The same old public hospital nonsenseRemember all that federal Labor arty talk about finally fixing the financing of the public hospital system? Well, forget them. The first state to make a mockery of the new system was Tasmania, writes Richard Farmer.
October, 2011
Kohler: flagging down a recession
Markets are falling now because the US, and probably the world, is tipping into recession. Again.
Nine prepares ‘considered response’ as ACMA probes pokies pitch
Broadcast authority ACMA has commenced an investigation into comments made by Channel Nine rugby league commentators Ray Warren and Phil Gould, as fallout continues to spread from their anti-poker machine reform editorial. An ACMA spokesman confirmed the investigation this morning, telling The Power Index that a statement would be released shortly. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie and fellow anti-gambling […]
Crikey Clarifier: Making sense of the dollar
The Australian dollar is the world’s fifth most traded currency and goes up and down, up and down.
The Wall St journey hits our shores, but do we need it?
The fledgling ‘Occupy Wall St’ movement looks set to spawn a local chapter as grassroots protesters prepare to occupy key capital city landmarks to strike back against “corporate greed”.
Tax forum demonstrates Labor has already failed
Even for tax policy fanatics it’s hard to get excited about the two-day tax forum. Given Labor’s failure to adopt the Henry tax review, the prospect of meaningful change is slim, says Adam Creighton.
Should war on obesity be a key objective of transport policy?
I know people who have the option of driving but instead take the train so they can improve their physical fitness, writes Alan Davies of The Melbourne Urbanist.
Carbon taxes and the ghosts of politicians past
As the latest carbon price package makes its way through parliament, Fergus Green takes a trip down memory lane.
Actual intellectuals with passionate arguments = best Q&A ever!
I make no secret of my opinion that Q&A is the worst show on Australian television. But a politician-free panel redeemed the ABC show last night.
Again the RBA meets as world markets crumble
On top of fears about Greece, Europe’s debt woes have started rattling the area’s banks.
The Power Index: law enforcers, Robert French at #4
The Chief Justice of the High Court only commands one out of seven votes, but don’t let that fool you: Robert French is a man who gets his own way. Since his 2008 appointment, the charismatic West Australian has demonstrated a freakish ability to be on the winning side of the argument. He has dissented […]
Dancing in detention: an asylum seeker’s story
An asylum seeker’s story reveals the human side of the boat debate, an intimate account of how mental illness is fomented in detention centres, writes freelance journalist Jacob Moss.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Why (in principle) European union is a great idea
Crikey readers have their say.
Morning Market Report: Local markets follow overseas’ falls.
The S&P 500 fell 2.9% to a 13 month low.
Daily Proposition: a night with The Don
Who couldn’t love Don Juan? Who hasn’t loved him? He was the libertine all women privately crave and all men crave to be. Well, maybe. All I know is it makes for a good story and Wolfy was by no means slow to recognise its potential for opera, in his trademark style. In this brand-spanking […]
Media briefs: SMH turns Japanese … WaPo’s Scalia stuff-up … Daily Mail invented account …
In today’s Media Briefs: SMH sports go Japanese … NewsBeast retracts false quote … Wilkie and Xenophon tackle Nine on pokie remarks and more …
Power Shots: Power Shots: ALP prez form guide … top CEO search … new Jess Rudd book …
Form guide to the ALP national president contest. Party reform is the name of the game in the battle for the ALP national presidency, with all six candidates vowing to hand more power over to grassroots Labor members if elected. Three of the candidates are left-leaning, two hail from the right and one is unaligned. […]
Political snippets: A job well done
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan have done a good job in turning this week’s Canberra tax forum into a political non-event.
Video of the Day: First Lady of Iceland joins debt crisis protesters
On the weekend thousands of Icelandic residents gathered outside parliament, protesting the government’s handling of the debt crisis. One MP was knocked to the ground by an egg hurled at his head but that didn’t stop the First Lady of Iceland, Dorrit Moussaieff, from climbing the security fence to join the crowd.
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours
Asian Century lost in translation. “There’s a view among the Canberra bureaucrats,” says one Canberra bureaucrat, “that if the Prime Minister’s white paper on Asia — about which many are of course sceptical — gets a few more kids learning Asian languages it will have been worth it. Very hard to get anyone in this country to take a […]
Crikey Says: Scotch Finger, anyone?
Cold hard tax reform would be sweet, but in this environment, with a government cowed by a feral opposition and interest groups that publicly howl down any kind of move maybe tea ‘n bikkies is the best we can hope for …
Romancing the phone: iPhone addicts feel the love
Author Martin Lindstrom studied the effects iPhones have on the brain and delivered a bold verdict: they produce feelings associated not just with addiction but with love and compassion.
