LABOR should now stop repaying Tony Abbott for the six years of obstructionist bastardry during the time Labor was last in Government – for Labor’s own sake and the sake of the nation. Continue reading “Not being Abbott is not enough for Labor”
The broad church accepts high debt
THE broad church, as John Howard has put it, that is the Liberal Party has accommodated many views, but it always has had one article of faith – fiscal rectitude. Continue reading “The broad church accepts high debt”
Double dissolution favour majors not minors
THE Greens would be the biggest losers in a double dissolution. Perhaps that is why there was a bit of muttering about the possibility among Ministers in the past week. But the talk was quickly dismissed. Undermining Green power is one matter, losing government in the process is another. Continue reading “Double dissolution favour majors not minors”
Thought bubble or super idea?
THE special interests came out in force during the week at the suggestion by Treasurer Joe Hockey that young people be allowed to dip into their superannuation to help buy their first home. Continue reading “Thought bubble or super idea?”
Being fair to the next generation
GOVERNMENT debt in Australia has fluctuated furiously in all the time we have had public finance, so it should not be a big item in an intergenerational report. Other things are much more important. When you look at them, future generations would much prefer a pile of debt and those things protected than no debt and those things lost. Continue reading “Being fair to the next generation”
Disaster as usual in the face of the eye of the storm
THE LONG queues of Esky-clutching ice-desperate people outside the very few service-stations with power in the wake of Category 5 Cyclone Marcia should have delivered a pertinent message. Instead, so much of it was disaster-as-usual coverage. Stoicism, good neighbourliness, miraculous escapes; raging torrents; fallen trees; mud in houses; boats floating in main streets and so on. Continue reading “Disaster as usual in the face of the eye of the storm”
Of roads, railways and water money
ONE OF of the most significant broken promises of the Abbott Government has had little attention. But this week things started hotting up. Continue reading “Of roads, railways and water money”
Coalition’s Micawber-like economics is out of date.
PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says that economic management is in the Coalition’s DNA. That may be true if you view economic management as merely being on the right side of Micawber’s equation. Continue reading “Coalition’s Micawber-like economics is out of date.”
‘Strong’ leadership lacks followership
IN A week when the navel gazing in the Liberal Party over leadership has now descended into lint picking, maybe we should have a closer look, not at leadership, but at followership. Continue reading “‘Strong’ leadership lacks followership”
Unadulterated idiocy reveals constitutional flaws
SOMETIMES it takes an act of unadulterated idiocy to expose the weakness in a system. Thanks to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Australians are looking again at our constitutional arrangements and the remnant ties to the British Crown. Continue reading “Unadulterated idiocy reveals constitutional flaws”