
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The perils of privatisation and private greed
The pandemic has starkly shown us the importance of good government, good public policies and good public institutions. It has also shown us the failure of private institutions, private markets and outsourcing to private providers. If the wholesale arm of Telstra had been kept in public hands we would have had a modern NBN long Continue reading »
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The militarisation of Australia
The military in Australia has been played into a key role in the national narrative. Its achievements have been woven into myth. External threat has long been part of the political fabric. Continue reading »
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Superannuation: how much do we need to save?
A hot political issue is whether to proceed with the legislated increase in superannuation contributions from 9.5 to 10 per cent next July. There are pros and cons but if the superannuation increase is further postponed, there should be an offsetting increase in the minimum wage. Continue reading »
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The world cannot afford a war between US and China
It is so obvious that the world cannot afford a war between US and China. We have a very serious COVID pandemic with us. We have to try to feed the 7-8 billions global citizens around the world affected by this pandemic and keep them safe from illnesses and dying. We could be facing even Continue reading »
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Securitisation: How to magnify problems rather than solve them
When governments have little idea of what constitutes a wicked problem, and even less idea of how to deal with it, their default position is to ‘securitise’ a problem – turning it into a problem to be solved by law enforcement, military and para-military methods. Continue reading »
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The Palace Letters – in conversation with Jenny Hocking (video)
What do The Palace Letters tell us about our history, Gough Whitlam’s dismissal and our system of Government? Continue reading »
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Bernard Collaery, East Timor and Governmental Duplicity
The extent of the outrage and the reason the government is desperate to keep hidden its unlawful behaviour through the prosecution of Bernard Collaery and Witness K has now had a little further light shone upon it. Continue reading »
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The perils of pedagogy
The government hates social scientists and our views often do little to improve the mental well-being of students. Should we shut up to protect our self-interest and keep our version of the truth from our students to protect them? Continue reading »
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Morrison’s government has tried ditch the rules… to no avail
The problem with this government is that it doesn’t seem to learn from its mistakes. Perhaps that is because it fears that any change in approach will be seen as an admission of wrongdoing — even maladministration, as with the sports rorts affair. Continue reading »
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Do we need state-owned enterprises?
Per Capita’s recently released paper on Auspost becoming a bank begs the question of state-owned enterprises helping economic growth and create jobs? The Simandou mining project in West Africa may offer an answer. Continue reading »
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Are the ‘big four’ accounting firms above the law?
In 2004, the federal parliament passed the Age Discrimination Act, making age discrimination in employment, education and the provision of goods and services unlawful. But the major accounting firms seem to think it doesn’t apply to them. Continue reading »
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What went wrong with Aged Care?
The definite turning point in the quality and the humanity of Australia’s care of the elderly was the Aged Care Bill 1997 (Cth), introduced as part of the Howard Government’s 1996 Budget measures. It was a huge failure. Continue reading »
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John Menadue talks with Friendlyjordies
Jordan chats with Pearls and Irritations publisher and editor John Menadue about his time working for Rupert Murdoch and Gough Whitlam. The topics of China and the Palace Papers also gets a run. Continue reading »
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Words matter – poets can change the World!
Responses to the mayhem caused by the destruction of Beirut will have much in common with the aftermath of Covid 19: long term recovery from devastation coupled to an opportunity to build societies so different from those which preceded the explosion and the virus. Continue reading »
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University Failures and Canberra parsimony.
Cynical, short-sighted and gutless – everything a proper university should eschew. But perhaps the teachers have been taking lessons from their political masters. If so, both deserve a fail. Continue reading »
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Aged care homes: the weakest COVID-19 link
A pandemic throws a perfect mirror onto a society and shines a light on every crack. There is no better illustration of this than the light that COVID-19 is throwing on aged care homes in Australia and internationally. Continue reading »
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The Reagan and Thatcher legacies: sorting truth from fantasy.
Neo-Conservatives want to believe that Reagan and Thatcher achieved smaller government, lower taxes, and a booming economy. The reality, however, is very different. Continue reading »
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Do we share the same values as the US?
No, we most certainly do not Continue reading »
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True crime confessions – being rude to Centrelink
Last year, a Senate inquiry into RoboDebt was told that more than 2000 people died after receiving their initial RoboDebt letter, many apparently by suicide. I act for numerous RoboDebt clients. Continue reading »
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The politics of the coming generation.
ANU’s 2019 Australian Electoral Survey showed that among young people in Australia today there is “evidence of a growing divide between the voting behaviour of younger and older generations”. Continue reading »
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When the war on terror turns inward
We now have evidence of a campaign conducted in Australia to attack the credibility and the reputation of individuals and organisations seen as being too close to China. Continue reading »
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Caring for older Australians
Covid has blown the cover on much of what we need to maintain credibility as a humane nation. Care of older Australians is of priority concern. Continue reading »
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Emperor Trumpus Maximus and his most loyal vassal, Terra Australis
Let us never forget that Emperor Trumpus Maximus is divine and so demands obedience from all of you as well as from our vassal states. Continue reading »
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Do We Need Reaganomics Now?
The Treasurer has suggested that we should look to the supply side of the economy as we climb out of the COVID recession. He has raised increasing workplace flexibility, reducing green tape and bringing forward tax cuts as fruitful strategies. He has suggested we look back to the Reagan and Thatcher legacies for inspiration. Continue reading »
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Three identical and inaccurate reports on the South China Sea.
Several leading Australian journalists have made identical but inaccurate statements on the recent letter sent by the Australian government to the UN on China’s South China Sea claims. Were they briefed by a political staffer pushing a false interpretation? Continue reading »
