January 19, 2020

WENDY HAYHURST. Why adequate and affordable housing matters to productivity

A growing body of research is demonstrating the adverse productivity impacts of inadequate or unaffordable housing in Australia (and elsewhere).

January 24, 2019

KIM WINGEREI. Democracy in Decline - Part 2.

The Economists Democracy Index is not all doom and gloom - there is hope, but it requires that we engage. Democracy is about much more than the next election!

April 23, 2020

WILLIAM BRIGGS. ANZAC Day 2020: why they died and for what?

_It is now 105 years since Gallipoli. We have had more than a century to reflect and possibly learn the odd lesson or two. But it seems that nothing has been learned.

January 26, 2020

GEORGE BROWNING. Change the date!

The reasons why the date for Australia Day are contentious will not go away.

May 18, 2020

DUNCAN GRAHAM. Blame dont shame

Its warming to see Australians helping jobless Balinese felled by Covid-19 with tuckerbags as hotels shut and tourists flee. One donor called it her moral obligation, a commendable motive.

August 29, 2018

TONY KEVIN. Australian politics: There has not been nearly enough change.

Reflections on last weeks political bloodbath and on what needs to happen now.

July 18, 2018

JOHN GEHRING. Catholic evolution on L.G.B.T. rights (New York Times International Edition 07/07/18)

Pope Francis has struck a more welcoming tone, but the church still needs tangible institutionalized reform.

February 19, 2019

KIM WINGEREI The Banking Royal Commission - The work has only just begun!

Even if all the 76 recommendations of Kenneth Hayne’s Banking Royal Commission were to be implemented, not much would change. There is a reason bank stock rallied after its release, bank board members and executives have little to fear.

May 1, 2020

Ramesh Thakur as Guest Editor

For three weeks from Monday 4 May, Ramesh Thakur will be Guest Editor of Pearls and Irritations

January 20, 2020

JACK WATERFORD. How rorting sporting grants became a bipartisan game.

The winner-takes-all approach to grants involves corrupt ideas of government, even if no crime occurred. It is an abuse of power

April 25, 2020

PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 26 April 2020

Ecosystems are likely to collapse sooner and more abruptly than previously thought, which is not surprising considering Trump continues to destroy the environmental in the USA. We can do better: the post-COVID recovery can be used to promote environmental sustainability and we have the technology to halve greenhouse gas emissions every decade. You can do your bit - make a submission to the review of the EPBC Act in the next 5 days.

June 18, 2018

German chancellor's tense standoff with hardline interior minister "endangers existence of gvernment as substantially as the stability of the country"

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing strong pressure to tighten her countrys refugee policies to avoid the collapse of her coalition government as the heated row over the handling of migration intensifies.

November 2, 2019

PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 3 November 2019

The articles this week provide follow-ups to previously reported items: the NSW government changes legislation to promote climate change; the worlds largest reinsurer models the risks posed by climate change and walks away from coal; melting glaciers are but one manifestation of the changes wrought by climate change in mountain areas; Decembers Conference of the Parties climate change meeting moves from Chile to Spain; and 2019 certain to be one of the hottest years on record.

May 16, 2018

STEPHANIE DOWRICK. What is education for?

That quite distinctly beautiful word education has its origins in the Latin educare to draw out or bring forth. But were entitled to ask: bring forth and draw towards what_? It is well established that the happiest (least discontented, least endangering) people across all cultures are those able to participate actively in their society, small or large; those who are as concerned with the common good as they are with their own survival or success. We are social creatures. We depend upon one another for our wellbeing and safety. Our self-respect depends on that flow of giving as well as receiving. Education, therefore, both explicit and as it is modelled and imbued through daily life, surely needs to support us to contribute according to our abilities from childhood onwards. But this familiar humanist view of education needs to take into account also_ how we learn_, especially in the formative years of childhood when the more hidden curricula that develop moral and emotional intelligence and drive human behaviour are too seldom privileged._

January 20, 2020

GREG LATEMORE. Can Scott Morrison Learn to Lead?

Scott Morrison is facing a significant leadership challenge: how to learn to deal with wicked problems. The PMs situation is complicated by a manifest loss of confidence in his capacity to do so. The question is - can Scott Morrison (or any leader) learn to lead?

January 3, 2020

ROBERT MICKENS. Pope Francis begins the most important year of his pontificate.

When the history of Pope Francis’ time as Bishop of Rome is finally written, there is a good chance that the Year of Our Lord 2020 will be recorded as the most important of his entire pontificate. Some are wondering whether it may actually be his last.

May 25, 2020

RODNEY TIFFEN. Malcolm Turnbull on the Murdochs, his Liberal opponents and the 2019 election

There is an established tradition in Australian politics that those in power or seeking power say nice things about Rupert Murdoch, while those distant from power or whose time has passed are more critical.

April 25, 2018

PETER MARTIN. We need to stop spending billions on things we don't really need.

I am going to say it. We are spending too much on infrastructure on roads, railways, bridges and the like. We dont try the cheap things first. And we are spending too much on the NBN.

You probably disagree, especially if you are waiting for a train, or in a car with a driver who is stuck in traffic. If you go to the footy you would prefer a better stadium, if you use the internet, you would like it faster.

March 12, 2019

PM, stop the cynical charade on asylum-seeker boats (The Age Editorial).

Are there no bounds to the Coalition governments cynicism, mismanagement and disregard for fiscal responsibility and human dignity when it comes to refugees and people seeking asylum?

December 31, 2018

CHRIS HEDGES. Banishing Truth - The story of Seymour Hersh. (Truthdig 24.12.2018)

The investigative reporter**Seymour Hersh**, in his memoir Reporter, describes a moment when as a young reporter he overheard a Chicago cop admit to murdering an African-American man. The murdered man had been falsely described by police as a robbery suspect who had been shot while trying to avoid arrest. Hersh frantically called his editor to ask what to do.

The editor urged me to do nothing, he writes. It would be my word versus that of all the cops involved, and all would accuse me of lying. The message was clear: I did not have a story. But of course I did. He describes himself as full of despair at my weakness and the weakness of a profession that dealt so easily with compromise and self-censorship.

May 7, 2020

ANDREW PODGER. New Normals: Likely, Unlikely and to aim for. Part 1

As governments transition out of the current restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help the economy towards recovery, it is worth exploring what the future might or should look like.

November 9, 2019

PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 10 November 2019

Nearly all about climate change this week: 20 fossil fuel companies responsible for producing 35% of all greenhouse gas emissions and confusing the public and politicians about the causes of climate change; the USA starts the formal process of withdrawal from the Paris agreement: will others follow? is the Paris agreement dead in the water regardless?; and security companies making big profits from climate migrants. Finally, our sea eagle chicks fledge and Richard Flanagan talks about birds.

May 11, 2021

What values should we expect among the 'profession of arms'?

Duttons ambiguous statement telling soldiers the Government has their back has added to the damage. Moreover, he has politicised the system of military honours. Labor deserves no less condemnation for going along with this interference. By not resigning in protest, General Angus Campbell has left uncertainty about the ADFs commitment to repair the cultural problems Brereton identified. Resignation might have forced a re-think by the Government (and the Opposition) focusing on the nations reputation as well as the ADFs culture.

March 26, 2018

MUNGO MACCALLUM. The Government hands around the silver.

The Roman Catholic Church, according to Education Minister Simon Birmingham, could be bought with a few pieces of silver.What about One Nation?

September 26, 2020

The US is using the Guardian to justify jailing Assange for life. Why is the paper so silent? (Counter Punch Sep 24, 2020)

Julian Assange is not on trial simply for his liberty and his life. He is fighting for the right of every journalist to do hard-hitting investigative journalism without fear of arrest and extradition to the United States.

February 26, 2019

JOHN MENADUE. The Liberal and National parties have deserted country people on climate change, NBN and more.

Both the Liberal and National parties are taking a drubbing from country voters. A while back it was New England and Lyne. More recently it has been Indi and Wagga Wagga.

December 7, 2019

PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 8 December 2019

With this years 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 from industrial processes.

January 23, 2019

JANE GOODALL. A plague of political idiots.

Increasing awareness of distortion and deception in news media is accompanied by rising levels of anger about what amounts to an intelligence crisis in public communication. People with opposing views accuse each other of being useful idiots for the propaganda merchants, and failing to see the realities. Politicians are caricatured as idiots and clowns, glove puppets for oligarchs and corporate enterprises. This rhetorical trend may be a signal that we refuse to be taken for fools, but a growing obsession with the stupidity of others may itself be becoming a toxic influence.

December 30, 2018

CLIVE KESSLER. New hopes or old fears for Malaysia?

Against the odds, and against most informed predictions, Malaysias 14th general elections in May 2018 produced a change of government. The Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition under Najib Razak, which had been in power since 1957, was ousted by the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) consortium led by Mahathir Mohamad, a now second-time prime minister.What had long seemed Malaysias permanent government was humbled, and its anchor party the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has been thrown into disarray.

December 13, 2017

LUKE FRASER. Is Sydney in thrall to an infrastructure cargo cult? Part 2 of 3

This is the second of three articles considering transport infrastructure spending levels, shortcomings in transport governance and strategy and the potential for doing better.

October 15, 2019

NICK DEANE. The climate crisis and war

Groups like Extinction Rebellion (XR) focus on the physical impacts of the climate crisis. Message to XR - The pre-requisites for a comfortable, sustainable future include an end to militarism and, ultimately, the cessation of war.

February 5, 2019

STEPHEN LONG. This letter from the big banks helped shape the royal commission. ABC News 5 February 2019

It is a revelation that underscores the close relationship between the major banks and the Government.

May 12, 2020

PAUL MALONE. The anti-Chinese bias of media commentators on China

How is it that commentators on China get away with outlandish statements that dont pass the most minimum scrutiny?

January 22, 2019

JOHN MENADUE. We are paying an enormous price to keep Christopher Pyne in Parliament

The Coalition Government ended our car manufacturing industry which had an Effective Rate of Protection of 8%. It employed 200,000 people. We are told by the Government that the void in SA will be filled by building the new French submarines in Adelaide. The won’t. There will be only about 2000 new jobs in SA and the Effective Rate of Protection for the submarines will be 300%

Our economy and defence would be far better off if we had kept our car manufacturing industry,imported new submarines ‘off the shelf’ and maintained them in SA

Who said that conservatives are good economic managers and are the best to keep us safe?

January 8, 2019

IAN McAULEY. The housing bubble, inflated by Howard and Costello, is now deflating.

Housing prices in our most overheated markets, Sydney and Melbourne, are falling. The housing bubble is a consequence of reckless economic policies pursued by the Howard-Costello Government, who, in the name of financial dynamism, privileged financial transactions over real economic activity.

August 14, 2020

Will Biden be an uber-Keynesian president?

Likely next president Biden is instinctively a builder and collaborator who cares deeply about people. His plans are progressive but he faces major obstacles.

February 14, 2019

MASSIMO FAGGIOLI. An offer we must refuse in the Catholic Church ,big money

The treaty of Feb. 11, 1929 was a diplomatic triumph for both Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI.

The fascist regime was assured the political support of Italian Catholics and the Holy See received minimal, but essential territorial sovereignty.

This would give the papacy necessary freedom to govern the universal Catholic Church, following the Holy See’s humiliating exclusion from the 1919 peace talks.

May 14, 2020

MARK J. VALENCIA. COVID -19 Crisis Cloaks Dangerous US-Iran Incidents That Raise Critical Questions

Whilethe world has been distracted by the COVID 19 pandemic, dangerous US-Iran incidents in the Gulf have proliferated and could lead to another military clash, or even war.

February 26, 2018

MUNGO MacCALLUM. Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce

Incredibly, it is being counted as a win for Malcolm Turnbull. He has got rid of his errant deputy Barnaby Joyce will retire to the backbench, just as the Prime Minister advised him to.

January 16, 2020

KEVIN TOLHURST.- We have already had countless bushfire inquiries (The Conversation 16.1.2020)

_As our country battles the most extensive fires of our lifetime, there are increasing calls for aroyal commissioninto the states and territories preparedness and the federal governments response to the disaster.

July 16, 2018

PETER DAY: The Endarkenment

God is dead, God is Dead!

A new Enlightenment has dawned.

Bow to its three pillars: Reason, Science, Humanism.

August 14, 2020

The COVID Interregnum (Counter Punch August 7, 2020)

A little over 500 years ago, Europeans, driven by a lust for riches and enabled by new technologies, colonized the Americas and set about making them productive in an entirely new way.

April 10, 2019

ELAINE PEARSON. Chinas Efforts to Curb Australias Academic Freedom: What Universities Can Do.

Theres been a vigorous debate of late in Australia about the extent of Chinese government interference in domestic politics. Less has been said about what occurs on our university campuses. Pressure from the Chinese government comes in numerous ways, including censoring discussion topics, putting students from China under surveillance, and threatening those who participate in protests or events China deems sensitive.

April 19, 2020

ED CORY. Border Security in a Pandemic

A ship docks in Sydney, some passengers are sick. Starting in the still dark morning, the passengers commence disembarking and head home. And all hell breaks loose

January 26, 2020

CHRIS McDONNELL. Many Years on from Auschwitz-Birkenau.

On Saturday January 27th the Red Army came from the East and entered Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration camp to liberate those still alive. The unfolding horror from the camps began.

July 11, 2018

DANIEL OBERHAUS. 30 Years of Data Shows Asylum Seekers Are Not an Economic Burden (Motherboard)

A new study shows that giving migrants pathways to citizenship in European countries actually results in positive economic impacts, while asylum seekers dont have a negative impact.

January 12, 2020

CAMERON LECKIE. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute is mired in the past.

The latest fearmongering by ASPI on the military threat posed by the Russia China partnership is not helpful to either our future security or prosperity.

September 26, 2020

The Transformation of Diplomacy: How to Save the State Department (Foreign Affairs Sep 23, 2020)

The Trump administration also learned early on that people matter, and so it made them the primary target of what the White House aide Steve Bannon termed the deconstruction of the administrative state.

August 22, 2020

The inconsistent responses to Covid-19

The bag of Covid-19 policy responses bulges with inconsistencies. The first people to admit they knew the least about this virus strain were epidemiologists who knew the most. But how frustrating when politicians shift positions in pretence they know (anything).

Pearls and Irritations

John Menadue's Public Policy Journal