Category Archives: Gillard Government

Of razor gangs, budget cuts and the policy mix

Posted on November 18, 2011 by

In the Channel Nine series Underbelly Razor – as in real life – Sydney’s criminal matriarch Tilly Devine did not hesitate to wield the razor to keep her motley empire in line and protect it against incursion by rival gangs. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Gillard Government, Global Financial Crisis, Interest Rates, Mining Boom, Reserve Bank | Leave a comment

Euro zone a car crash: best keep your eyes on the road

Posted on November 14, 2011 by

You know how most of the traffic created by a car crash is not the crash itself, but everyone slowing down to have a rubberneck? Well, the same thing can happen with economies. And fair enough, the unfolding car crash … Continue reading →

Posted in Banks, Budget, Currency, Employment, Gillard Government, Global Financial Crisis, Interest Rates, Mining Boom, Reserve Bank | 1 Comment

Tony Abbott-o-nomics, or not…

Posted on November 14, 2011 by

Economics textbooks are hefty objects. Many a kinked neck and curved spine have resulted from children being forced to lug such weighty tomes between school and home. Whether many students manage to read and absorb the often turgid contents of … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Climate change, Gillard Government, Global Financial Crisis, Mining Boom, Tax | 4 Comments

Opponents of mining tax outnumbered 2 to 1

Posted on September 26, 2011 by

THE majority of Australians support the idea of a mining tax, with supporters outnumbering opponents almost two to one, according to a new survey to be released today (19/09/2011).

Posted in Budget, Gillard Government, Mining Boom, Tax | Leave a comment

How would an Australian sovereign wealth fund work?

Posted on September 12, 2011 by

The Reserve Bank Governor, Glenn Stevens, has described the boom in prices for Australia’s commodity exports as the biggest gift to this nation since the 1850s gold rush. But lately, more Australians seem inclined to look this particular gift horse … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Gillard Government, Mining Boom | Leave a comment

Not just kinder, also a cheaper solution

Posted on September 12, 2011 by

Wouldn’t it just be easier, and cheaper, to process them here? As a desperate Gillard government scans the Pacific for a suitably desolate island on which to stash asylum seekers, it is time to ask: is this the most cost … Continue reading →

Posted in Gillard Government | 1 Comment

Government budgets are not like household budgets

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

Reckon you could run the federal government’s budget? Would you balance the books, stop the reckless spending and pay off the debt? Think again. Government budgets are not like household budgets. If you could run your household budget under the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Gillard Government, Global Financial Crisis | 4 Comments

Why we need a national disability insurance scheme

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

Imagine yourself, for a moment, temporarily transported from where you are right now. You are in a clearing in the woods. Around you are nine other people. You all appear to one another in the same, shapeless form. You have … Continue reading →

Posted in Gillard Government, Health | Leave a comment

US credit rating downgrade explained

Posted on August 8, 2011 by

PERHAPS the most confusing thing about the first-ever downgrade to the credit rating of the United States government is the way it simultaneously says everything, and nothing, about the future of the world economy. In simple terms, a country’s credit … Continue reading →

Posted in Banks, Budget, Gillard Government, Interest Rates, Mining Boom, Reserve Bank | 9 Comments

How much does mining really contribute?

Posted on July 22, 2011 by

To believe some of what we hear lately, the Australian economy has hitched its entire fortunes to the profit margins of the big mining companies. Having once hitched a ride on the sheep’s back, Australians are now driving a monster … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, Gillard Government, Mining Boom, Tax | Leave a comment