Crispin Hull

Further evidence that the Federal Government is losing its authority is emerging on several (related) fronts: Covid, climate and population.

The Covid crisis has affected Commonwealth-State relations more profoundly than at any time since the Commonwealth grabbed the totality of income-tax power in World War II. This time, however, the power is moving the other way, from the Commonwealth to the states. And Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is being pulled and pushed in different directions by different power centres, has little idea how to deal with it.

Continue reading “The decline of Federal authority”

Tax is such a dry subject, but with incendiary consequences. Perhaps more than anything it determines the sort of society you have. After last week’s tirade against Labor for agreeing not to oppose to the Coalition’s cut-taxes-for-the-wealthy proposal, a perspicacious reader reminded me of a little history.

In the early 1360s, John of Gaunt, then in his early 20s, had become the richest nobleman in England.

Continue reading “Tax can be a revolting topic”

A morally bankrupt, supine, irrational sell-out was committed by the Australian Labor Party this week when it said it would acquiesce with the third, and worst, stage of the Coalition’s tax-cuts-for-the-rich policy.

The tax cuts have been legislated, but many had hoped Labor’s policy would be to reverse at least the big cuts for people on more than $185,000. Now Labor has now agreed to what amounts to the rabid flat-tax fantasies of Reagan and Thatcher. 

Continue reading “Labor’s supine capitulation”

US President Harry Truman had a sign on his desk saying: “The buck stops here”. If Prime Minister Scott Morrison had a buck-related sign it would say: “Send the buck lower down the food chain to anyone but me.”

The “buck” is a counter used in card games to indicate who is responsible for dealing. If you don’t want the responsibility, you pass the buck to somebody else. Morrison has been adept at that in recent weeks as it becomes clear that he and his government have made bad decisions on quarantine, isolation, and vaccines.

Continue reading “When and where will the buck stop?”

Political tribalism popped up again this week as Australia deals with the Covid pandemic. When Victoria, under a Labor Government, locked down early and hard to fight its second wave of Covid last year, the Coalition Federal Government condemned the action and the Murdoch press stuck the boot into Premier Dan Andrews every day.

But when Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed a similar lockdown (albeit a little late) for exactly the same reasons, the Feds and the Murdoch press say she is doing the right thing. And Lo and Behold, the Feds are now going to kick in $500 million in support for NSW.

Continue reading “Tribalism in Covid response”

Where was Labor in the past couple of weeks? When the Government was flailing badly on vaccinations and integrity, Labor barely squeaked.

It takes two to change a conservative government – a decrepit or deceitful government AND an opposition that is ready with a credible grand vision. History tells us that poor government is not enough for voters to change rulers; nor is an Opposition with a credible plan.

Continue reading “Time for a credible bold plan”

The spin unravelled this week, to reveal a flailing Federal Government.

The two keystones of its response to the Covid crisis cracked: Prime Minister Scott Morrison acted contrary to medical advice and he made a major decision without the support of the National Cabinet.

Continue reading “Govt flails as spin unravels”

By Crispin Hull

English needs a new word to describe the feeling for the first time you surface from diving on an extensively bleached part of the Great Barrier Reef.

It is like a wine writer grappling to describe a tasting experience, except all the comparisons are awful: despair; anger verging on blind fury; helplessness; blame; resignation; sorrow; hurt; grief; and despondency. 

Continue reading “When the Coalition bleaches the truth”

The US alliance is more important to the future of Australia now than it has ever been. Yet this week, the Coalition Government has given the US the biggest slap in the face since the ANZUS treaty was signed 70 years ago.

Continue reading “Australia’s slap in US face”

We must get better at risk assessment. If you are reading this article, I am out of internet range somewhere off the Kimberley coast aboard Coral Geographer.

We took what many would think was a big risk in not getting travel insurance. It was going to be very expensive, so it was worth assessing the risk.

In the end the insurance was not going to provide very much.

Continue reading “Insurers will make voters scream over climate change”