The self-defence trope used to characterise Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza Continue reading »
Government
The response to a piece I wrote for the SMH/Age recently has been very interesting in a number of ways. It has also been very revealing. I have been called a “dog”, been accused of rewriting history and of “letting the side down”. Every one of the responses had ignored the basic premise of my Continue reading »
The Reserve Bank has explicitly warned against any expectation that interest rates will start to fall soon. On the other hand, the Treasurer recently claimed that the Reserve Bank is smashing the economy, implying that interest rates should fall soon. Who is right? Interest rates have risen exceptionally rapidly over the last two years, with Continue reading »
The Haydon Royal Commission in 2014 revealed evidence that corrupt elements were infiltrating the CFMEU, NSW Branch. This grew steadily in the 10 years since and the branch is now rotten. In Victoria, the “strongman” leadership of John Setka and his close friendship with a “colourful identity” and building industry fixer, together with an influx Continue reading »
Republished from DECLASSIFIED AUSTRALIA, September 03, 2024 FOI document releases show that behind the press releases and statements of concern, lie the facts of the Australian Government’s knowing support for some of the gravest human rights crimes of the century. Israel continues to use its fleet of F35-I Adir fighter-bomber aircraft, with Australian parts and Continue reading »
The Labor Government’s handling of possible questions about sexuality and gender identity in the 2026 has been a debacle. It is also the latest in a series. Is this just part of Labor’s slide towards timidity, or is Labor also acting in bad faith towards the LGBTQI+ community? Continue reading »
This week I was practising my argument about a feeling that Albanese Labor has by now left it too late to retrieve its position before the next federal election is due. This was after it was revealed that the economy is on life support and that Labor’s best argument about being a superior economic manager Continue reading »
While most Australians remain well-housed, few public policy experts would argue that our housing system is today in good shape. Homelessness continues to increase and both rental and mortgage affordability stress are widespread. But although compounded by post-pandemic market disruption, such problems have been mounting over decades. Perhaps the single most powerful indicator of dysfunction Continue reading »
It’s hard to imagine how the government could have made a bigger mess of questions about gender identity and sexual orientation for the 2026 Census. Last year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) expressed regret that its framing of a relevant question in the 2021 Census left some with feelings of exclusion and discrimination and Continue reading »
In creating an integrity commission - the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) - the Albanese government was entrusted to ensure federal integrity. Instead it has wasted a fortune on a body that can’t or won’t do its job. Continue reading »