It has always been difficult to read Scott Morrison's motives. Many attribute his hard line policies and actions, and his intolerance of dissent, or criticism, to his religion, but that seems too simplistic. His religion, for example, did not seem to hobble him when he imposed his will on asylum seekers, and their children. It … Continue reading Morrison, China and Aged Care
Just when you thought it was safe to open a newspaper again, Tony Abbott is back in the news. This time he is in the U.K., where the Brits are about to make a monumental mistake. They want to appoint him as a 'trade envoy'. He will be advising them on matters of trade. This … Continue reading Abbott – a national disgrace
Josh Frydenburg showed his true colours today. He ripped into the Victorian Premier and blamed him directly for the second wave of coronavirus. Obviously if Daniel Andrews is in charge, and the outbreak occurred on his watch, then at some point in time, he will be held to account. The major problem is that Andrews … Continue reading Frydenburg and Morrison – a double act
Privatisation is one of those terms which politicians avoid using. That is because the public does not like the idea, or its outcomes. It can be used in a number of ways, but most of us regard it as meaning “selling off a publicly owned asset, usually to the detriment of good government”. Most politicians … Continue reading Privatisation – who is it good for?
There is a definite turning point in the quality and the humanity of Australia's care for the elderly. The Aged Care Bill 1997 (Cth). was introduced as part of the new Howard Government's 1996 Budget measures. It was to prove a huge gamble, which still wreaks havoc in the Aged Care sector. And it created … Continue reading What went wrong with Aged Care?
Welfare state, a concept of government in which the state ... plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions … Continue reading Why we need a welfare state in Australia
Two peas in a pod - Scotty and Josh
Australia has been through four natural disasters this year; the drought, the bushfires, the pandemic and the global climate catastrophe . Each of them has provided us with varying degrees of physical exposure, but if you were not directly and personally exposed to any of them, your mental health was probably affected. Big government is … Continue reading Catastrophes need drastic remedies and lots of cash
It is clear that, after our initial success in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, Australians are disappointed and even angry that we have been thrown back into lockdown. Rates of infection have, relatively speaking, shot up. The entire Melbourne Metro area has been locked down, residents of high rise towers have been placed under virtual … Continue reading Let’s not pin the second outbreak on the guards
Almost eighty years ago Prime Minister John Curtin prepared a New Year’s Eve message for the Australian people. It was written three weeks after the war with Japan had begun. It was published in the Melbourne Herald on 27 December, 1941: ‘Without any inhibitions of any kind, I make it quite clear that Australia looks … Continue reading Is our alliance with Trump’s America worth it?
