SOMETIMES it takes an act of unadulterated idiocy to expose the weakness in a system. Thanks to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Australians are looking again at our constitutional arrangements and the remnant ties to the British Crown. Continue reading “Unadulterated idiocy reveals constitutional flaws”
Month: January 2015
Does Australia have a national character?
IN AN ideal world, the old joke goes, you would have French cuisine, Italian romance, British humour and German administration. But pity help you if you get British cuisine, German romance, French humour and Italian administration. The joke was brought to mind as Australia Day approaches. Are there such things as national characteristics? Or is such talk dangerous stereotyping at worse or harmless, illogical twaddle at best? Continue reading “Does Australia have a national character?”
Business’s GST bluff called
THE Australia Institute did a splendid job this week at calling the bluff of business groups, conservative politicians, economists and think tanks that pretend to be independent while taking swags of money from the big end of town. Continue reading “Business’s GST bluff called”
Public needs better reward for asset sales
AMONG the things blocked in the Senate in 2014 was the Government’s asset-recycling scheme. The scheme has a certain logic to it, but also a big ideological contradiction for the government. The scheme is based on the premise that state governments are struggling to keep up with demands for infrastructure. Continue reading “Public needs better reward for asset sales”