A question on Australia’s parlous record on poverty and disability currently leads the OurSay People’s Question.
OECD
Political snippets: A dangerous time for a reshuffle
Australia now has the largest sized Cabinet in history while Miss Gillard has a couple more colleagues she cannot count on if and when there is a leadership challenge.
Political snippets: Aussies have not stopped spending
Australians might be prudently paying down their credit cards a little (see yesterday’s chunky bits) but they have not completely stopped spending.
Political snippets: Rate reduction a good bet
The money has been coming for an interest rate cut in this afternoon’s big event.
Political snippets: Uncertainty the only certainty
So Australia has almost got to the point of establishing a price on carbon emissions with the House of Representatives passing legislation this morning and passage through the Senate being little more than a formality.
The economics of a tough-minded, no-pain-no-gain approach
It took bad thinking and bad policy by many players to get us into the state we’re in, writes Nicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economic.
Australia’s OECD productivity freefall
Australia isn’t the only country grappling with labour productivity problems. But ours got a lot worse during Workchoices.
Political snippets: A simple solution for Tony Abbott
I don’t understand the suggestion by some commentators that Labor has presented Tony Abbott with a difficult decision over legislation designed to overturn the recent High Court decision on asylum seekers.
Save the gloom for offshore: our economy is performing well
There’s plenty of bad economic news offshore but the Australian economy remains well-placed, whatever commentators might say, write Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane.
Xstrata, competition and a new form of xenophobia
Mining multinational Xstrata refused to cooperate with Treasury over complaints that it engaged in anti-competitive behaviour. The reason? “Xenophobia”.
Political snippets: Leadership stories are just so much fun to write!
The headline was more dramatic than the story beneath it but we can expect to see more like it as this Labor Government stumbles from one absurdity to another.
Political snippets: Worrying about Europe’s debt woes
When the Wall Street Journal starts worrying about how to keep Europe’s debt crisis from spiraling out of control the rest of us should be at least a little uneasy.
Political snippets: NSW Labor deluded and on the nose
They really know how to delude themselves in the New South Wales Labor Party.
Political snippets: Forget smaller classes, pay the teachers more
Having studied test results, the OECD reached the conclusion that school systems considered successful tend to prioritise teachers’ pay over smaller classes.
Political snippets: A revolt in the ranks
There’s one thing about the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development: when it publishes one of its country reviews it goes out of its way not to openly contradict opinions expressed by the host government’s finance officials.
Energy task force delivers Australia a power jolt
If the task force recommendations are adopted, it seems certain that Australian business and households are in for something of a culture shock when it comes to energy consumption, writes Giles Parkinson, of Climate Prectator.
Australia to grow above its trend rate, says OECD
So why didn’t the morning newspapers use the OECD mid-year economic forecast update? The OECD said that Australia will see strong growth this year and next, above its trend rate.
Tim Costello: please, no ‘funny money’ games with the poor
As tomorrow’s Federal Budget looms, it is vital that the Australian government avoids funny money games and is transparent in the outlay of all its funds, writes World Vision CEO Tim Costello.
There’s nothing more Aussie than calling somewhere else home
The trouble is not in having the independent thinkers or talent but in giving them opportunities here rather than the token support typical of Australian government, writes Michael R. James.
C’mon, Kev, show some guts: tell us where we’re weak
We need more than just idle talk from a Prime Minister and a Treasury that knows what’s needed and should have the guts to issue a report pointing out our weak areas and suggesting what needs to be done.
OECD: publicly funded NBN could pay for itself
The National Broadband Network could pay for itself in just 10 years thanks to spillover savings in electricity, health, transport and education, according to a new OECD report.
OECD: Financial Crisis killed 25 million jobs
The OECD may have had good news for Australia’s economy, but its global analysis was less rosy, estimating 25 millions jobs have been lost in the GFC carnage.
How Kevin Rudd saved 200,000 Australian jobs
The OECD has released a glowing report for the Federal Government’s stimulus package, estimating the economy will benefit for another decade and up to 200,000 jobs have been saved from the axe.
Political snippets: OECD report card gives Australia a tick
In today’s political snippets by Richard Farmer: A possible strategy for Malcolm Turnbull. And Australia basically gets a good report card from the OECD in its first ever study of child well-being
