The Coalition’s rewriting of economic history continues apace as part of its obsession with the Howard years.
Politics / Australia / Federal
Rio Tinto, BHP results cloud mining tax bottom line
Just how much money will the government’s revised mining tax end up raising from the big players, ask Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane?
Guilty confessions of an Australian republican
For Australian republicans, Prince Charles has often been seen as an easy target, writes freelancer David Ritter.
How the ‘resource curse’ eats at the heart of Bougainville
Bougainvilleans may have won the war but the peace has left years of inertia, and a province desperately needing rehabilitation.
Will constitutional recognition advance Australia fair?
The report examining options to recognise indigenous people in the constitution lays out an important project of modernisation, says professor Jon Altman of ANU’s Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.
The pomp of Slippery Pete
New Speaker of the House Peter Slipper has been mocked donning a gown and bow-tie and demanding the ye olde grand Speaker entry. He’s just embracing traditions, a rarity in Australian politics, notes Mike Seccombe.
Morgan phone poll: 55-45 to Coalition
Despite its modest sample of 543 and high margin of error, Morgan’s phone poll conducted over the past two nights shows similar results from other pollsters, although slightly at the Coalition end of the scale, writes William Bowe.
Possum: Labor’s problem is an immovable 2PP vote
As we all get reacquainted with the madness of the new political season, the time is ripe to do a bit of a comprehensive rundown about the actual state of play of our political polling, writes Possum Comitatus.
Weak prices, outlook pressure Alcoa — not the dollar
Blaming the value of the Australian dollar for all the problems and ills in manufacturing has become the easy option, write Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane.
Why we need a big green bank for low carbon transition
One of the arguments that has been thrown forward against the proposed Clean Energy Finance Corporation is that it will be good money thrown after bad, writes Giles Parkinson at RenewEconomy.
OurSay challenges MPs on intervention, banking and personal wealth
Questions on the NT intervention, a people’s bank, MPs’ tax and uranium-based munitions returns have emerged in Our Say’s People’s Question project
Wind farms, the Waubra Foundation and a post-office box
Senator John Madigan is due to call for a total moratorium on all wind farm development while the rest of the world reached a record level of output, with wind now contributing 3% of the world’s electricity generation.
Indigenous community pleads with minister on NT nuclear dump
The federal government is pushing ahead with plans for a nuclear waste dump in the NT. But traditional owners of the site say claims they support the dump are false, writes Freya Cole.
Crikey Says: A note of civility, care of Slipper
Parliament’s back in session, and much to the surprise/delight/slight disappointment of the gallery and interested observers, it seems to be proceeding in an orderly fashion.
The spin doctor who’ll go where others refuse
Toby Ralph has no office, no job title and no qualms about spinning for the forces of darkness. “I’ll work for anyone who pays me,” Liberal campaign veteran Ralph tells Matthew Knott< .
healthcare Private health insurance: ‘the parasite of the health system’
Do most Australians really want a healthcare system structured to ensure that the better off get better access to health services? asks Melissa Sweet.
aviation industry What would a second Sydney airport cost?
The widely accepted estimated figure for a second Sydney airport is $15 billion. But where the hell did this figure come from and accurate and reliable is it? asks Alan Davies.
On Gillard, sexism and Lady Macbeth
What do we mean by ‘sexist’ when we refer to criticisms of Julia Gillard? The lack of agreement on the question of whether criticism of Gillard is sexist boils down to how we think about sexism, writes Robin Cameron.
The Coalition’s fog of fiscal confusion
The Coalition’s confusion over its fiscal policy reflects the gap between its small government rhetoric and political reality.
A simple copyright amendment? Sports chiefs don’t understand
Our copyright law is a wondrous complex beast, and even apparently simple tweaks carry the potential for significant unintended consequences, writes Kimberlee Weatherall, an associate professor in Sydney University’s Faculty of Law.
RBA could increase rates if there’s a sharp rise in inflation
Lots of mea culpas this morning from business economists and media pundits who got the Reserve Bank rate decision horribly wrong yesterday, write Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane.
L-3: the $15b defence contractor that will be scanning us
The company that will get $28 million for providing airport body scanners is a huge US defence contractor with a scandalous history.
Kohler: trouble in a carry trade paradise
Keynesian purists are all clutching their foreheads, but actually it’s pretty fabulous that Australia’s politicians are competing with each other to promise budget surpluses.
It’s Groundhog Dog in Oz politics
Just as Punxsutawney Phil’s shadow is seen as a sign of how long winter will last, Labor ministers — and especially the media — religiously analyse Julia Gillard’s shadow to try and determine the length of her tenure, writes Mr Denmore.
The Reserve Bank’s inclination to punish
The Reserve Bank of Australia are a callous lot, says Richard Farmer. Let’s not worry about those 5.2% of people without a job, or all those working less hours than they would like to.
