We continue to await the return of Newspoll for the year, which I imagine might be forthcoming ahead of the return of parliament next week. With Essential Research having an off week in the fortnightly cycle, this leaves me with nothing to report on the poll front. Two bits of electoral news worth noting are that the Liberals won the supplementary election for the Victorian state seat of Narracan as expected on Saturday, confirming lower house numbers of 56 for Labor, 19 for the Liberals, nine for the Nationals and four for the Greens; and that Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has announced that the by-election for the seat of Arafura, following the death of Labor member Lawrence Costa on December 17, will be held on March 18. With that, over to you.
While Ukraine concentrates on killing Russian invaders, Russian soldiers still focus on killing Ukrainian civilians:
“ Russian attacks across 9 Ukrainian oblasts kill 7, injure at least 31 over past 24 hours”
https://kyivindependent.com/news-feed/russian-attacks-across-9-ukrainian-oblasts-kill-7-injure-at-least-31-over-past-24-hours
“ Eight people die in Sevastopol dormitory fire
At least eight people have died after a fire broke out in a dormitory for construction workers in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, Russian officials said.
The fire broke out in temporary accommodation for workers building the Tavrida highway, a new road linking the cities of Sevastopol and Simferopol, according to the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev.
Russia’s emergencies ministry said eight people had died and two were injured.
Local law enforcement agencies said the fire was the result of an electrical appliance short-circuiting, the Russian state-run Tass news agency reported.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/feb/02/russia-ukraine-war-live-kyiv-warns-of-russian-mobilisation-on-eastern-border-kramatorsk-apartment-block-attack-kills-three
This is what happens when Russia rounds up all its military age men – who are also probably the majority of their most active working age men. They strip the country of their skilled tradespeople and grind them up as dumb meat in their offensives on Bakhmut. Then, everything falls apart and there’s nobody left to fix it…
Or, it could be Ukrainian partisans. Welcome to your future, Russia.
“ Russian army officer admits: ‘Our troops tortured Ukrainians’”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64470092
Only for those with the stomach for graphic accounts of Russian torture of. Ukrainian POW’s.
Savages.
Sorry Alpo. That wasn’t very helpful of me.
I Googled ‘Stalin Deaths’ which led me to ‘ Excess Mortality in the Soviet Union ……..’
The 20M is stated in the 2nd para. Then there’s lots of other detail from a variety of sources giving a wide range of numbers.
A nice round figure like 20M immediately arouses suspicion with me that it just a made up number with no real research to back it up.
I used to admire Penny Wong but I was rather sickened watching her fawn over the unfortunate young Ukrainians soon to be sent off to war following their 6 weeks training by our boys.
I wonder if any will still be alive in 7.
Leon says:
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 12:25 am
I used to admire Penny Wong but I was rather sickened watching her fawn over the unfortunate young Ukrainians soon to be sent off to war following their 6 weeks training by our boys.
I wonder if any will still be alive in 7.
————————————–
Its not a war the Ukrainians started or wanted.
Chuck 111 not to be on 5$ Note.
Maybe the Reserve Bank has a couple of historians amongst the staff.
They are aware of the short reign and lifespan of Chucky’s 1 & 11, and don’t want to have to go through the laborious process of re-designing the five dollar note, again.
Unfortunately, they are planning to be-head on the reverse side of our coins.
Re: Steve777 @ 5.29pm
Thanks for your succinct coverage of The Daily Rupert.
Something I have missed, which The Daily Rupert hadn’t.
When was Chuckles 111, ever on the $5 note, to be chuckled off?
“Leon says:
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 12:25 am
I used to admire Penny Wong but I was rather sickened watching her fawn over the unfortunate young Ukrainians soon to be sent off to war following their 6 weeks training by our boys.
I wonder if any will still be alive in 7.”
Sickened by watching Wong paying a visit to Ukrainian soldiers in training? Are you also sickened by watching Vladimir Putin sending hundreds of thousands of poorly trained young Russians to the slaughter in Ukraine?
Leon, unfortunately there is something sickening about your posts….
“Albanese says voice referendum will go ahead even if political dissent presents risk of failure”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/03/albanese-says-voice-referendum-will-go-ahead-even-if-political-dissent-presents-risk-of-failure
Bravo Albo!…. No guts…. no glory!!
… Oh, and don’t worry, YES to the Voice will win!!!
🙂
#weatheronPB
A distant pink haze,
And an ivory sky means,
I know the heat comes.
Aha!… The Greens still have the power to Thorpedo the Voice referendum even before anyone casts his/her vote, in case somebody missed it:
“While Albanese’s intentions are clear, the prime minister noted parliament could deny Australians the opportunity to have their say later this year if non-government parties torpedoed the precursor legislation necessary for the referendum. Two bills will be required – one updating Australia’s referendum machinery and another articulating the proposed wording that will be put to voters later this year.”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/03/albanese-says-voice-referendum-will-go-ahead-even-if-political-dissent-presents-risk-of-failure
Alpo,
Yes, Leon is one sick puppy. I don’t know who’s worse, Lars or Leon? Maybe they’re the same sick puppy? 😉
Of course he did.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/barilaro-sounded-out-prospects-to-become-new-boss-of-clubsnsw-20230202-p5chjj.html
It’s been 2 days…
Ukraine is facing the strategic costs of Western dithering about properly equipping Ukraine with the heavy weapons they need to resist Russia’s invasion of their territory:
“But the growing expectation, among western intelligence at least, is that the Ukraine war is set to last throughout 2023, with Russia trying to play it long so that its advantage in personnel can count. Western weapons supply never seems to come fast enough, and while the hope will be that first wave of 120 to 140 tanks Ukraine has been promised will arrive around Easter, with crews trained, it could be May or later.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/02/russian-forces-could-regain-initiative-as-ukraine-war-drags-on
Remember, the US and UK left Ukraine in the lurch when Russia violated its 1994 security guarantee in return for scoring Ukraine’s nuclear arsenal. The West owes Ukraine security from Russian aggression.
C@tmomma @ #1814 Friday, February 3rd, 2023 – 6:38 am
Is this guy STILL looking for a job?!
More careless smoking from those puffing Russians:
“An explosion was reported at a Russian temporary military base in the occupied port city of Mariupol in eastern Donetsk Oblast, according to the Mariupol City Council.
The council did not provide additional information.
Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov reported explosions at a Russian base near the city and at the oil depot in the occupied village Novobohdanivka, located 30 kilometers north of Melitopol.”
https://kyivindependent.com/news-feed/officials-explosions-reported-at-russias-military-sites-in-occupied-mariupol-melitopol
These explosions at Russian bases on occupied Ukrainian territory seem to be happening daily. Those Ukrainians must really love having those Russian soldiers around to “protect” them from “Nazis”.
Russia shows the world how to deal with rambunctious kids:
“The Russian forces attacked a kindergarten in the village of Zolota Balka, Kherson Oblast, on 2 February. …
… The building suffered serious damage as a result of the enemy attack: the roof has been damaged, the windows have been broken and the second floor of the kindergarten has been partially destroyed.”
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/02/2/7387680/
Brave heroes, these Russians.
“More careless smoking from those puffing Russians”
Vaping? It was “a short-circuit in an electrical device.”
Dutton/Leeser and their pathetic excuses….
“Dutton agreed to attend another session of the working group in February. Leeser later told journalists the opposition leader had told Thursday’s meeting the government hadn’t adopted “the usual orthodox processes in to this particular referendum of having a constitutional convention or a public committee”.”
But, but, don’t the Liberals usually refer to “constitutional conventions” as “talkfests” (= a waste of time)?
In any event, the Government doesn’t need to adopt anything except get Parliament to pass the legislation to proceed with the referendum. It’s been years of talking and consulting with Aboriginal communities and leaders already. The informative campaign of the government to tell the People who still don’t know (or pretend not to know) what this referendum is about, will start in February, I believe.
Question: Why are Dutton and Leeser playing stupid games with this referendum, whilst Littleproud’s Nationals were simply and clearly for the “No” option from day one?…. Do the Liberals fear a breaking up of their party and further going down the drain at the next federal election?… Is what they are doing going to prevent the electoral collapse of the Liberals?
There was a post yesterday where Scott Ritter had stated the Ukrainian army had initially fielded an army of 700,000 & would now struggle to field 200,000…. Today the Ukraine announced they have an army of 1 million & that Russian loss had reached 500/ dat in the Donbass
Don’t wast your time with Scott
Alpo @ C@t, speaking of sick puppies, Putin likening Russia’s brutal, unjustified invasion of Ukraine with the Soviet Union’s defence of Stalingrad is disgraceful. He has the actors’ moral positions in this war exactly backwards. Ukraine is fighting for its own citizens’ lives, homes, schools, hospitals, workplaces, businesses and farms against Russia’s murdering, raping and looting soldiers and missile operators.
Sceptic @ Friday, February 3, 2023 at 6:55 am:
“There was a post yesterday where Scott Ritter had stated the Ukrainian army had initially fielded an army of 700,000 & would now struggle to field 200,000…. Today the Ukraine announced they have an army of 1 million.
Don’t wast your time with Scott”
======================
Scott Ritter = Putin mouthpiece. Using him as a source says everything you need to know about the allegiances of anyone quoting him.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Nearly all of those accused of involvement in a $10 billion money laundering operation smashed by the Australian Federal Police this week have swapped their Sydney mansions for remand cells after appearing in court on Thursday. Jenny Noyes reports that, in its largest-ever asset seizure, AFP officers took possession of at least $150 million worth of property and luxury assets and arrested nine suspects during 13 raids across Sydney on Wednesday, cutting off a shopping spree that included 360 hectares of land purchased for a new suburb near Sydney’s new international airport, worth $47 million.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/money-laundering-accused-swap-sydney-mansions-for-remand-cells-20230202-p5chhu.html
David Crowe argues that the shrill critics of Jim Chalmers’ essay are missing the point. Well worth reading.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/shrill-critics-of-chalmers-essay-are-missing-the-point-20230202-p5chee.html
Phil Coorey reckons up to $3 billion in promised power price relief for householders will be rebadged as a cost-of-living centrepiece in the May budget, after design complexities and disagreements pushed back the intended rollout date beyond April.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/budget-to-contain-3b-of-rebadged-power-price-relief-20230202-p5chb2
Anthony Albanese has revealed he will proceed with the referendum to enshrine an Indigenous voice to parliament even if he suspects the proposal will fail because of a lack of political consensus. Katherine Murphy writes that, given history shows referendums fail when they lack bipartisan support, the prime minister acknowledged that advancing, come what may, was a “risk … particularly where, at the moment, it is only the Labor party saying that they are committed to a yes vote”.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/03/albanese-says-voice-referendum-will-go-ahead-even-if-political-dissent-presents-risk-of-failure
Seats surrounding Sydney Harbour used to be sure things for the Liberal Party. It can’t reclaim federal government without taking some of them back, writes Nick Bryant who concludes his evaluation with, “Peter Dutton not only runs the risk of placing himself on the wrong side of history on Uluru, but also ignoring the here and now of Australia’s new political geography. Currently, he looks to be failing the Sydney Harbour test.”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/can-peter-dutton-pass-the-sydney-harbour-test-20230201-p5ch3l.html
It’ll be tough for Perrottet to win the NSW election. But Labor won’t romp home either, writes David Clune.
https://theconversation.com/itll-be-tough-for-perrottet-to-win-the-nsw-election-but-labor-wont-romp-home-either-198892
Perrottet is no slave to his ‘Catholic gut’, but religion does cross into politics, explains Margot Sackville in a very good contribution.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/perrottet-is-no-slave-to-his-catholic-gut-but-religion-does-cross-into-politics-20230201-p5ch59.html
Covering the Pell funeral, Jordan baker writes, “Those whose lives were destroyed by abusive priests, and who hold Pell responsible for the church’s failure to act, may have hoped Pell’s influence and his strident brand of Catholicism would die with him. But if Abbott has anything to do with it, the cardinal’s influence will live on as a symbol of Catholic defiance. The era of Pell the man is over, but that of Pell the martyr may be just beginning.”
https://www.smh.com.au/national/as-pell-the-man-is-laid-to-rest-pell-the-martyr-rises-20230202-p5chi2.html
The Australian’s editorial begins with, “As a reflection of the cowardice that tends to afflict members of our political class, it would be hard to go past the non-appearance of Anthony Albanese, Dominic Perrottet and other political figures at George Pell’s funeral in Sydney on Thursday. Given their offices, both men should have been there.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/editorials/leaders-lacked-courage-on-pell/news-story/98e465d3b0735967d02f276faf3139e1?amp
Meanwhile, a group of Victorian councillors has written to the state government calling for guidelines to end Christian prayers in local council meetings. Wendy Touhy tells us that the letter, sent on Tuesday and signed by 21 councillors from across the state, argues widespread use of a single faith’s prayers at the start of meetings is “inconsistent with the multicultural and multi-faith diversity of the communities the council represents”.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/councillors-push-for-end-to-inappropriate-christian-prayers-at-meetings-20230202-p5chf5.html
Opus Dei is a sect. Its spirituality doesn’t free the spirit, but enslaves it, writes Paul Collins after seeing the 4Corners program.
https://johnmenadue.com/opus-dei-a-catholic-sect-opus-dei-school-pic/
Covering the robodebt royal commission, Luke Henriques-Gomes writes that Christian Porter has insisted someone in one of the two government departments responsible for the robodebt scheme assured him it was legal, while telling a royal commission he did accept some responsibility for the scandal. (Underneath all of what we have seen so far is the essentially unanswered question of what drove these people to do what they did and did not do).
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/02/christian-porter-tells-inquiry-someone-in-department-assured-him-robodebt-was-legal-but-i-cant-recall-who
The security and dignity of having a home is no longer seen as a human right because governments of all colours have encouraged housing to become a commodity through tax breaks on investments, writes John Ward who takes us through the terrible social consequences of them.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-impact-of-the-housing-crisis-on-the-mental-and-physical-health-of-children/
The office of former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro intervened in a $100 million bushfire recovery program and altered the guidelines, resulting in Labor electorates missing out on emergency funding despite being ravaged by the deadly Black Summer fires. Alexandra Smith and Lucy Cormack tell us about the scathing new investigation by the NSW auditor-general.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/barilaro-s-office-steered-bushfire-recovery-funds-away-from-labor-held-seats-audit-office-20230202-p5chf9.html
And Michael Koziol writes about the fears of bushfire victims being confirmed by the above report.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/not-vindicated-shattered-bushfire-audit-confirms-communities-fears-20230202-p5chj2.html
Alan Kohler explains why he says, “The RBA is fighting for its purpose … and its life”.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2023/02/02/rba-reserve-bank-revamp-kohler/
In Victoria, school principals are scrambling to fill core classes due to a “dire” teacher shortage, as hundreds of vacancies in state schools remain unfilled, and concerns schools will have to combine classes or reduce curriculum offerings.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/teacher-shortages-it-s-week-one-and-principals-are-already-back-in-the-classroom-20230129-p5cgbg.html
Tony Wright really takes the piss out of the monarchists’ response to the image of Charles III not being on the next $5 note.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/no-more-pussyfooting-australia-s-monarchists-take-five-to-respond-to-anthony-albanese-20230202-p5chji.html
These three doctors are concerned that Australia’s GP system is heading the way of America’s. They worry the government will launch headfirst into reforms that will make general practice in Australia look more like the US without making the investment our primary care infrastructure desperately needs.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/can-t-afford-a-doctor-australia-s-gp-system-is-heading-the-way-of-america-s-20230202-p5chc2.html
Ash Cant tells us how Australia’s health system crisis was ‘entirely predictable’.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2023/02/01/health-system-care-hospitals-ama/
Michael Pelley writes that Mark Dreyfus has raised the possibility of urgent changes to Australia’s personal insolvency laws after announcing that he will hold a round table with industry leaders next month. Mr Dreyfus told The Australian Financial Review yesterday that he would invite up to 30 people who represented creditors and debtors to attend the forum at Parliament House in Canberra on March 2.
https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/dreyfus-to-explore-urgent-changes-to-insolvency-laws-20230131-p5cgvp
While enacting an Indigenous Voice to Parliament is crucial, a broader discussion must also take place about Australia’s archaic ‘Constitution’ and the benefits of embracing a republic, writes Dr Klaas Woldring.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/voice-to-parliament-valuable-first-step-towards-a-republic,17195
Rachel Clun writes that the former head of the nation’s consumer watchdog has warned a lack of competition is a threat to liberal democracies such as Australia, just days after Treasurer Jim Chalmers argued for a move to “values-based capitalism”. Rod Sims has urged Sims urged the government to bring in stronger laws and industry rules to curb bad business behaviour and ensure the economy did not suffer.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/capitalism-must-come-with-rules-to-ensure-competition-sims-20230202-p5chgx.html
The thaw in Chinese Australia diplomatic relations is giving Australian businesses greater confidence the export market will reopen. But there are plenty of threatening cracks to navigate, says Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/the-great-china-rush-is-clearly-back-on-20230202-p5cher
South Australia, its ambitious premier and state association have made a bid to take the New Year’s Test match from Sydney to Adelaide Oval. Senior cricket sources have told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that Premier Peter Malinauskas and the South Australian Cricket Association have approached Cricket Australia about trying to pinch the New Year’s Test, customarily played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. No doubt meteorological data will play a big part in their arguments.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/south-australia-in-audacious-bid-to-pinch-sydney-s-new-year-s-test-20230202-p5chj7.html
This week’s decision by FIFA to accept sponsorship from Visit Saudi of the Women’s World Cup to be played in Australia and New Zealand later this year places athletes, fans, local sponsors and journalists in a difficult position, writes Craig Foster who takes us through his several concerns.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/saudi-arabia-sponsoring-the-women-s-world-cup-as-hosts-we-must-block-this-20230202-p5chi9.html
The Tories now face a choice: lose office with honour or burn everything in sight, opines Rafael Behr.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/02/tories-lose-opposition-party
Anthony Albanese’s electoral success and the quiet competence of Labor’s administration has not gone unnoticed by the commentariat and political analysts here in the UK. A sea change from the noisy and brash Morrison days, writes John Fitz from the Cardiff University.
https://johnmenadue.com/lessons-for-uk-labour-from-australia/
As the 2024 GOP presidential contest heats up, Republican voters are being seized by an increasingly urgent desire to win. After the 2020 and 2022 contests, it’s clear Trump has turned off a large part of the electorate. If Republicans want the White House, they must find a way around him, writes Karl Rove.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/the-wall-street-journal/republicans-who-want-to-win-will-need-to-find-a-way-around-trump/news-story/709d6cec92d003165ed0fb05228e48a0?amp
Cartoons Corner
David Rowe
Cathy Wilcox
David Pope
Matt Golding
John Shakespeare
Simon Letch
Mark Knight
Leak
From the US
“Enough Already says:
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 6:55 am
Alpo @ C@t, speaking of sick puppies, Putin likening Russia’s brutal, unjustified invasion of Ukraine with the Soviet Union’s defence of Stalingrad is disgraceful.”
Will Putin start growing a moustache… for greater effect?
Any objective analyst will have to conclude that Russia has been an important contributing member of Western civilisation (just think about all the wonderful Russian musicians). Why do they routinely come up with leaders that only dream of isolating Russia from most of the world?
I am looking forward to a post-Putin Russia that can enjoy peace and prosperity.
Dr Doolittle says:
Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 10:10 pm
Cronus as you are an hour behind listen to the interview with Craig Stockings about his massive East Timor operation history on RN Late Night Live starting 10.05 pm (on now Sydney time).
Background to Stockings’ book at:
https://www.themandarin.com.au/210195-government-accused-of-silencing-australias-official-war-history-on-east-timor/
——————————————————————————————
Thanks Dr D,
I’ve only just now seen your post from last night but I’ll definitely try to track down a replay of the Stockings interview later this morning.
David Crowe’s article sure is worth a read. It is very thoughtful wrt the Treasurer’s essay in The Monthly.
This was the comment I made to it:
‘ Is it not the case that the greatest global problem right now is wealth inequity? Too few have been massively profiting at the expense of the many. If you don’t want to do something about that, as an Egalitarian Progressive leader, then you don’t have a heart. Also, you are then marking yourself out as part of the problem.
Of course, those who have been benefiting from the Neoliberal economic ascendency, kicked off by Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, will squeal the loudest when the spigot is turned down, not off, I don’t think the Treasurer wants to turn it off like a communist or socialist or whatever the hell that juvenile cartoon in another media outlet depicted him as yesterday. Instead he seems to want to redress the imbalance in our society, and the world, hopefully, as he sees it, so that all boats can rise together.
Sure, some people will have bigger boats than others, because they will use their initiative, creativity and entrepreneurial animal spirits to be successful, and there’s nothing wrong with that, and I don’t believe the Treasurer thinks there’s anything wrong with that either. But everyone deserves a boat, not a select few get to have a whale of a boat and the rest are left to sink or swim.
That’s only right and proper and humane. It’s time others began following the lead set by the Treasurer. ‘
https://www.smh.com.au/national/shrill-critics-of-chalmers-essay-are-missing-the-point-20230202-p5chee.html
Thanks so much BK
A good day for sitting inside for a read as well as watching the Robdebt Royal Commission given that it’ll be an oppressive 38 degrees with high humidity today in my neck of the woods.
The haughty Lord Downer has taken a swipe at Penny Wong.
Yes, Downer, the East Timor bugger.*
(* as in ‘one who bugs’: but you already knew that, right?)
Confessions @ #1617 Friday, February 3rd, 2023 – 6:46 am
You mean, he’s still looking for a grift. 😐
For Leak it’s all about “lazy” Albo today…
“Lazy” Albo?…. Ha, ha, ha… what a joke!
You see Leakie, even Alpo can laugh at your cartoons….
Cronus @ #1629 Friday, February 3rd, 2023 – 7:13 am
Could you please stop sending your Queensland weather to NSW? Last night it was 24C at midnight and humid as! 😆
Alpo @ #1632 Friday, February 3rd, 2023 – 7:17 am
Yep, completely ignores the 9+ years the Coalition had to do something about it. 😐
this gaming card stunt seems to have back fired on perottit now he has clubs nsw canmpaigning against him plus barilarow undermmining him buy wanting to be ceo plus tobie williams in wakehurst i dont know whiy the premier believed attacking punters was a smart move in stead of going after clubs nsw he must not want to talk about the health system or cost of living and toles
Oliver Sutton says:
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 7:13 am
The haughty Lord Downer has taken a swipe at Penny Wong.
Yes, Downer, the East Timor bugger.*
(* as in ‘one who bugs’: but you already knew that, right?)
——————————————————————————————
Sounds exactly like this bugger:
“The then deputy secretary in foreign affairs and trade said there was no need for an official history on East Timor because it was not the job of the people to know these things and that I was not to ‘speak to the minister [for foreign affairs Alexander Downer] about it’.”
https://www.themandarin.com.au/210195-government-accused-of-silencing-australias-official-war-history-on-east-timor/
Kim Beazley’s first Budget reply speech included several recommendations to ‘sack Alexander Downer’.
Hi C@T
I’ve noticed that Chalmers has been given a real walloping by the AFR and The Australian. After decades the Coalition and their media shills continue to support the clearly failed neo-liberal economic strategies despite unambiguous evidence of increasing inequality.
I think their greatest concern must be that Chalmers is, by definition, calling out this failed strategy and its champions for what they are. Time for a new direction that redresses the imbalance. The logic of continuing along the same old economic road is indefensible.
C@tmomma says:
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 7:17 am
Cronus @ #1629 Friday, February 3rd, 2023 – 7:13 am
Thanks so much BK
A good day for sitting inside for a read as well as watching the Robdebt Royal Commission given that it’ll be an oppressive 38 degrees with high humidity today in my neck of the woods.
Could you please stop sending your Queensland weather to NSW? Last night it was 24C at midnight and humid as!
——————————————————————————————-
😆 We’re all too willing to share up here C@T.
These nights are really unbearable aren’t they. We’re just hanging in there for the cool front coming Sunday hopefully.
Cronus,
Lucky for me I’m off to Canberra today to attend The Chifley Research Centre conference over the weekend, and where the temperature today will be a glorious maximum of 17C! 🙂
Everyone gets a boat. That’s good.
aaron newton,
Tolls are the sleeper issue of the NSW state election, to be sure. Labor has been campaigning hard in Western Sydney about it.
But what do the Liberals do in response? Announce another bleeding sports stadium! Who can afford tickets to their favourite sports when you are spending your money on tolls!?!
C@tmomma says:
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 7:47 am
Cronus,
Lucky for me I’m off to Canberra today to attend The Chifley Research Centre conference over the weekend, and where the temperature today will be a glorious maximum of 17C!
—————————————————————————————-
Lucky you, enjoy. Looking forward to your impressions on the conference.
The press is in a tizz over the 5 dollar note, did any one think there would be a thoughtful response from the media to the Treasurer’s essay in The Monthly. Does anyone care what is written in the Australian; increasingly it is used as David Crowe has. As a prop to to underline the nonsense coming out of the Liberal party.
Leak’s cartooning efforts really are pathetic.
Leak’s cartooning efforts really are pathetic.
_______
And that’s on a GOOD day!
Thanks BK.
Rachel Clun writes that the former head of the nation’s consumer watchdog has warned a lack of competition is a threat to liberal democracies such as Australia, just days after Treasurer Jim Chalmers argued for a move to “values-based capitalism”. Rod Sims has urged Sims urged the government to bring in stronger laws and industry rules to curb bad business behaviour and ensure the economy did not suffer.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/capitalism-must-come-with-rules-to-ensure-competition-sims-20230202-p5chgx.html
____________
What about lack of competition in the media sector?
Or did Pete (Costello) tell Rachel not to write about that angle?
Some quotes from and comments on Chalmers’ The Monthly article: “Capitalism after the crises”. My own notes inside the quoted texts are indicated as such.
1) p. 22 “Our mission is to redefine and reform our economy and institutions in ways that make our people and communities more resilient, and our society and democracy stronger as well.”
In other words, the ALP plans to replace the failed Neoliberal paradigm with a far more promising Social Democratic paradigm.
2) The paradigm shift is dictated by the reality that requires it, it’s not an ideological imposition. p. 23: “Being a good policymaker begins with having the right information and mental models for how the world works – that always precedes any particular decisions or actions. It’s these mental models that John Maynard Keynes was thinking of when he wrote: ‘Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist’. And since 2008, the mental models for most economic decision-making have been changed.”
3) Going hard against Neoliberalism. P. 23: “So, for a decade before the pandemic, when most advanced economies had a terrible record, governments and independent authorities, backed by conservative prejudices and vested interests, still mostly stuck to a negative form of supply-side economics. They pursued loosely defined goals for competitiveness through a race to the bottom on wages and public investment.”
4) More bashing of Neoliberalism. P. 23: “The ‘Washington Consensus’… (over time) became a caricature for ever more simplistic and uniform policies prescriptions for ‘more market, not less’. This school of thought assumes that markets would typically self-correct before disaster struck.”
5) But is Chalmers against the basics of capitalism and markets as such? Nope, he is just against capitalism and markets that don’t work for the benefit of the People. P. 23: “It’s clear now that the problem wasn’t so much markets as poorly designed ones. Carefully constructed markets are a positive and powerful tool… markets built in partnership through the efforts of business, labour and government are still the best mechanism we have to efficiently and effectively direct resources. But these considered and efficient markets were not what the old [Neoliberal, my note] model delivered.”
6) Smashing the ATM failed government. P. 23: “From the neoliberal frontline of the catastrophic 2014 austerity budget [I call this the “Budget from Hell”, my note], three successive Coalition prime ministers participated in muddy, chaotic, ideological retreats – insignias torn from uniforms, electoral howitzers spewing public money until the last votes were counted last May.”
7) Ah, that comment by Frydenberg. P. 23: “When Labor spoke about a wellbeing budget, the then federal treasurer guffawed in Question Time about yoga mats and incense. Not only did he miss the preponderance of yoga studios in his own electorate… he misunderstood people’s appetite for a more conscious sense of wellbeing. He missed perhaps the key lesson of the pandemic…”. Indeed, the pandemic gave an opportunity to millions to temporarily exit the Neoliberal rats race… and they saw that there is more to life beyond the Neoliberal fantasy.
8) As a consequence of the Neoliberalism and incompetence of the ATM government, “we became more vulnerable to international shocks” (p. 24).
9) P.27: The ALP offers a “Value-based Capitalism”… Hence, no Neoliberalism which disregards human values, nor Marxism, which is antithetic to Capitalism. It’s Social Democracy, that’s what the ALP is offering and, so far, the People of Australia seem to like it!
I invite everybody to read the entire article. It’s time very well spent!
The Tories now face a choice: lose office with honour or burn everything in sight, opines Rafael Behr.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/02/tories-lose-opposition-party
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Well, they’ve been burning stuff for a decade, why stop now?
C@tmomma says:
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 7:51 am
aaron newton,
Tolls are the sleeper issue of the NSW state election, to be sure. Labor has been campaigning hard in Western Sydney about it.
But what do the Liberals do in response? Announce another bleeding sports stadium! Who can afford tickets to their favourite sports when you are spending your money on tolls!?!
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Which stadium/white elephant did they announce?