Labor’s education policy ditches Howard’s transparent and fair funding formula in favour of rewarding Labor state governments and teachers’ unions at the same time playing the politics of envy and the art of the sectional special deal.
For decades now the teachers’ unions have been waging a campaign against Federal […] Continue Reading…

I remember the 2001 leader’s debate. On my scoring, and that of the “worm”, Howard lost. Later that week I realised that in a way he had won. The people in the studio audience weren’t those he was talking to. He was broadcasting to the sort […] Continue Reading…

Now I know what I’m talking about. Between surveys I feel like a complete fraud. Journalists ask me what I think is happening, and I tell them, qualified with the observation that I am only speculating because I am only one vote. Now I know much […] Continue Reading…

ONE of the issues really making an impact in the United States elections (although the polls might not indicate it) is the “outsourcing” of job in areas such as call centres to overseas countries, notably India.
John Kerry has promised to impose taxation penalties on US companies that outsource jobs […] Continue Reading…

This post is a quick summary of the economics and politics of Latham’s tax and family package.
The Economics
According to today’s papers Latham’s tax policy is an $11 B pitch for battlers which will return an average $8 per week. This will be funded by changes to the superannuation system, […] Continue Reading…

I was getting tired, not to mention angry, at all those economists who said that governments don’t make any difference to interest rate levels, so it was a relief to hear Frank Gelber from BIS Shrapnel on ABC Radio news today.
There is no reference to it on the ABC […] Continue Reading…