Journalism and other writing
Here are four propositions that show the pub test is an asinine way to determine good policy. None of the propositions would pass the pub test; but all would be good for Australia.
The propositions are: The GST should be increased. It should be applied to fresh food. And education. Donations to charity should not be tax deductible.
Continue reading “Tweaking the tax system”
An old adage says a government should never set up an inquiry unless it has a very good idea as to what its findings might be lest it comes back to bite. That was certainly true of last week’s report by the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal.
Continue reading “PM’s bind over antisemitism”Australia was invaded last week. The invader did a lot of damage, similar to previous invasions over the past couple of decades. The invader took people’s homes; damaged the power grid; wrecked roads and bridges; and destroyed crops. All the things that invaders do.
And the invader will come again and again in greater force, destroying lives and property. The invader, of course, is the more violent weather caused by climate change. The same invader that killed 50 people in Texas last week.
Continue reading “A self-destructive ally”
Today brings (without much fanfare) the completion of the greatest policy advance for the prosperity and well-being of Australia and its people since the nation’s inception.
After nearly 33 years, the Keating-inspired Superannuation Guarantee Contribution has reached its original proposed maximum of 12 percent of wages and salaries –the level which will provide dignified retirement for the broad mass of working people.
Continue reading “A super reform example”Australia now faces four blindingly obvious national pitfalls which, if not met full on, will cause us to tumble into something resembling what Paul Keating called a banana republic.
Keating’s was a good wake-up call which worked at the time, and we need another one. The four pitfalls that need an urgent re-calibration are as follows.
Continue reading “Four dumb things we should fix”On 2 March this year I wrote on these pages: “Bulk-billing GPs have borne the brunt of the Coalition’s stealth attack on Medicare. They should have a very substantial catch-up, and in a way that makes bulk-billing pretty much universal. It would happen more quickly if the Government did not just give more to bulk-billing GPs but also reduced the payment to those who do not.
Continue reading “The solution is bleeding obvious”
The Government is going to find itself in a bind when it re-introduces the changes to superannuation tax which failed to get through the Senate before the last election.
When the new senators take their seats on 1 July, Labor will no longer need any of the independent or minor party senators to get its legislation passed. If it gets support from either the Greens or the Coalition, it can get its Bills through.
Continue reading “Curbing super excesses”
There has been a fair amount of picking over the entrails of the Liberal Party after the election, including a lot of gazing at the navel. It has been localised and introspective. A broader historical view might be more instructive for the Liberal Party and, indeed, for Labor and the Greens.
Continue reading “Liberal woes also instructive for Labor”
The war in Ukraine is reaching a pivotal point. Australia can help make sure that Russia does not succeed – and it will not cost us anything.
The pivotal point arises because US military aid approved by former President Joe Biden is about to run out and President Donald Trump has not committed to any more. In the meantime, European nations have not been able to crank up enough weapons production nor have they committed enough money to ensure Russia does not win.
Continue reading “Australia’s role in making Russia fail”
Say you ran a big insurance company that had income from premiums of a little over $5 billion and costs of around $32 billion. You would have only three ways out. Go bankrupt and wind up; increase premiums; and/or cut costs drastically.
That is unless you were Medicare. Because those are Medicare’s figures, but Medicare, year after year, gets bailed out by the taxpayer and the payment gets added to deficit or debt.
Continue reading “Removing Howard’s Medicare white ants”