THE inevitable failure of today’s referendum in Queensland is a classic example of innocent media distortion, with some federal lessons. Continue reading “Federal lessons in Qld fixed-terms referendum”
Charities decision shows Turnbull could do more Abbott reversals
IT MADE very little noise on the political and media radar. For once, new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stood up to the far-right of the Liberal Party. His government decided that the Australian Charities and Non-for-Profit Commission would not be abolished. When Tony Abbott was in charge, his agenda was to abolish the ACNC. The Catholic Church – a recipient of an enormous amount of charitable donation – did not want the scrutiny that was demanded by the legislation that set up by the ACNC legislation. Continue reading “Charities decision shows Turnbull could do more Abbott reversals”
Offensive test could offend the Constitution
THE 116-year-old Constitution hovers in the background. Every now and then in the day-to-day political argy-bargy it comes in to play. The past week has been a good example — senate voting; the marriage equality plebiscite; and recognition of indigenous first occupation. Continue reading “Offensive test could offend the Constitution”
Simple but not fair. Fair but not simple
YOU can have a simple tax or electoral system, but it won’t be fair. You can have fair tax or electoral system, but it won’t be simple. Putting a 1 above the line on a Senate ballot paper is simple. But it is not fair. The Australian population has grasped that much, having been appalled by the election of micro-party senators on minuscule percentages of the primary vote. Continue reading “Simple but not fair. Fair but not simple”
Rule in. Rule out. Back to politics as usual
IT WAS a coincidence, but last week Australia’s population hit the 24 million mark doubling since 1968) and the Federal Opposition announced changes to the tax system that it hopes will make housing “more affordable”. Continue reading “Rule in. Rule out. Back to politics as usual”
Competitive federalism could get tax from the rich
MANY Australians bemoan the wasteful duplication of our federation. But there is an upside. Often a state or territory can achieve ground-breaking reform which might take a lot of extra time and effort for a large unitary state to do, if it could be done at all. Continue reading “Competitive federalism could get tax from the rich”
Middle income earners duped by tax system
IT IS a pity that it is considered OK to say, “I’m no good at maths.” An ABC TV news presenter said it this week, for example. The pity is that the more people get turned off by any news or commentary that requires a bit of arithmetic, let alone maths, the easier it is for governments and sharp people to rip them off. Never has this been truer than in the recent tax debate. Continue reading “Middle income earners duped by tax system”
Republicans be warned of plebiscite idiocy
THANK you, Senator Eric Abetz. Abetz’s comments this week on marriage equality should serve as a timely warning to the Australian Republican Movement and to all those who support the cause of removing the hereditary monarchy from our Constitution. Continue reading “Republicans be warned of plebiscite idiocy”
Senate voting system should be challenged
A DELIGHTFUL ding-dong has been going on this month between South Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and the noted psephologist Malcolm Mackerras that has led Mackerras to call for a re-run of the 1984 High Court case that declared the present mad Senate voting system constitutionally valid. Continue reading “Senate voting system should be challenged”
New ways of gathering public opinion
PRIME Minister Jim Hacker in the Yes, Prime Minister series said of the British public, “I am their leader, I must follow them.” Continue reading “New ways of gathering public opinion”