Crikey readers weigh in on NSW government, the hung parliament and the joys of mining taxes.
September, 2010
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: There’s no hope for NSW
Crikey Says: Be patient, Australia … do we really need more government?
The natives — the Canberran natives, that is — are restless. They want a result, and now.
Advancing the planet, cartoon by cartoon
Artists whose work are on display at the 9th Kyoto International Cartoon Exhibition were asked to draw the best ways to develop our planet. While many struggled to answer the question, some memorable works eventuated, writes Louise Lavabre.
A compilation of Mark Cornwall political cartoons
Since March 2009 former Crikey cartoonist Mark Corwall has been contributing to the Mayne Report. Here is a compilation of some of his best work.
Antsy voters want to go back to the polls
According to a new national telephone poll, Australians are sick and tired of a hung parliament and would prefer to return to the polling booth irrespective of which party the independents MPs choose to form government.
The complexities of funding quality journalism
At the New News 2010 Conference last week finance journo Alan Kohler and head of ninemsn Andrew Hunter spoke about media advertising models and the role of citizen journalism, discussing the ins and outs of funding quality reportage and commentary.
The politics of spoilers and the illusion of “smart” cinema
What’s the statute of limitations on spoiling a movie? A TV series? A play? A book? W H Chong discusses the politics of spoilers in the context of “smart” movies such as Inception and The Hedgehog.
Grim dividends in store for Australian stockbroking
The Australian stockbroking sector is looking increasingly despondent, with ongoing troubles caused partly by overseas instability and high interest rates. With many investors opting for the cheaper online trading option, these tough times will only get tougher, writes Adele Ferguson.
Kanye West, Twitter and the changing PR paradigm
On the weekend US rapper Kanye West unleashed a tirade of tweets in part apologizing for his past controversies. A few months ago, his PR team would never have let him make such brash statements so publicly, writes Ben Parr.
News media will be saved by apps, not paywalls
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has weighed in on the future of the news media debate by suggesting in a recent interview that the industry will be saved by apps such as those available for the iPad and Kindle, which offer convent micro payment models.
Democrats in disaster management mode
With the November senate elections fast approaching, the Democrats are preparing to redirect their resources to embolden their strongest incumbents with the overall hope of winning a slim majority, writes Jeff Zeleny and Carl Hulse.
Are we there yet?
Crikey media wrap: The good bus Australia has been chugging along without a driver now for several weeks, but with a boost from independent suspension we’ve nearly reached destination PM.
Christchurch: emotional accounts emerge from a ravaged city
The devastating earthquake that hit Christchurch on Saturday morning with the same force as the Haiti quake earlier this year has affected around 370,000 locals, but amazingly nobody died. First hand accounts have emerged, many of them characterized by both devastation and miraculous good fortune.
Australia still way behind on gender equality
In the lead up to polling day, Labor announced an “equality for women” policy that just about nobody even heard about. It demonstrates that this important issue has gone off the radar. Time to bring it back, writes Marian Sawer.
Oakes: No matter who wins, parliament will change for the better
Parliamentary reform has been promised many times before, but nothing has ever come of it. Whatever the result of this year’s federal election, a minority government will be forced to make some valuable changes, writes Laurie Oakes.
Why I hate you and your camera
Kevin O’Faircheallaigh explains why in order to purchase and operate a camera, people should be forced to obtain a license. Maybe it will stop obnoxious and rude tourists who only view a monument through a lens.
Upheaval at ALR as editor booted amid funding deal
Tensions are running high at The Australian newspaper over the editorship of its storied literary supplement, with respected helmsman Stephen Romei shunted from his position in favour of the paper’s Higher Education editor Luke Slattery.
Super-sized aim to rort the Independents
One of the many powerful interest groups seeking to influence the independents and the Greens in search of support for policies that may be at risk, is the very powerful superannuation industry.
The science of pokies make them a special kind of harm creation
Pokies and the large networked system within which they operate are extremely effective at modifying what sociologists call the ‘agency’ of many people, affecting the basis on which they utilise their rational capacity, writes Charles Livingstone.
Gillard is loving doing over the pokies addicts in the NSW Right
Anti-gambling campaigners across the country are cockahoop today after Julia Gillard signed up to a comprehensive Federal pokies reform program.
BHP’s quick and hostile dash for Potash
On Friday August 20, BHP Billiton launched one of the largest ever cross-border hostile bids, a $US40 billion proposed takeover of Canada’s PotashCorp, writes Nigel Lake.
Eddie Groves’ revenge: a letter of demand to Austock
The background of Eddie Groves claim provides an interesting insight into the collapse of Groves’ relationship with Austock, which was routinely paid tens of millions of dollars by ABC for providing financial advice.
The crisis in governance in two-party systems
Our cozy political duopoly has run into trouble — time for some new thinking on two party systems.
The myth of governmental
competence
Contrary to its claims of administrative competence, the Coalition had a series of costly blunders when in Government.
