March 12, 2019

SPENCER ZIFCAK. The Federal Government Corrodes the Independence of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal

The Federal Government Corrodes the Independence of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal

The Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) is a quasi-judicial body designed to promote the rule of law and good government by enabling citizens to call into question the decisions of public sector departments and agencies. The Tribunal reviews government decisions on the merits of questions of law and fact. Its jurisdiction is extensive including, among other things, jurisdiction with respect to migration and refugees, taxation, social security, the NDIS, veterans affairs and freedom of information. Given that the Tribunal may overrule decisions taken within government and substitute its own, the relationship between the two bodies is not always easy. It is critical, therefore, that the Tribunal should operate independently, free from improper or undue political influence. Its independence, however, is now under concerted political attack.

October 8, 2018

LINDA SIMON. When will students get their money back?

How many students have been the victims of the VET FEE-HELP rorts? The Government doesnt know the answer to this question, nor how much it may cost to waive such debts. New legislation being introduced to Federal Parliament seeks to make it easier for students who have suffered due to the inappropriate conduct of their VET provider, to have these debts waived. But when will they get their money back?

January 3, 2018

ALLAN PATIENCE. In an untrustworthy world, whom can we trust?

Three political heavy weights loom threateningly over 2018: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. All three lead dangerous nuclear-armed states. All three have elephantine egos squashing their intellects. As ultimate narcissists, each believes that his nation is embodied in himself (Ltat cest moi!). In this respect they are political dinosaurs because the problems that imperil their countries today and the entire globe require of todays leaders a truly global vision. Their political extinction is much to be desired, but is depressingly unlikely. Whom among this ugly triumvirate can Australia trust as the New Year unfolds?

November 27, 2019

RICHARD WHITINGTON. What started with Whitlam in Werriwa in 1952 remains a work in progress.

Tomorrow 29 November, is the 67th anniversary of Edward Gough Whitlams election to the Australian Parliament in 1952. Twenty years and three days later he became Prime Minister, after Labors longest exile in opposition, and nine straight election losses. Whitlams path to his 1972 victory had much of its foundation in the monumental task of reforming the ALP itself into a party capable of presenting a palatable electoral alternative to the Coalition.

October 28, 2019

ABUL RIZVI: Prime Minister fudges regional migration figures

In a speech at the Migration and Settlement awards (23 October 2019), Prime Minister Scott Morrison crowed about the number of regional migration visas issued in the first quarter of 2019-20. Now Immigration Minister Coleman has announced the target will be increased from 23,000 to 25,000 and that Perth and the Gold Coast will be counted as regional. What the Government hasnt explained is the increased target is largely the result of changing its own counting rules. It has little to do with substance.

September 20, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

September 18, 2020

Saturdays good reading and listening for the weekend

What people in other forums are saying about public policy

October 7, 2019

LUIZA CH. SAVAGE. How Russia and China are preparing to exploit a warming planet

Hurricanes, floods, and wildfires aside, climate change is delivering another threat: a remaking of geopolitics that stands to empower some of Americas adversaries and rivals.

October 21, 2019

JACK WATERFORD. ACT closes the books on how cops and lawyers failed David Eastman, and us.

The courts, DPP and justice officials agree to deny FOI access to trial transcripts. Criticism of their roles can thus be called ill-informed.

May 17, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

May 23, 2019

KIM WINGEREI The Climate Election That Wasn't

This was supposed to be the election about climate action. It was the most important issue for voters, yet official government policy remains climate inaction as the opposition was once again divided on the issue and failed to make sufficient impact. It could have been so different…

June 21, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

May 29, 2020

John Tan. Neoliberalism: ITS TIME for progressive fiscal policies (Part 2/2).

The RBA is bound by its mandate from government. This mandate needs to be re-worked by a progressive government.

October 9, 2018

SUSAN CHENERY. The Scribe: portrait of Freudenberg, author of the speech that changed Australia (The Guardian 9.10.2018)

_Legendary Labor speechwriter Graham Freudenberg was at the centre of power for more than 40 years. A new film sheds light on the man who wrote the script.

October 16, 2017

RANALD MACDONALD. Open letter to Communications Minister, The Hon. Mitch Fifield

Can we just be serious just for a moment?

Having read your piece in The Australian headed Shrill Attacks on ABC Adjustments Are Hysterical, Unhinged (9/10/17), I cannot believe that you, Minister, REALLY believe in what you have written.

June 7, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

October 2, 2020

Saturdays good reading and listening for the weekend

What people in other forums are saying about public policy

May 10, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

May 24, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

October 27, 2019

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 will no longer be economically viable when coal-fired power is phased out.

August 28, 2020

Saturdays good reading and listening for the weekend

What people in other forums are saying about public policy

July 24, 2020

Saturdays good reading and listening for the weekend

What people in other forums are saying about public policy

May 22, 2020

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

What people in other forums are saying about public policy

February 15, 2018

Jim Molans delusions

No-one would expect a surgeon to recommend Chinese medicine to his patients. His advice usually involves a scalpel and some nasty cutting. Similarly, it would be surprising for military men to advocate political solutions to global conflicts. Its not their area of professional expertise. By default they lead with their strongest suitorganised violencenot geopolitics or diplomacy.

December 14, 2017

Schools: will we ever join the dots?

I have this little website, Edmediawatch, which monitors media reports about schools. It is a long-running repository of policies, decisions, research and commentary. I even have an Edu-fact check section which uses a variety of f-words to pass judgment on claims about school education. Its worth doing, but the site is quite a depressing catalogue of shallow reporting, recurring failure, ignored research, predictable panics, copying others mistakes, the triumph of vested interests, rebadged quick-fix solutions and the short termism that pervades our public life.

November 27, 2018

TONY KEVIN. The Kerch Strait gambit

A Kiev-provoked Ukraine/Russia naval clash near the Kerch Strait, Crimea, threatens to derail the Argentina G20 Summit (30 Nov -1 Dec) and to worsen US-Russia bilateral relations. NATO allies are lining up behind a false Ukrainian narrative. The war in Eastern Ukraine could escalate now.

July 8, 2020

Japan is handling relations with China better than Australia.

Scott Morrison is shortly to have a virtual meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Abe, to be followed by an official visit to Japan when COVID 19 permits. Morrison is taking Japan seriously. Good.

April 17, 2019

H.K. COLEBATCH. Whats wrong with the APS?

The Thodey review has stimulated a wide variety of diagnoses of whats wrong with the APS, but one has been missed. Could it be that its problem is hubris?

July 12, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

May 8, 2019

DON EDGAR. Elections, the arts and regional development

In all the pre-election hubbub about taxes, national deficits, the environment and what else to spend our money on, there is scant attention being paid to the arts an area which nurtures the soul and takes us beyond everyday practicalities to the realm of vision, creativity and the meaning of life. This is a glaring gap in any attempt to revitalise regional Australia.

August 9, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

May 31, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

August 7, 2020

Saturdays good reading and listening for the weekend

What people in other forums are saying about public policy

August 6, 2020

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.

August 2, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

March 26, 2019

MIKE SCRAFTON.Extremism and race: slaying the phantom

There will be many views on the priority to be given to domestic race-based extremism and the best way in which it should be approached. Recently, Mike Pezzullo didnt mention race-based violence among his seven gathering storms facing Australia. An omission retrospectively corrected post-Christchurch at Senate Estimates. But his Harmony Day message displays a shallow comprehension of this insidious problem.

November 4, 2018

Morrison's foreign adventures

The past, they say, is a foreign country which is just the way Scott Morrison likes it.

September 27, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

September 13, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

August 2, 2020

The Australian Government advice on travel to Hong Kong is 'one sided, misleading, fanciful and absurd'

_The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade(DFAT) seems to have joined the anti China push with misleading advice on what the new security laws mean in Hong Kong.

October 8, 2019

DUNCAN MACLAREN. Boris Johnson: the Embattled Hammer of the Scots

The Scots were largely ignored by English politicians during the Brexit negotiations but they now loom large in the fight to stop a No Deal Brexit. Will this urge Boris Johnson to become the embattled Hammer of the Scots, the moniker given to King Edward I of England in his wars against Scots wishes not to be an English colony like the Welsh in the 13th to 14th centuries? If so, there is something which the unelected UK PM should remember from history.

March 17, 2019

MUNGO MacCALLUM. Students' strike for climate action - and good on them for it.

The conservatives have got themselves into a terrible lather about last weeks climate change protest.

March 5, 2018

HENRY REYNOLDS. Where Was The Governor-General?

Sir Peter Cosgrove was not in Canberra last week to swear in the new leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime-Minister. As far as I am aware there was no official explanation for his absence. But it turned out that he was on a secret visit to Iraq to visit the 300 Australian troops at an airbase just outside Baghdad. Secrecy may have been necessary for reasons of security but it also had the advantage of avoiding the questions which the electorate has a right to ask. What are our soldiers doing there now that ISIS had been defeated? Will they be coming home? And If not why not? The Governor-General, though nominally the Commander in Chief, provided little enlightenment in his brief reported comments. One thing is certainly clear. The soldiers are not coming home soon. Indeed Australia is putting pressure on New Zealand to delay the departure of its contingent of 100 troops planned for November this year. Cosgrove himself remarked that no-one would have foreseen in 2003 that Australia would still be in Iraq fifteen years later. There is clearly no end in sight to our Middle-Eastern adventure.

August 30, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

June 28, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

October 8, 2018

JANE PERLEZ. Pences China Speech Seen as Portent of a New Cold War (New York Times, 05.10.18)

BEIJING Vice President Mike Pences accusations in a stinging speech Thursday warning of a tougher approach toward Beijing may have been familiar to Chinas leaders. But until now, such remarks were delivered in private, in fairly decorous terms, and rarely threatened direct action. In Australia,another important ally, the government has been saying many of the same things as Mr. Pence,though in more muted tones. In some ways,Australia has been viewed in Washington as a test case of what China could get away with in a country with a strong economy and Western values The American and Australian intelligence agencies have consulted on what they see as the China threat,

December 28, 2019

ROBERT FISK.-How Skewed Polling and Media Bias are Warping American Attitudes About the Green New Deal

_What are opinion polls and what exactly do their outcomes signify?

April 19, 2019

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

November 1, 2017

TRAVERS McLEOD. Patient policy-making for a region on the move.

There are no quick fixes for a crisis like the forced displacement of Myanmars Rohingya, but a new collaboration has been preparing the way for an effective regional approach.

Pearls and Irritations

John Menadue's Public Policy Journal