I’m all for a bit of pomp and ceremony myself so I’m in favour of rescuing Doc Evatt’s wig from its display in the Old Parliament House and putting it on the head of Peter Slipper
Greece economy
Maley: a Greek writedown chain reaction?
Global equity markets have enjoyed the best start to the year since 1994, but their euphoric mood is about to be sorely tested.
The race against a Greek debt clock
Investors are growing increasingly worried about a looming Greek debt default, as the country’s deepening recession means lenders are being asked to agree to even steeper write-offs.
Greece’s New Year dampener
Greece has put a dampener on the New Year rally, warning that the country will have to leave the eurozone unless it can reach agreement with its international creditors over its latest €130 billion ($US170 billion) bailout package.
Maley: the market’s Spanish inquisition
The new Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy faces a test of fire this week, as investors query whether the country will be able to protect itself from being engulfed by the raging eurozone debt crisis.
Italy defaults on debt and sends lenders broke? So be it
Australia should not give a cent more money to the IMF, writes Adam Creighton, a research fellow at The Centre For Independent Studies.
Maley: three bitter solutions for Europe
Financial markets succumbed to a fresh bout of pessimism overnight, as investors queried the ability of the new Italian and Greek leaders to tackle the massive economic challenges they confront.
Rundle in Athens: Mogadishu with spanakopita, and the mood is dangerous
We’ve already established what kind of girl Greece is; now we’re just haggling about the price.
Guy Rundle: Italy’s Monti appointment a concession to bewilderment
The very fact that Monti and Papademos can step so easily into their appointed roles is clear evidence that the European political crisis began long before they got the call.
Maley: ducking Merkozy’s heavy hand
Is Europe getting fed up with Merkozy — as the cosy duo of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has come to be known?
podcast Canberra Calling: The get your shit together Europe podcast
World markets continue their volatility, so Canberra correspondent Bernard Keane joins Crikey editor Sophie Black to analyse the financial instability in Europe and how it it is and will effect Australia.
Guy Rundle: New PM in Italy, but not yet; new PM in Greece, but not yet …
Europe remains — wait for it wait for it — yes, in crisis today, with the announcement that Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi will resign — but not yet, and announcements that Greece will soon announce a new prime minister and Cabinet — but not yet.
Rundle: why Europe is trapped in the death spiral
In the end, it all depends on Greece. If that can be held together, Italy can be stabilised, and so on. If not, it all goes, and before Christmas.
Maley: a bitter end for Berlusconi
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was fighting for his political survival overnight, as Italy’s borrowing costs reached new highs.
Maley: PM is gone as Greece clings to austerity plan
Financial markets face a tense start to the week, as they wait to see whether Greece’s sparring politicians can work together in a national unity government and whether Italy can reassure nervous investors that it will push ahead with fresh austerity measures.
RBA’s rate cut an insurance against Europe falling over
Like it or not, Australia’s immediate economic outlook is in the hands of the cast of clowns, fools and the well meaning trying to keep Europe on an even keel.
Political snippets: Julia Gillard gets ready to jet-about
Julia Gillard will be a jet-about Prime Minister for the next few weeks with a series of international conferences interrupted briefly by a visiting US President Barack Obama.
Financial crisis takes toll on Greece’s health
The creeping consequences of austerity measures in Greece are beginning to show, with the nation facing a sharp increase in suicides and restrictions on access to health care, writes Stephen Leeder.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Greece needs to sort itself out
Crikey readers have their say.
What makes a very normal Greek take to the streets? Where to start?
The latest raft of austerity was passed Thursday evening and many breathed a collective sigh of relief because no one wants to overdose on poisonous Troika medicine, writes Dr Nick Skrekas, author, economic analyst and international lawyer.
Maley: the EU debt clock ticks down
With time fast running out, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Nicolas Sarkozy again held emergency talks overnight in an attempt to settle their differences before Sunday’s crucial summit of European political chiefs.
Political snippets: Some cheerful statistics
Better than expected retail sales figures and confirmation of the boom in engineering works were released this morning by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
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.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Why (in principle) European union is a great idea
Crikey readers have their say.
Maley: recycling a Greek mess
Greece’s cabinet has approved large spending cuts and given the green light to a controversial plan aimed at slashing the size of the country’s public sector, writes Karen Maley of Business Spectator.
