STONE the crows! Why ask the Productivity Commission about productivity? What a crook start to the new year. It turns out, 2011 was the worst year for job creation since 1992.[i] And productivity has fallen to a level last seen in the mid 1990s.[ii] But at least there is a bipartisan response to what government [...]
The secret Illinois ingredient saves Australia STONE the crows! The affable Obama forgot to acknowledge some very important people in his 76 Australian appearances last week – the savers of China. At the end of September, the Chinese held $1,148 bn in US Treasury securities (we kicked the tin for $13bn). [i] It is all [...]
STONE the crows! All of a sudden the devilry is out of deficits. Bob Gregory and Peter Sheehan are arguing that things have changed since the Budget estimates were adopted, that GDP and unemployment are not growing as expected and now is not the time for the government to be looking to balance the budget. [...]
Let women decide how many billions of us there will be STONE the crows! We’re all doomed – what with the way over-population is accelerating. Unless, of course, the problem is a people shortage. Last week was a doomsayer’s delight, with the UN announcing the arrival of the 7th billion person. This generated jeremiads from [...]
STONE the crows! There are only a couple of Aussie neddies in the Melbourne Cup![i] It’s not that the Crows are bigots. But, well, those foreign horses - they whinny funny and they live on less oats and, well, why do we want to gallop to the bottom? Yes, protectionists are on the prowl. While [...]
Another win for George Bush STONE the crows! That’s another dictator gone thanks in no small part to French and British airpower – oh and the Americans, although there is not as much coverage of their role. Certainly the British and French provided the Libyan resistance with the air supremacy they needed. But US technology [...]
“Productivity” a proxy for IR argy-bargy STONE the crows! Everybody approves of productivity, as long as somebody else produces it. What’s worse, productivity is a proxy for a re-run of the Work Choices debate. On the one hand advocates of reform are arguing we must kick-start productivity growth so the economy will keep growing when [...]
Good government requires more talk about much more action. STONE the crows! What a policy week it wasn’t. The big news from the tax forum was that the tax-free threshold will rise from $18,000 to $21,000 when Treasurer Wayne Swan thinks “it is affordable”.[i] And the ICAC inquiry into public sector corruption turned out to [...]
Welcoming the tax collectors’ kiss (as in keep it simple Swanny) What a surprise. Penny Wong warns a surplus next financial year is not assured! Last Monday, the best she could manage was that the government has a plan which, “it is working towards”. [i] Just like the Crows are working towards a plan to [...]
THE LIGHTS WILL STAY ON UNTIL THE GREENS SWITCH THEM OFF Stone the crows! At least the lights will stay on while you watch your superannuation sink! In fact, the reason we can worry ourselves sick at the prospect of 50 year old retired Greek civil servants protesting pension cuts and kick-starting Global Financial Crisis [...]
