This weekly post is a collection of links to recent articles, reports, podcasts, interviews, and notices of upcoming webinars, on political, economic and public policy issues, that may be of interest to Pearls and Irritations readers.

With half the population vaccinated, New South Wales is opening up (a little) on Monday. Other states are watching.

The fast train we don’t have. Labour economics in explained in two minutes. Karl Marx and the Ten Commandments.

It’s not about Gladys: it’s about probity. We need a Commonwealth ICAC.

Bernard Collaery has a small win for justice. The politics of Pope Francis’s popemobile.

Remember that commission of inquiry? Not much has happened. And in health the states are left with the bill for the Commonwealth’s neglect.

Labor still ahead. Independents are gathering pace.

University of Melbourne and Australia Institute webinars

French navy manoeuvrers in Singapore.

These links are on Ian McAuley’s website

If you have comments, corrections, or links to other relevant sources, we’d like to hear from you.  Please send them to Ian McAuley — ian, at the domain name ianmcauley.com

See _Michael West Media_ for more analysis of these and other economic and political issues, and watch out for Peter Sainsbury’s Sunday environment round up.