April 14, 2023

Strength, will and knowledge: critical components for aged care nursing

Staffing and skill mix is at a crisis point in private aged care, and it must be fixed. We must show solidarity for the needs of our ageing population, because how we treat our elderly says everything about our values as a nation.

April 17, 2022

Matt Robson: Sleepwalking to war: NZ is back under the nuclear umbrella

As Minister for Disarmament in the 1999-2002 Labour-Alliance Coalition I was authorised to state that we would pursue an independent foreign policy and we would not march off to almost every war launched by Great Britain and then the United States our traditional allies.

September 20, 2021

Mending a neighbourhood fence: Australias strategic partnership with France in the Pacific

There is more at stake for the French-Australian relationship in the Pacific than just money after Australia last week cancelled the $90 billion contract with France’s Naval Group to build new submarines.

July 13, 2021

'Humanity Must Stand Together': Top Medical Ethicists Demand Vaccine Patent Waivers

Two medical ethicists arethe latest to argue that the World Trade Organization must lift patent protections on Covid-19 vaccines to save lives both in the Global South, where inoculations against the virus are lagging, and in wealthy countries which is likely to face futureinfectious disease outbreaks if they continue hoarding the supplies needed to fight the current public health crisis.

February 18, 2021

Diplomatic finesse in the offing? Possible modifications of Freedom of Navigation Operations under Biden

For years the US has purposely conceptually conflated freedom of navigation for commercial vessels with its claimed freedom for its military assets to threaten and probe weaknesses in its opponents defences including those of China.

September 6, 2024

Logging by another name – 'Forest Gardening'

First Nations’ sovereignty is in Country, and First Nations are sovereigns of their respective Countries. First Nations believe they have an obligation to defend Country from natural resource exploitation that causes widespread negative impacts to ecosystems. One of those forms of exploitation is native forest logging.

April 22, 2024

Was the Covid-19 pandemic a ‘relatively mild pandemic’?

Recently, a former Prime Minister (who also once served as Health Minister) was quoted as declaring “the Morrison government’s Covid response as a ‘grotesque overreaction’ to a ‘relatively mild pandemic’”.

September 12, 2023

Where are the better angels of our soul?

The Age/SMH Resolve Strategic poll on the Voice referendum was a dramatic reminder that progressives should always be ready for a profound kick in the guts.

July 23, 2023

The cost of living crisis so what would Dutton do?

Peter Dutton incessantly declaims about the cost of living crisis, blaming the government. But what would he do instead?

July 15, 2023

The great gates of Kiev: A Cold War story

Europeans endured two world wars in the 20th Century. Surely they have no wish to begin the 21st Century with a third.

September 16, 2022

It is time to question the US alliance

The US wars for the most part have been concocted on lies, illegally declared, and mostly lost.

July 6, 2021

Rot starts from the top

_Scott Morrison encapsulates the retreat from values, the lack of regard for truth, for decency and the long-term public interest. Those he leads or those in the public service obliged to do his will can hardly be blamed for using his example as their inspiration.

November 25, 2020

Fraudster will create US COVID vaccination problems

_In the US we can guarantee that someone among the anti-vaxxers will be claiming that the new President is trying to poison them and/or forcibly convert them to communism.

November 16, 2020

Whats the point of FTAs (including RCEP, with China?

With virtual fanfare the much heralded Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Regional_Comprehensive_Economic_Partnership was signed this weekend with the ten nation ASEAN group in addition to Australia, China, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand. As with the former 12 nation Trans Pacific Partnership, the United States has withheld its participation. What are these mega trade agreements worth?

November 2, 2020

Donald Trump's Political Program, an Epic Deceit

Donald Trump has managed to bring together all the nastier aspects of many citizens of the United States: nativism, misogyny and racism, and to corral their incipient resentments for a program that is all about himself. He is a genius an evil genius.

October 3, 2024

"Terrorism" by the weak versus the high technology violence of the strong

Perhaps the only intellectually honest and globally workable definition of “terrorism” is an explicitly subjective one—“violence which I don’t support.”

July 15, 2024

The gas industry has power and freedom to wreck the world

By now many citizens of our planet recognise that the destructiveness of climate change is moving faster than they imagined, leaving our defences at serious risk and even the money men are concerned about the burgeoning costs and possible economic collapse.

September 25, 2023

Assassination allegations: The caution of Canadas allies is well grounded

Seemingly out of nowhere, Canada and India are embroiled in an escalating diplomatic crisis after PM Justin Trudeau implicated India in the June 18 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent British Columbia (BC) Sikh leader. India has strongly rejected the unsubstantiated charge as absurd.

April 25, 2023

Why provide a faster pathway to Australian Citizenship for NZ Citizens?

Anthony Albanese has in essence reversed the Howard Governments 2001 changes to rules around NZ citizens living in Australia and their access to Australian citizenship.

April 22, 2022

The Morrison 'dirty deal' on GST revenue sharing that benefits WA

And its no less shameful that this dirty deal has been supported in this by the Labor Party, who have promised to uphold these changes should they form government after the election on 21st May.

August 26, 2021

Gladys leadership rumours rise as rival Perrottet embroiled in scandal

Is it coincidence that Gladys Berejiklians rival Dominic Perrottet is suddenly embroiled in the Wolf of Wall Street scandal? Michael West investigates NSW leadership tensions and the New Generations Fund.

February 2, 2021

Promise to restore integrity, Mr Albanese, and you might be surprised

Anthony Albanese, you p__ossibly have the worst job in Australian politics. Up against a federal government rich in marketing skills and basking in its entitlement and a public that is buying it. Please give us more of your passion and tell us your plan.

January 27, 2021

Housing affordability and homelessness monthly digest: Dec 2020/Jan 2021

The latest instalment of a monthly digest of interesting articles, research reports, policy announcements and other material relevant to housing stress/affordability and homelessness.

October 5, 2024

Interest rates, inflation and unemployment: Are there better ways to manage the economy?

As the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) attempts to keep both inflation and unemployment rates low, it faces a tricky challenge. But are there better ways of managing demand in the economy?

September 13, 2024

Australian wheat and the BRI: The economic geography of the world's grain trading

The global wheat trade is undergoing a transformation, shaped by geopolitical shifts, strategic investments, and historical legacies. Central to this evolution is China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its expected impact on traditional trade relationships, including those with Australia.

June 9, 2024

Partners in crime: Germany, Israel and Genocide

_Karl Marx, a rebel son of Jewish parents, famously remarked that in politics Germans had only thought what others had already done. His quip needs a flip: Germans are nowadays doing things others find unthinkable.

April 16, 2024

How many more tragedies? Sydney siders in disbelief as they lay flowers

Our society is failing the seriously mentally ill.

August 2, 2023

A twentieth century Terra Nullius: Crimea, Canards and Confabulations

A reading of history, including the genocide and forced exile of the indigenous Crimean Tatars, debunks apologias for the Russian annexation of Crimea based on the support of the local Russian majority.

June 3, 2023

Why AUKUS does not make sense

AUKUS relies on the dubious proposition that nuclear propulsion will in 20 years or so be a viable option. A dubious proposition in twenty years, as it hardly is value for money now. A number of defects should be obvious even to Peter Hartcher as he predicts imminent conflict.

May 13, 2023

Australian expat accused of spying for China is no James Bond, was working innocently: lawyer

Alexander Csergo, accused of reckless foreign interference, is being held in a top-security jail cell in Australia. His case is a show trial, his lawyer says, which reflects an absolute hypocrisy in our approach to doing business with China.

May 2, 2023

Divide over Labor's (lack of) ambition

There is a growing divide between voters, who according to the polls are increasingly favourable to the Albanese Labor Government, and media commentators, who are increasingly expressing disillusionment with that government. Next weeks budget may bring their sentiments closer together, though probably not.

September 5, 2022

Albanese can afford to seem firm about tax cuts

Newly elected as prime minister Anthony Albanese promised voters he would not lose a second in getting down to the tasks for which he had been elected. In the period leading up to the election, he had been criticised by followers for having a narrow agenda. But that included some big-ticket items in child-care, NDIS repair and wage increases for aged care workers, as well as a primary task of budget repair. Affording much in the way of extras was going to be difficult and lobbying for it much discouraged.

June 14, 2022

The future budget outlook

As the Treasury Secretary, Steven Kennedy, made clear last week the future Budget outlook is exceptionally difficult. He noted the pressures to raise more revenue over time and saw no scope to lower taxes in future.

April 14, 2022

Giving Indonesian diplomacy a kick along

Australians arent tops for geography, often promoting Bali to nationhood. Likewise, Indonesians shifting Perth to the East Coast. But they can locate Manchester, the gritty industrial centre in northwest England. Curiously that could enliven the equatorial archipelagos yawning (both meanings) relations with its neighbour, as proved in the latest Lowy survey.

July 28, 2021

The Global Fight Against White Supremacy and White Dominance

Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden signed legislation to make Juneteenth a Federal holiday, marking the day in 1865 when Black people in the U.S. gained freedom from slavery. Emancipation did not stop the repression of Black people, nor will this new gesture change much.

June 14, 2021

Solving the mega-risks

The world is awash with literature describing the deepening self-inflicted crisis into which humanity is pitching. I am frequently asked how we can solve it, presuming we wish to do so. Here, briefly, are the ten most urgent solutions.

September 15, 2023

Yes will say No to Trumpism and US-like social disintegration

Im voting Yes as a proud Australian of Aboriginal, European and Middle-eastern ancestry. Australias Constitution needs to catch up with the nation we are today. Were a multicultural superpower and Asia-Pacific democracy, founded on 65,000 years of heritage and culture. Our Constitution needs to reflect that.

June 1, 2023

The federal budget: what planet does Labour live on?

Its astonishing now that the analytical dust has settled on the budget that out of 57 leading Australian economists, most have given it top marks. What planet we may ask do they - and the Labour Government - live on? Not one critically endangered by climate change and a catastrophic decline in biodiversity which collectively pose an unprecedented threat to our (not to mention the worlds) wellbeing and prosperity.

April 9, 2023

No bulldozer can bury the truth: Remembering Rachel Corrie

In another echo of early 2003, the twentieth anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie on 16 March went largely unreported.

July 30, 2022

C.K Yeung: The Pelosi penalty

What penalty will China mete out to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a Taiwan visit? The key word here is penalty. Anything that could remotely benefit Pelosi is off the table.

June 28, 2022

Understanding the Australia-NATO chats in Madrid

Less than three years ago President Macron said NATO was afflicted with ‘brain death’.

June 19, 2022

Michael Keating-The Outlook for Living Standards: Part 1

A critical challenge facing the new Labor Government is its response to the upsurge in inflation and the threat to living standards. In Part 1 today this article discusses the dimensions of this challenge. Parts 2 and 3, tomorrow and the next day, will consider possible government responses.

March 23, 2020

MICHAEL KEATING.- The latest economic response to the coronavirus

These are very uncertain times, but the Government seems to be playing catch-up, both with our health and the economy. In addition, there are continuing questions about the structure of the Governments economic response and the effectiveness of some of the measures.

September 22, 2024

Invisible Israeli influences tip the balance

The Palestine/Israel narrative in Australia is skewed by the influence of underground forces.

August 13, 2024

Albo may struggle to enthuse his followers

I do not expect that there would be an outbreak of existential angst, despair, or deep public sullenness, even among committed Labor voters, if Anthony Albanese were to fail to win the next election.

August 9, 2024

Bangladesh’s inspiring new leader: inaugural Sydney Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus

In the last several years, democracies around the world have been led by leaders of low calibre, who displayed little vision, not much courage and in whom voters had shown no confidence. But in strife torn Bangladesh, a country of over 174 million people, the inaugural (1998) Sydney Peace Prize recipient Professor Muhammad Yunus, a man of courage, imagination and integrity, has just been chosen to head an interim government.

August 14, 2023

Sofronoff endorses the status quo on rape cases

Recently we have heard the alleged victim in the Bruce Lehrmann case discuss how she felt herself, in effect, defiled again by her treatment by the justice system. Nothing Walter Sofronoff has written in his inquiry into the case could cheer her. Nor would it engender any confidence in future better treatment for any other woman who had been sexually assaulted. Sofronoff has essentially endorsed the status quo.

August 11, 2023

Dutton leading the Liberal Party to pyrrhic victory: Weekly Roundup

Dutton may be leading the Liberal Party to a pyrrhic victory; Our future manufacturing sector dispel Holdens and Bonds underwear from your mind; and how the small government idea is stifling the nation. Read on for our Weekly Roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy.

August 6, 2023

No need to despair, theres always the NRL!

What are we to make of what were witnessing on our TV screens - the fires, the floods, the storms, the loss of life and habitat? It certainly appears deadly - and monumentally serious. July was the hottest month ever recorded.

Pearls and Irritations

John Menadue's Public Policy Journal