March 29, 2018

MICHAEL THORN. Cricket Australia crisis is an opportunity to remove the booze culture.

Australia loves to cut down its tall poppies.

Just a few months ago, Australian cricket captain Steve Smith was being compared with the Don himself, Donald Bradman.

In the aftermath of the weekends ball-tampering controversy in Cape Town, the Australian media were after his head, with a fervour normally reserved for murderers and sex offenders.

And now we have the verdict. Guilty as charged with 12 month sentences for Smith and David Warner, and a nine month sentence for Bancroft.

Unfortunately, any punishment meted out to Smith, Warner and Bancroft, no matter how punitive, would always be futile when the noxious culture that ultimately led to the cheating scandal began not with the players, nor the coach, but is arguably embedded deep within Cricket Australia.

May 28, 2014

John Menadue.The vendetta against the ABC and the cost to Australia

Tony Abbotts vendetta against the ABC is prejudicing Australias regional diplomacy.

The ABC is the most trusted media organisation in the country but Tony Abbott wants to bring it to heel. He has grown used to the fawning Murdoch media.

According to Essential Research, 70% of Australians have a lot of or some trust in ABC TV news and current affairs. For commercial news and current affairs, it is 38%; for news and opinion in daily newspapers it is 48% and for commercial TV news and current affairs it is 41%.

April 4, 2017

BOB BIRRELL and DAVID McCLOSKEY. Sydney and Melbourne's housing affordability crisis: no end in sight.

Our projections show that, on these demographic assumptions, new migrants will add about 64 per cent to the need for extra dwellings in Sydney over the decade 2012 to 2022 and 54 per cent in Melbourne.

March 7, 2025

A five-minute scroll

The Chinese Embassy in the US underlines the country’s differences with the US. Marco Rubio and Boris Johnson refer to the war in Ukraine as a proxy war, while Rubio also reaffirms Trump’s warning to Hamas. Ohad Kozminsky of the Jewish Council of Australia shares his views on Western colonialism and Gaza.

May 21, 2016

EVAN WILLIAMS. 'The Man Who Knew Infinity'. Film Review 4.5 stars.

Here is that rarest of cinematic pleasures a fine story, beautifully told, acted to perfection by a first-rate cast, with a screenplay consisting mainly of intelligent conversation between adults of mature years, and with no recourse to car chases, explosions or gratuitous four-letter words. And with all of coming in at a little over an hour-and-a-half, it isnt a moment too long. I can recommend The Man Who Knew Infinity, a British film written and directed by Matthew Brown, to cinemagoers of all ages as a necessary antidote to the likes of X-Men: Apocalypse and Captain America: Civil War (in 3D).

January 10, 2017

BRUCE THOM. Agonies of an American scientist under Trump.

A truly great nation must be compassionate, loving, kind, rational and celebrate diversity.

February 13, 2019

JOHN MENADUE. Getting behind the lies, fake news and spin on refugees and asylum seekers. (Michael West's blog 13.2.2019)

It is remarkable that mainstream media, without exception, continues to ignore the facts on asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat and air. Michael West has written on the subject today in his blog. See Michael’s article reprinted below.

April 26, 2017

VIVIENNE MILLIGAN and HAL PAWSON. Ready for growth? Has Australia's affordable housing industry got what it takes?

Australia lacks any enumerated and resourced plan for expanding affordable housing. Recent growth opportunities in this industry have largely been small-scale, fragmented and ad hoc. As a result, providers have been highly constrained in their ability to predict and plan for growth. This has disrupted capacity-building and undermined capacity-retention.

May 28, 2014

Gavan Hogue. Quo Vadis Thailand?

Thaksin undoubtedly engaged in some corrupt activities. Whether he was more corrupt than the other mob is hard to say but he did get the numbers by actually doing something for the poor peasants especially in the depressed areas of the north and northeast. His critics accuse him of pork barreling but that is a well established democratic procedure. Whatever his motives, he did actually do something to improve the lives of the poor and they voted for him in droves.

February 14, 2015

Melanie Noden. The Forgotten Children.

Earlier this week, a damning report by the Australian Human Rights Commission into children in detention was tabled, alleging extensive human rights violations. The Report clearly spells out the negative physical and psychological impact that policies of indefinite detention have on children and brings to light the concerns that many people already have about the treatment of asylum seeker children in Australias care.

The Report recommends that a royal commission needs to be established to examine the breach of the Commonwealths duty of care, focussing in particular on the use of force against children in detention, and allegations of sexual assault.

August 8, 2013

One Minus One Equals Nothing - Also True in Journalism. Guest blogger: Walter Hamilton

As an executive journalist at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation I was concerned on a daily basis with balance and fairness in news and current affairs coverage. I often heard it said, if both sides of politics are criticising us, were probably doing a good job, though I never embraced this mantra. In journalism, as in diplomacy, one does not ensure neutrality by being equally offensive to everyone. Similarly the counting of lines of copy and broadcast minutes, which is standard practice at the ABC during election campaigns to give equal time to the opposing political parties, to me smacked of tokenism.

July 23, 2015

Bob Kinnaird. More government dishonesty on China FTA

Now that Federal Labor Leader Bill Shorten has publicly stated his opposition to the China FTA labour mobility provisions, the Coalition is ramping up its attack on union and political critics of the deal.

Trade Minister Robb lead the charge this week, with allegations of union falsehoods and a racist scare campaign over the China FTA that do not stack up (Don’t give credence to union scare campaign, AFR, Letters, 21 July 2015).

December 17, 2013

Archbishop Coleridge and Canon Law: Humpty Dumpty Rules . Guest blogger Kieran Tapsell

When I use a word, Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, It means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.

The question is, said Alice, whether you can make words mean so many things.

The question is, said Humpty Dumpty, which is to be master thats all.

L_ewis Carroll: Alice in the Looking Glass_

Canon law, the law of the Catholic Church, is said to be the oldest continuing system of law in the western world. It is based on Roman law, and differs from our English common law in a number of respects. Both systems have similar rules of interpretation, relying on the proper meaning of words, but in the case of ambiguity they rely on different sources for clarification. The English system relies on court interpretations, while canon law relies on declarations by the legislature (the Holy See) and the opinion of canon law scholars about what the law means. The English system uses judicial precedent, but in canon law a judicial decision only binds the parties to it.

June 24, 2016

DAVID POPE. Medicare - Eaten out from within.

This cartoon byDavid Popewas published inThe Canberra Times.

I posted this cartoon on social media today, with links to your blog article. The cartoon was, in part, inspired by your posts. Too often, a good thousand words is worth more than any picture. Thank you for them. David Pope.

See link to David Pope’s galleryhttp://www.canberratimes.com.au/photogallery/act-news/david-pope-20120214-1t3j0.html.

Warren Buffett described private health insurance in the US as the ’tapeworm in the US health system'.

June 19, 2017

CAVAN HOGUE. Our white mans media.

For our media, the UK and the US are more or less down town.

January 12, 2024

Fears of wider war as US, UK reportedly plot 'imminent' attack on Yemen's Houthis

One prominent critic warned that renewed U.S. strikes on Yemen mean that not only will the Houthi attacks “not be stopped, but the broader war that Biden seeks to prevent will likely become a reality.”

October 7, 2024

A five-minute scroll

We start the week reminded about Gough Whitlam standing up against Israel, protests across Australia and around the world seek ceasefire, Richard Marles on the ABC, A statement from the Jewish Council of Australia, and IDF soldiers reveal their own identities when they post their crimes on social media. Spanish actor Javier Bardem has spoken out against the situation in Gaza and his considered comments are being shared across the world, while Israel continues to bomb Beirut and bombs an orphanage in Gaza.

August 3, 2015

Andrew Pridham. Adam Goodes and Rosa Parks.

Before last weekend’s match between the Sydney Swans and the Adelaide Crows, the Chairman of the Sydney Swans, Andrew Pridham, gave a very challenging speech about Adam Goodes and racism in Australia. He said that recent events are a seminal moment in our history. He commented that Adam Goodes ‘has shaken the nation’s conscience’.

He added ‘Change only occurs when someone takes a stand. Rosa Parks, who in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to stand for a white person in the coloured section of a bus. She was arrested. She was later to become the face of the civil rights movement and heralded for her actions. Despite this, she faced massive discrimination - she was fired from her job, she regularly received threats … media of the day claimed it was her own fault, she was divisive. She was uppity and she was refusing to conform to the good ways of society. Does that sound familiar?It does to me.’

August 23, 2016

'Racists aren't welcome here: how we kicked a racist passenger off the bus.

A nice story from The Guardian ‘Our better angels’ . See link below. John Menadue

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/19/racists-arent-welcome-here-how-we-kicked-a-racist-passenger-off-the-bus?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

May 27, 2014

Caroline Coggins. Art and prayer

What do we pay attention to, what do we look for? It sounds like such an innocent question, yet it is a reflection of who we are, and how we have been shaped.

I went to a Matisse exhibition when I was in London recently. What struck me was a comment the artist made as an older man, with only fourteen years of life left to him, that it was only now that he had tolearnthow to ’ see’. And this seeing would take him on a totally other path, and would revolutionize what was considered art.

April 21, 2015

Bruce Kaye. Corporate Tax and Ethics Dodging

The Senate committee hearings with testimony from high profile executives from some very large corporations have brought to notice the strategies to shift profits in order to avoid paying taxes in Australia. The companies claim that they are acting legally. The counter claim is that such manipulation of the law is unfair it is not ethical.

I am not competent to deal with the all complexities on tax law or the international agreements that are relevant to this problem. But even those who are competent do seem to suggest that there are problems largely arising from the failure of the law to keep up with changing technology in relation to the jurisdictional character of a nation state. Trevor Boucher has provided such a contribution on this blog.

January 9, 2017

IAN McAULEY. Brexit, Trump and the Lucky Country 8 Dont wait for a leader: we need leadership.

We have many hard issues to confront but our present political elites are adept at avoiding them. Its futile and dangerous to wait for a leader who will solve our problems. The task of leadership is one that falls on anyone who has voice.

September 26, 2016

LINDA JAKOBSON. Beware the China alarmists out there

The quandary over what to do about Peoples Republic of China government influence in Australia has burst on to the political scene. For the past months there has been ongoing media commentary about the consequences of political donations by businessmen with Chinese connections; and a piece in_The Australian Financial Review_claimed that hundreds, if not thousands, of Chinese citizens in Australia are gathering information for Chinese authorities.

These are contentious issues, ones that cause unease within the government, among public servants and citizens at large.

June 20, 2016

SIMON SCHAMA. Brexit vote a choice between the past and the future.

In this article from the Financial Times, Simon Schama (BBC’s ‘A History of Britain’) provides an historical and relevant background as to why the UK should remain as part of Europe. He highlights the narrow mindedness and divisiveness of those who favour leaving the EU. His comments also have relevance for Australia in the divisive and short-sighted debate that we have seen on refugees. See link to article :

https://next.ft.com/content/7c7f2dbe-3474-11e6-bda0-04585c31b153

September 6, 2017

KATHARIN R. LESTARI. Indonesia speaks up as global support for Rohingya grows

The Indonesian government has stepped up its support for ethnic Muslim Rohingyapromising humanitarian aid and a new hospital in their homeland inMyanmar’s Rakhine State as the military continues to torch villages while battlinghomegrown insurgents.

April 20, 2016

Geoffrey Harcourt and Peter Kriesler . The case for taxation.

We were happy to sign the Australian Institute letter on taxation cuts in the Sydney Morning Herald (12/04/2016).We now would like to set out the general philosophy that lay behind our support.

We have always argued that taxes have two main functions: first, the relative structure of taxation types and rates should reflect philosophical views on equity as between different groups in society. Secondly, the total tax take should impact on the need to achieve high levels of employment and activity, after taking into account the other main sources of overall demand at any moment of time – expected expenditures on consumption and investment, current and capital government expenditures, and net exports. Meeting these two criteria implies that sometimes the government will be in deficit, sometimes in surplus, so that neither achieving a deficit or a surplus or a balance at a moment in time or over time should be the criterion of fiscal policy, but the residual outcome of attempting to achieve these other fundamental aims.

December 4, 2013

Bella Figura and the Vatican. Guest blogger: Kieran Tapsell

Bella figura, writes Bishop Geoffrey Robinson in his book, For Christs Sake, pervades the Vatican. In Italian, it means putting on a good appearance, and never admitting mistakes what we might call spin. Its opposite, bruta figura means looking dreadful. Bella figura can quickly turn bruta as Sir Walter Scott reminded us: Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II promulgated the 1983 Code of Canon Law that made it virtually impossible to dismiss a paedophile priest. He had already abolished the simpler administrative trial, leaving only the impossibly complicated judicial trial. In 1988, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote to the Churchs senior canon lawyer, Cardinal Castillo, asking for a simpler method. Castillo refused, saying that it would diminish the rights of priests. Never mind the children who were being abused.

February 7, 2019

ERNST WILLHEIM. Secret Trials: The illegal bugging of the Timor Leste Cabinet and the extraordinary prosecution of Bernard Collaery and Witness K

Australians reading about secret trials in foreign countries tend to content themselves in the belief that in Australia we have an open court system and an independent judiciary. After all, freedom of speech, the rule of law and an open and independent court system are basic bulwarks of our democracy. Arent they? This brief paper challenges that comfortable assumption.

August 27, 2018

JOHN MENADUE. Julie Bishop Foreign Minister or Senior Consular Officer A repost from 16 May 2018

In this blog and elsewhere, Geoff Raby, a former Australian Ambassador to China, has pointed out that Australia’s relationship with China is unlikely to improve until Julie Bishop is sacked as Foreign Minister. The departure of Julie Bishop as Foreign Minister is necessary, but it is unlikely that Malcolm Turnbull will act. If he did so, it would imperil his own tenuous hold on Liberal Party leadership.

Almost two years ago on 14 June 2016, I wrote about Julie Bishop’s continual and serious failings as Foreign Minister. Those failings have increased since then particularly with the management of our relations with China and more and more major cuts in ODA

That article of two years ago is reproduced below

December 27, 2016

OLIVER FRANKEL. Exploiting our under-used housing capacity a way to ease the affordable housing crisis

The substantial under-used capacity within our existing residential built environment offers a quick, and capital light, opportunity to ease the affordable housing crisis. … There are an estimated 90,000 properties empty in Sydney and 83,000 in Melbourne.

March 28, 2016

Chris Bonnor and Bernie Shepherd (researchers). School Myths Busted.

What_My School_ really says about our schools. (Text of press release of 28 March 2016)

In the wake of the latest version of My School two researchers have published a startling account of what the numbers behind the website actually show. Former school principals Chris Bonnor and Bernie Shepherd have revealed new findings which challenge myths about Australias schools.

While reports are frequently about the drift to the private schools Bonnor and Shepherd have found that the drift could be equally seen as one from low socio-educational advantage (SEA) schools to higher SEA schools. As recently reported on Lateline, they show that enrolments are increasing in higher SEA government schools, but declining in low SEA government schools.

June 6, 2016

LESLEY BARCLAY. Diagnosing rural health gaps in the election.

It is timely as the federal election approaches to consider whether all Australians are getting the healthcare they need. Approximately 30 per cent of Australians live in rural and remote areas.

Arguably they do not get a fair go in relation to their healthcare compared to the rest of us.

Rural and remote Australians are disadvantaged by social circumstances that influence their health status and ripen them for avoidable chronic disease when compared to counterparts in Australias major cities.

May 27, 2014

John Falzon. Time to stand and fight

There are measures in this Budget that rip the guts out of what remains of a fair and egalitarian Australia. These measures will not help people into jobs but they will force people into poverty.

You dont help young people or older people or people with a disability or single mumsinto jobs by making them poor. You dont build people up by putting them down.

This Budget is deeply offensive to the people who wage a daily battle to survive. The content of the Budget is offensive. The lies told to justify the Budget are offensive.

October 10, 2024

A five-minute scroll

A journalist takes on the US state briefing, a Palestinian captive takes on his captor. David Shoebridge takes on the government’s immigration policy and the Deputy PM in Belgium speaks out. Ben Gvir draws a gun in the West Bank, while Palestinian journalists flee drone fire. A personal view on destruction in Lebanon. Our five-minutes on X.

April 11, 2013

Fear of Asia. John Menadue

This fear has been with us since European settlement a small, relatively wealthy white community living on the rim of the large populations of Asia. This fear stunts our own human growth and is an obstacle to trusting relations with our own region.

Although we have broken the back of white Australia, fear of Asia and the yellow peril is still alive. We see it in so many ways.

Our uncritical alliance with the US and formerly with the UK stems from the fear of our region and the need for a strong external protector.
Politicians such as John Howard, Pauline Hanson, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, see fear of Asia and particularly demonising of asylum seekers as a potent political weapon.
The hostility to a small number of skilled workers on 457 visas.
The campaign against Chinese investment by Barnaby Joyce and others which is really a re-run of the campaign by Pauline Hanson against Japanese investment 25 years ago.

These campaigns against our Asian neighbours are designed to appeal to our emotions, our feelings our prejudice. They are not directed to our intellects.

July 25, 2024

American obeisance

I have just witnessed the most pathetic and humiliating hour which I, as an American, have experienced in my lifetime.

November 24, 2016

RICHARD BUTLER. Our white man's media.

In this blog, I will be posting occasional pieces under the title ‘our white man’s media’ about the inadequate coverage of important issues in world affairs and in particular, in our region. So much of our media coverage reflects the interests and views of the US.

Is the Wretched situation in Yemen of no interest to Australians?

The civil war in Yemen has been underway for over a year. In 2015 Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 3 other Arab states and Pakistan in invading and attacking Yemen, its southern neighbor. Saudis role was the significantly largest one and by now virtually the only one. What tied this group together was their interest in opposing the growth of Shia influence in the region stretching from Bahrain in the Gulf to Syria in the west. In plain geopolitical terms, the growth of Iranian influence.

The invasion was assisted by the US, mainly through air assistance.

May 17, 2017

NICOLE GURRAN and PETER PHIBBS. Policy sentiment rather than substance in housing policy

The Federal Treasurer clearly understands the housing affordability pressures facing moderate and low income renters and Australias growing homeless. His budget speech set the scene for a package of measures to boost affordable housing supply and recalibrate demand settings. A record number of new and recycled measures recognise the spectrum of crisis housing to home ownership, but theres little in the way of substantive policy change.

September 24, 2016

CHRIS BONNOR. Institutionalised farce: funding Australia's schools.

The nations education ministers have just had a day together to sort out school funding. There was considerable posturing but little agreement. And they managed to sidestep real problems and urgent solutions. They do have some awareness of the institutionalised inequality created, in part, by school funding - but no real will to fix it.

In a new report Bernie Shepherd and I outline the problem, starting with the contrasts between the schools in Albury and Wodonga, two of our most prominent border towns. One school on the NSW side is Albury Public School. Across the Murray is Wodonga Primary School with students who are less advantaged. After all the talk about equity youd expect the strugglers at Wodonga to be better supported. Quite the opposite: while NSW annually provides over $8000 for each of the students at Albury Public, those in the Victorian school make do with $2000 less.

July 9, 2014

Kieran Tapsell. Rolf Harris and the Vatican.

Rolf Harris, aged 84, was found guilty of sexual assaults on children in the long distant past, and was sentenced to 5 years jail. The judge took into account his age in determining the sentence. Many people still thought it was inadequate, and there is talk of an appeal by the Attorney General to increase the term.

The policy widely accepted in society and reflected by the courts is that the sexual abuse of children should be punished severely, even if it occurred a long time ago, and the convicted man is in his eighties. That view seems to have little traction in the Vatican. The harshest punishment that the Vatican can impose on a priest under canon law is his dismissal from the priesthood, whose secular equivalent would be striking off the rolls or register for a lawyer or doctor.

October 28, 2024

A five-minute scroll

Francesca Albanese warns the entire population of Gaza at risk of genocide, while the Israeli army herd Palestinian men in Jabalia and a child trapped in rubble waits for help. Courage to continue to help the injured from Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyah, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital whose son died in the attack and horror from Al Shati refugee camp attacks. Jeffrey Sachs asks where is western civilisation while tens of thousands are massacred before our eyes and Seyed Mohammad Marandi sets the BBC straight on Israel and Iran while Woody Harrelson sets the record straight on the US.

March 23, 2016

Ian McAuley. The government says that tax cuts are good for workers!

Arthur Sinodinos suggestion of a cut to the corporate tax rate doesnt seem to be the smartest way to start an election campaign.

For a start, its not clear how such generosity would be funded. Earlier this month there was a flurry of excitement when iron ore prices rose. For a few days the idea that higher commodity prices might boost the governments tax revenue was getting kicked around. But that commodity price rise was short-lived.

July 8, 2014

Joanne Yates. The G20 and the C20.

The G20 has become regarded as the premier forum for the promotion of economic cooperation. It is comprised of 19 nations and the EU and together account for 85% of global GDP, 75% of global trade and two thirds of the global population. As a consequence, its policy decisions have a significant impact on the well-being and life prospects of all citizens, but particularly on the poorest communities in the world, including those contained within G20 nations themselves.

April 6, 2014

Ian McAuley. Inequality in Australia.

A_Financial Review_article on March 24 claimed Inequality in Australia has not deteriorated over the last 25 years, according to Reserve Bank of Australia research that undermines claims the gap between rich and poor has worsened

The essence of the argument is that while, between 1993-94 and 2009-10, the distribution of income has become more unequal, we have all increased our consumption what we spend on food, transport, housing health care, recreation etc by the same amount. Therefore we arent becoming more unequal.

January 29, 2015

John Menadue. Health Policy Reform: Part 3 Principles for reform

In Part 1 of this series I described the areas in our health sector that need reform. In Part 2 I spoke of the obstacles, particularly those imposed by vested interests in the health sector to protect their own interests by delaying or stopping reform. In this article, I will be suggesting ways in which we can overcome these obstacles to health reform. But make no mistake: it will be hard without political leadership and political will.

July 14, 2014

Creating a Long-Term Framework for Asylum Seeker Policy

Last Friday 11 July 2014, I attended a roundtable at Parliament House, Canberra to discuss possible actions that could be taken to find a way out of the present divisive and harsh treatment of asylum seekers. The media release following that roundtable is reproduced below. The roundtable drew on discussion paper ‘Beyond Operation Sovereign Borders’, prepared by Peter Hughes and Arja Keski-Nummi. That discussion paper can be found by clicking on my website at the top of this page. The paper is described on the website as ‘Final Policy Paper - Beyond Operation Sovereign Borders’. John Menadue.

June 12, 2014

Nicholas Carney. Advancing the Australia-India relationship under Prime Minister Modi

Narendra Modi’s ascension to the prime ministership of India has sparked interest around the globe, including here in Australia.

The world is right to pay attention to Mr Modis rise. In the recent Lok Sahba (House of the People) election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that he leads took 282 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sahba. The result gives the BJP a majority for the first time in its history, and India its first majority government since the 1984 election. The new governments majority rises to a commanding 336 seats if those won by the BJPs coalition partners in the National Democratic Alliance are included.

February 1, 2016

Ian Webster. Alcohol and Sport.

The facts about alcohol should stop politicians in their tracks. But they are unmoved.

A quarter to a third of the work of a general hospital is alcohol-related. On Australia Day one in seven ED attendances were caused by alcohol; in some EDs it was one in three. The Senior Australian of the Year, Gordian Fulde, time and time again, has described the carnage at St Vincent’s Hospitals ED late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights; as many as 70 percent of cases at peak periods are intoxicated.

January 23, 2013

Rio Tinto - Corporate Governance and Asia

Since 2007 RioTintohas written off $US 35 billion in failed investments. It must be a world record. There are probably more write-downs to come with its investments in Mozambique coal and in aluminium in North America.

TomAlbanesehas been sacrificed but the remainder of the RioTintoboard are apparently unscathed. They have been too lax with shareholders money that they have washed so comprehensively down the drain. The boards of some of our mining companies in the mining boom must think that they are playing with monopoly money. Booming commodity prices and demand lulled them into being careless on major investment decisions. They became very gullible. Not only have they been lax in investment decisions but they have been careless in allowing costs to balloon.

Pearls and Irritations

John Menadue's Public Policy Journal