Category: Uncategorized

“WELL may we say ‘God save the Queen’ for nothing will save the Governor-General.”
These words, spoken by just-sacked Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 and broadcast again earlier this week in the ABC’s mini-series on Whitlam, carry some hidden truths – truths worth looking at in the same week that Treasurer Wayne Swan and Opposition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull raised again the question of Australia becoming a republic. Continue reading “God saves one but not the other”

IT WAS a refreshing invitation. Microsoft founder Bill Gates said that if governments wanted to tax multi-nationals more, they should “change the rules” and do so. But that is easier said than done. And when you look at corporate tax over the past decade you see just what a hard time Labor has had compared to the easy run that the Howard Government had. But more of that anon. Continue reading “Change the rules — open the revenue flood Gates”

THE Australian Crime Commission and the Australian Federal Police had a lucky day. Kevin Rudd and an Abbott staffer did not. The ACC and AFP, like all bureaucracies, desire to widen their powers and wealth. No bureaucracy ever says, “Our task is smaller now. We need less money and fewer people.” Continue reading “AFP “manages” a lucky break. Not so Rudd.”

THE Government should abandon its referendum to recognise local government. It should learn the lessons of history. This week, it failed to get unqualified support from the Opposition, so the proposition is doomed. Continue reading “Drop this one, even the Yes referendums were dud”

AUSTRALIAN elections are always close run things. But September’s election could easily be one of the very unusual outriders. In the 24 elections since Menzies came to power in 1949 in only two was the two-party-preferred split greater than 45-55.

Those were in 1966 — the All the Way with LBJ victory of Harold Holt — and the 1975 post-dismissal victory of Malcolm Fraser. (Cycle helmets stuff is below.) Continue reading “Big Lib-Lab gap now but not for long”

NEARLY all major reforms in Australia are done by Labor Governments. From aged and widows pensions and the PBS in the 1940s, through to Medicare and racial-discrimination laws in the 1970s, economic liberalisation and universal superannuation in the 1980s and now the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Continue reading “Diability scheme has economic benefit”

This article was published in the CT in March and did not make the web page till now.

I AM a Tony Abbott groupie. I love the Liberal Party. Economically, I think everyone should be allowed to do what they like – to be rich and stay rich. Socially, I think women should be barefoot and pregnant and do what they are told. And refos and gays should be put in their place and George Pell should be Pope. Continue reading “Who will I vote for — just ask”

THE Grattan Institute is the latest in a long line of conservative or independent think tanks to warble on about public debt. Well, yes, it is higher than it has been for a while. But government debt (federal, state and local) is historically low at the moment. Private debt is historically high. Continue reading “Debt OK if spent well — ask a home-owner”

AUSTRALIA’S madly over-priced housing market seems to be holding up despite various economists’ analyses that dwellings in Australia are 30 to 40 per cent over-priced. Continue reading “Do not dwell on bursting housing bubble”

THERE is more than a technological difference between the Coalition’s new broadband policy and Labor’s National Broadband Network.
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