Crikey

A thoughtful friend has provided some wonderful new quotes, and we shall feature these until we run out.

We start with a timely warning from Thomas Jefferson:

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.

Next time you fly into Canberra, observe the building boom surrounding Canberra airport. This airport was sold some time ago to a couple of likely lads (where was Macbank?, one is forced to ask), who are growing rich courtesy of the boom in Federal government.

Some officials Henry had been captured by for a day in our national capital were lamenting the difficulty of finding suitable space to house their growing empires. “Near the airport” would be fine except for the fact there is no public transport AND there is uncertainty about what happens to the office staff if a plane overshoots the runway.

Henry has only one question - will Comrade Rudd make a “core promise” to rein in the growth of government? If so, he has Henry’s vote.

Jobs growth and labour market deregulation

The Melbourne Institute continues its theme of slowing (but still strong) jobs growth. Its latest report says:

Growth in trend employment (persons) for Australia is predicted to reach 2.5 per cent in July, followed by 2.4 per cent in August and 2.3 in September. Employment is predicted to grow for all states except for South Australia where its’ employment growth rate is expected to contract to 0.1 per cent in September. For the next three months, the monthly changes in the number employed for Australia and the states are anticipated to rise albeit more slowing (sic!). Victoria and Tasmania are likely to face a decline in numbers employed in September.

Big and small business - 19 groups, if ABC news can be believed - have taken the unprecedented step of launching an advertising campaign to highlight “the benefits of workplace reform and the costs of turning the clock back on this key driver of future prosperity”.

The alliance of business groups - the Business Coalition for Workplace Reform (BCWR) - yesterday unveiled the first in a series of television advertisements “to demonstrate to millions of Australians the importance of two decades of industrial relations reform by both Labor and Coalition Governments in transforming outdated workplace culture”.

The news release and the advertisement can be viewed here.

Terrorism: An economist’s solution (with free drinks!)

Henry sadly will be flying to the deep North, but tonight the Economic Society (Victorian Branch) has a free lecture (that may include a free drink, two if you are quick) on an economist’s solution to the terrorist problem. More details here.

Read more at  Henry Thornton