WHAT a joy to hear in the past week or so two voices of disinterested reason rising above the special interest groups. It would be a greater joy if their sensible words were listened to and acted upon. The voices were those of Professor Ross Garnaut and Dr Ken Henry. Continue reading “Ouch — the senator who thought money drove everything”
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Anti-social Tweet’s $105,000 deterrent
BE CAREFUL using Twitter, you might be sued for defamation.
There, I have said it in less than the 140 character limit, but there is much more to the story than that.
Much was made this week of an award of $105,000 against a 20-year-old Orange former schoolboy Andrew Farley who used Twitter to defame a music teacher who was appointed to a position vacated by his father on medical grounds. Continue reading “Anti-social Tweet’s $105,000 deterrent”
Of droughts and flooding farmers’ gains
JOHN Howard had it right on agriculture. Tony Abbott has it wrong. The latest farm hand-out is another example of the Abbott Government’s inconsistency and justification-on-the-run when it comes to government assistance. Continue reading “Of droughts and flooding farmers’ gains”
Corruption perceptions to rise with union inquiry
AUSTRALIA is ranked equal ninth with Canada on the Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International. That ranking will no doubt be in for a bit of a hiding as the Royal Commission into unions gets underway. Continue reading “Corruption perceptions to rise with union inquiry”
Lack of commonsense makes the law an ass
IT WOULD have been a fairly easy exercise to determine who should get the six Western Australian Senate seats based on the 2013 count, irrespective of the lost 1372 votes. Continue reading “Lack of commonsense makes the law an ass”
Making sport stand on its own two feet
TREASURER Joe Hockey needs to look further afield in his quest to make industry stand on its own two feet. Some rigorous, economically dry eyes should be cast over government subsidies to Australia’s sports industry. Continue reading “Making sport stand on its own two feet”
Maybe no new WA Senate vote is needed
MOST people are expecting a new election for the Senate in Western Australia following the debacle of the lost 1370 ballots in an election that was decided by fewer than a score of votes. But do not be so sure. Continue reading “Maybe no new WA Senate vote is needed”
Power to and from the rooftops
THE fossil-fuel-fired electricity industry no doubt enjoyed the recent heatwave and will enjoy the more frequent heatwaves to come. They are also no doubt enjoying the confusing and uncertain array of schemes for alternative energy. Continue reading “Power to and from the rooftops”
Curriculum — natural progress or conspiracy?
THE Labor Party, teaching unions, education academics, and P & Cs have all been accused of moving the national curriculum to the left. The curriculum has become too “secular”, “Asia-oriented”, “left”, “progressive”, “new age” and “politically correct”, to use the words of former Liberal staffer and teacher Kevin Donnelly who has been appointed by Education Minister Christopher Pyne to an inquiry to review the curriculum. Continue reading “Curriculum — natural progress or conspiracy?”
Superannuation — saviour of privatisation
“IT DOESN’T matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice,” so said Chairman Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping. He was applying an old Chinese adage to economic changes in China – moving from a stagnant almost totally state-owned economy to one which permitted more private activity. Continue reading “Superannuation — saviour of privatisation”