politics

Created
Fri, 28/06/2024 - 04:53
The Australian government needs to stand up against growing global protectionism and make some hard budgetary choices between guns and butter, defence and welfare, and the need to reform taxes if it is to avoid taking on too much at once in a world economy characterised by uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, and in an Australian Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 28/06/2024 - 04:54
Watching Peter Dutton deliver his nuclear power announcement at a press conference on June 19 was a reminder of two things. The first was a recent observation by former Victorian Liberal Party strategist Tony Barry that the Coalition commitment to nuclear energy “is the longest suicide note in Australia’s political history”. The second reminder is Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 28/06/2024 - 04:59
In all liberal democracies, Australia included, national self-regard resists identification with the harsh implications of reliance on, or celebration of, military force – unless it can be viably represented as defence of freedom, just war, or wars against unspeakable Others. An updated Pearls & Irritations repost from December 23, 2020 And, in the case of liberal Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 28/06/2024 - 04:52
There’s something curious about the proposed merger between Chemist Warehouse and Sigma Healthcare. Chemist Warehouse has about 550 retail pharmacies. Sigma has another 400. Yet the law limits owners to just a handful of pharmacies per state. Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria allow just five, Western Australia and Tasmania allow four, and South Australia allows six. The two Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 28/06/2024 - 04:58
There are vital lessons and warnings that must be considered in the freeing of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. He survived. He’s free. He’s home. Notwithstanding his abuse and torture for over a decade, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has successfully waited it out. There’s little doubt that his release was assisted by political pressures coinciding with Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 28/06/2024 - 04:51
As the Australian opposition leader’s rhetoric softens dramatically, the days of turning China into an election wedge appear over. China hawks predictably attacked the Albanese government for being too soft on Beijing during Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia last week. After reiterating a commitment to ‘‘stabilising’’ ties, Li and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Continue reading »