July 11, 2018

JULIE SONNERMANN. Kids of migrant families do better at school and we should think about why

Children of migrant families in Australia consistently outperform their more established peers at school. And new analysis using NAPLAN data shows schools with lots of migrant-background students not only achieve at higher levels, but they have higher growth over time on average too.

May 29, 2020

SATURDAYs GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

What people in other forums are saying about public policy

January 8, 2020

NICHOLAS KEARNS.- Bushfires. If this is the future we have no future.

Dr Strangelove warned us of a “Doomsday Machine” that would destroy the entire planet.

May 15, 2019

MACK WILLIAMS . North Korea : Any movement?

North Korea has been squeezed out of the media headlines in the months since the Hanoi Summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un failed to achieve a breakthrough in February. This has been a factor both of there not being much new to report and the seeming plethora of other crises at home and abroad - which Trump has on his agenda.

December 28, 2019

BOB DOUGLAS: Is our current economic model fit for the purpose of human survival?

If we humans are to survive the catastrophic threats that now confront us, we must urgently rethink the way we live and care for our planetary home. In turn, that demands that we examine the role that economic theory and practice play in the way modern societies operate. There is a case for moving outside the economics profession for a frank discussion of the way the current economic model affects us all.

June 12, 2019

Modi vs who? The question needed a clear answer in a quasi-presidential contest (The Times of India)

No Bihari political scientist can possibly understate the importance of caste and religion in shaping the electoral contest. However, there is one other factor that is of growing importance. In all parliamentary democracies across the world, including Australia, power is being centralised in the office of the PM. PMs, including Narendra Modi, increasingly resemble and act like presidents more than the textbook first among equals (primus inter pares). This also turns general elections in parliamentary democracies into quasi-presidential contests.

May 29, 2016

CHRISTIAN DOWNIE, HOWARD BAMSEY. Election 2016: do we need to re-establish a department of climate change?

With a federal election looming, Australias top mandarins will once again be turning their minds to the incoming government briefs, the so-called blue book if the Coalition is returned and the red book if Labor is elected.

High on the agenda will be the organisation of the bureaucracy and it wont get any trickier than climate change.

A question for an incoming government will be whether to re-establish a Department of Climate Change?

And if not, what should be done?

July 16, 2020

The Palace Letters show that the Palace effectively encouraged John Kerr to remove the Prime Minister.

The Palace letters provided two crucial elements of the dismissal by Governor-General Sir John Kerr of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam on 11 November 1975. The first was to stiffen Kerrs resolve - to give him the backbone - to sack Whitlam. The second was to ensure that Kerr gave Whitlam no fore-warning of what he was about to do.

January 4, 2020

KATHARINA BUCHOLZ.- The Shocking Size of the Australian Wildfires

_The devastating California wildfires of 2018 and last years fires in the Amazon rainforest made international headlines and shocked the world, but in terms of size they are far smaller than the current bushfire crisis in Australia, where approximately 12 million acres have been burned to date.

June 25, 2019

ANDREW BACEVICH. Bret Stephens, Warmonger (The American Conservative)

In fact, some people do want war, including a certain New York Times columnist.

June 18, 2018

ISHAAN THAROOR. Is Trump gaslighting the world on North Korea.

Critics of President Trumproutinely accusehim of “gaslighting” that is, of deliberately repeating misinformation to the extent that the public starts doubting verifiable facts and believing in Trump’s self-serving talking points. Trump told us after the Singapore Summit that ‘I may stand before you in six months and say “hey, I was wrong”. I don’t know that I’ll ever admit that,but I’ll find some kind of an excuse’

July 11, 2019

DUNCAN GRAHAM Focusing on Washington, glancing at Jakarta

The 17 April Indonesian elections and fallout could have been big news inAustralia.According to some experts they should have been.

Instead media consumers Down Under got more of US President Donald Trumps distant domestic political shenanigans than they did of the blood and fire crises facing their neighbor nation and its re-elected President Joko Widodo.

The result from the worlds third largest democracy staging the worlds biggest one-day election will impact many countries, but most particularly the adjacent southern continent.

May 1, 2019

MICHAEL THORN. Writing on the wall for unhealthy advertising

Regulation in this country around the advertising of unhealthy products alcohol, junk food and gambling is a hodgepodge of black letter law; codes of practice; industry voluntary schemes; and policy-led arrangements variously administered by the Commonwealth, states/territories and local government across the range of broadcast, print, online, outdoor, branded merchandise and sponsorships. What a mess.

May 15, 2019

RICHARD BROINOWSKI. War Drums Over Iran

In a tweet to President Rouhani in July 2018, President Trump warned: Never, ever threaten the United States again or you will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before. Similar threats to Kim Jong-un in 2018 did not result in war with North Korea. Could they now, in Iran?

January 3, 2016

John Menadue. High Court judges.

Former High Court judges have been in the news recently and not just Dyson Heydon

In the 40th anniversary of the Whitlam Dismissal, two High Court judges at the time of the dismissal have been very much in the news. We were reminded again of the role of Sir Garfield Garwick in briefing and encouraging the Governor General to dismiss the Whitlam government. We also learnt more about the role of Sir Anthony Mason who not only coached the Governor General on what he might do but on the afternoon of the Dismissal advised the Governor General he need not see the Speaker of the House of Representatives who was kept waiting at the gate of the Governor Generals residence for an hour. The Speaker of the House of Representatives wished to inform the Governor General that Malcolm Fraser did not have the confidence of the House of Representatives and that he should recall Gough Whitlam and recommission him as Prime Minister. Sir Anthony Mason told Sir John Kerr that the speaker was irrelevant and should be disregarded. How extraordinary that a High Court judge, and later Chief Justice, could so easily put aside any concern about the separation of powers and the role of the Speaker in the Westminster system.

June 16, 2019

TREVOR WATSON. Hong Kong and Beijing - two cities, one fearful regime.

Millions of students, blue collar workers and professionals poured into the streets of Hong Kong in protest over proposed legislation that would allow people to be extradited for trial in China.

November 6, 2017

MICHAEL WEST. The Minerals Council, coal and the half a billion spent by the resources lobby

There is no peak body or rent seeker in the country which conducts its business as belligerently, and its proponents would say as successfully, as the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA). In 2010 it ousted a Prime Minister.

July 4, 2019

ROSEMARY OGRADY. Lost leaders.

The first words addressed by the Hon David Hurley AC as Governor-General were to the Australian First People and their successors, including, specifically, future leaders.

June 20, 2019

J. BRADFORD DELONG. What to do about China? (Project Syndicate 5.6.2019)

_By attempting to “get tough” with China, US President Donald Trump’s administration is highlighting the extent to which America’s star has fallen this century. If the US ever wants to reclaim the standing it once had in the world, it must become the country it would have been if Al Gore had won the 2000 presidential election.

November 7, 2019

MEREDITH BURGMANN. No Black Man ...

A bunch of decrepit old Australians had a particular interest in South Africa’s astonishing win at the World Cup in Yokohama last week. As a delighted and inspirational black captain, Siya Kolisi raised the Webb Ellis trophy high in victory, some of us had teary eyes. We are some of the survivors of a bunch of Australians who almost 50 years ago were heavily involved in the 1971 anti-Springbok campaign.

December 12, 2019

IAN DUNLOP. A call to the Australia people - demand serious action on climate change before it is too late. PART 2. GOVERNANCE

How good is Australias climate leadership?

In short, appalling, as the recent disputes on the linkage between climate change, drought, water availability and bushfires confirm only too well.

December 4, 2019

Reclaiming the ideas of economics: Privatisation and prices

The past 30 years have seen a massive sale of government business enterprises, which, on privatisation, have set prices in line with corporate profit-maximisation. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the consequent allocation of resources is probably less efficient than would have been the case had governments retained ownership and control over prices.

June 5, 2019

ANDREW JAKUBOWICZ and CHRISTINA HO. Was there an ethnic vote in the 2019 election and did it make adifference? (The Conversation, 4 June 2019)

Many factors appear to have contributed to the unexpected victory of the Coalition in the May 18 election. Two factors were predictable and had a devastating impact on the ALP vote where they were activated ethno-religious prejudices around sexuality and gay culture, and fears about perceived threats to economic stability in some ethnic communities.

January 1, 2020

BOB DOUGLAS:. A Prime Ministerial Summit on Australias Future?

We are at an historic moment of apocalyptic threat to the survival of the human species.

July 25, 2019

MIKE SCRAFTON. Ministers and public servants

Geoff Gallop offers up eleven theses on Australian politics to provide public servants with a nuanced understanding of politics. His theses are more than a little condescending and simplistic. The theses seem directed at middle level or junior public servants, or maybe new entrants to the service. However, the nature of the relationship between senior public servants with policy responsibilities and minsters is increasingly an important and fraught issue.

June 27, 2019

MICHAEL THORN. Dry July Sobriety Stunt is Unethical

There are many dimensions to the controversy around the shocking decision by cancer charity and fundraiser Dry July to partner with Australias biggest alcohol retailer Woolworths, but fundamentally it is unethical.

May 14, 2019

ROSS GITTINS. Universities: both sides should clean up the mess they've made

Among the many issues needing early attention from the winner of the federal election is universities. Trouble is, neither side seems to have much idea of how to fix the mess both parties spent decades creating, before Julia Gillard brought things to a head with the brainwave of moving to demand-driven funding.

September 14, 2018

RICHARD BUTLER. John Bolton's speech: Hostility, misrepresentations, US self-regard.

Bolton’s authorized major speech on the International Criminal Court misrepresented it, expressed deep hostility to it, but was revealing of just how deeply entrenched in US foreign policy is the notion of US exceptionalism, under which it and Israel are immune from international law.

January 5, 2020

MUNGO MACCALLUM.- Fed up with pious negligence.

Scott Morrison might as well go back to Hawaii to resume his truncated secret holiday. They obviously dont deserve him in Australia.

December 18, 2019

IAN McAULEY. Reclaiming the ideas of economics: Leadership

In dealing with economic problems requiring adaptive change we shouldnt look to so-called leaders. We need leadership. There is a profound difference.

December 11, 2019

IAN DUNLOP. A call to the Australia people - demand serious action on climate change before it is too late. PART 1. CONTEXT

The Real Climate Challenge

After three decades of inaction, human-induced climate change is the greatest threat, and opportunity, facing this country, far outweighing the issues dominating our domestic political discourse, such as the US/China impasse, a faltering economy and religious freedom. The world faces the same threat.

June 6, 2019

ALAN AUSTIN. How many seats will the Coalition win when the truth is actually told?

Australias election results are routinely distorted by fake news about the economy.Alan Austinexplores what this might mean in seats won and lost.

May 20, 2019

GREG BAILEY. Problematic Trends Emerging from the 2019 Federal Election.

Irrespective of who finally wins Saturdays election-and it looks like the ultra-conservative forces, certain deeply disturbing observations can be made about the state of the Australian polity and the electorate. These evoke cultural and regional fissures long existing in Australia and an apparent shift away from any kind of critical thinking in making political and other judgements affecting the future of the country.

October 5, 2018

JENNIFER DOGGETT. AIHW Health Expenditure Australia 2016-17 report five key lessons.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released its Health expenditure Australia 201617 report. This report contains detailed data on expenditure throughout our health system and is a valuable resource for governments, policy makers and health stakeholders.

April 19, 2018

ALISON BROINOWSKI. War on demand

The UK and the US moved closer this week to enabling their governments to bypass legal and democratic processes in committing forces to war, virtually anywhere, at any time and continuously. Australian politicians and the mainstream media seem to assume that this has nothing to do with Australia and we are not interested.

January 18, 2018

SHIRO ARMSTRONG. More to Australia-Japan security than bilateral defence ties.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is visiting Japan . Whatever else is said, at the top of the agenda in his discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be managing relations with the United States and China. These are the superpowers that determine and underpin economic, political and national security for Australia and Japan in Asia.

April 22, 2019

FRANCESCA BEDDIE: Beyond Anzac: a multicultural Australia needs a multicultural history

I recently attended a history conference in Wellington, New Zealand, which posed the question After the War, What Next? My answer was that we need a transnational approach to telling history, which presents the complexity of global influences that have informed decisions about nation building and which resonates with Australias multicultural community.

January 2, 2020

MICHAEL KEATING.-Trumps fantasies and trade realities.

Trumps trade war with China cannot and has not succeeded. But Trump risks doing major damage to the rules-based global trading system and the future of the world economy.

December 19, 2015

Eric Hodgens. Christmas Peace A Paradox

Christmas is a Christian afterthought. The earliest Christian writings (Pauls epistles and Marks Gospel) dont mention Jesus birth. The first to do so is Matthews gospel where the author posits the birth simply as another event in the fuller story of Gods salvation of His people. Lukes gospel has the more discursive story containing Mary and Josephs journey to Jerusalem, the stable and the shepherds recognising the newly born saviour who is Christ, the Lord. The main story is Jesuss life, death and resurrection to a new form of life.

May 22, 2019

MILES LITTLE - Israel Folau. Free speech and its limits?

The skilled and charismatic Rugby player Israel Folau has caused a stir at many levels by posting the unambiguous message that certain categories of sinner will go to Hell. His attitudes to gay people have surfaced before and since, but this time the response has been sharp and censorious at official levels. His contract with Rugby Australia has been cancelled. Why were such strong responses provoked in a supposedly pluralist society?

August 1, 2019

MARK BUCKLEY. Unfunded Empathy

_We have become accustomed, in Australia, through long adherence to a shared system of values, to governments which would always put the people first. We Australians, it was understood, would always adhere to international norms and standards, and we would conduct our day to day political affairs according to equality and fairness. That was until Tony Abbott ascended to the Prime Ministership, and he let the likes of Joe Hockey, Scott Morrison and Mathias Cormann off the lead.

July 30, 2019

NOEL TURNBULL. Putting lipstick on a pig

The phrase putting lipstick on a pig is probably unfair to pigs. For a generation brought up on Miss Piggy it might even be incomprehensible. But it does sum up a public relations innovation which resulted in a man who had been convicted of sexual assault getting positive coverage in the US magazines Forbes, HuffPost and National Review.

June 13, 2019

CHRISTIAN DOWNIE. It's time for Australia to scale up its energy diplomacy

A huge transformation of global energy production and consumption is underway but sorely needs international governance.

May 22, 2018

RAMESH THAKUR. Attempts to appease Trump will end badly

When the Iran deal was signed three years ago, it met with stiff opposition from hardliners in Tehran and Washington. The former were infuriated at closing off possible pathways to the bomb while the agreement lasts in return for sipping from the poisoned chalice of an untrustworthy Satan. The American neocons were frustrated that regime change by all means necessary was closed off as long as the agreement held.

August 26, 2018

LAURIE PATTON. auDA reveals new governance model following government review.

auDA the body overseeing the management of our Internet domain names system has released the details of a newgovernance model. This follows areviewby the Department of Communications and the Arts that saw communications ministerMitch Fifieldgive the organisation three months to deal with a range of matters DoCA said meant it was no longer fit for purpose.

March 14, 2018

ELAINE PEARSON. Human Rights Should Be a Focus of ASEAN-Australia Summit.

On March 17-18, 2018, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will host government leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Sydney at theASEAN-Australia Special Summit. The summit will be preceded by a business summit and a counterterrorism meeting to strengthen our joint contribution to regional security and prosperity, including by addressing shared security challenges and securing greater opportunities.

August 27, 2020

Australian Media in the Asian Century

Aided by the media frenzy,the Government blitz on China continues and Tony Abbott takes a job serving Boris Johnson.

September 4, 2019

FRANCISCO TORO. Japan is a Trumpian paradise of low immigration rates. Its also a dying country. (Washington Post, 29 August 2019)

KITAKYUSHU, Japan For a sense of what the United States might look like in a reality where the hard rights dreams of drastically reduced immigration come true, you could come to Japan and ask my father-in-law about the house across the street. The owner of the house died some time ago in this low-key, working-class suburb of Kitakyushu, in Japans southern island. The house has fallen badly into disrepair. None of the heirs seems interested in it: The taxes are too high, and there isnt really a market for this kind of house anyway.

January 23, 2016

Anand Kulkarni, Travers McLeod. Battle of ideas on innovation.

Were now in a race to the top on innovation. Better late than never.

Liberating ideas could reboot Australias economy, as we argued a year ago.

Now it seems there are more ideas about how to generate ideas than ever before in Australian policymaking. Both the Liberal-National government (Welcome to the Ideas Boom and the National Innovation and Science Agenda) and Labor opposition (Powering Innovation and Getting Australia Started) have put down markers around innovation in the lead-up to this years federal election.

Pearls and Irritations

John Menadue's Public Policy Journal