Deep inside the Sydney protest
I’m not sure why I felt an obligation – perhaps because I’m now residing within easy walking distance of Hyde…
No stairs. Is this another example of the government trying to kill us?
At a function a few weeks ago, a NSW bureaucrat told me that he had woken up early to catch…
Not just the RBA, Chalmers at odds with the ABS
My guess is that Treasurer Jim Chalmers is wondering if he’s kicked an own goal by pushing through structural changes…
Why was the crowd booing?
The Police and Citizens Youth Club in Woolloomooloo opened in 1937 and was the original club in the network of…
Would tinkering with the banking system help first home buyers?
There is a simple and free way to observe a fascinating yet little-known aspect of Australia’s banking system. By browsing…
Results are in: don’t date Woke
It was an odd choice of venue, but I accepted it, perhaps the invitation was meant ironically, a joke, something…
Julian Assange: when two contradictory things are both true
This is my contribution to Alexandra Marshall’s challenge on Julian Assange… In the last year or so I’ve had a…
Are the new weight loss drugs headed for listing on the PBS?
Ever since Covid, I’ve avoided making reference to the World Health Organisation (WHO) given how wrong it seemed to be…
How long before laughter is grounds for cancellation?
Jerry Seinfeld is not just a practitioner of comedy, he’s become a philosopher of the profession and he’s arguing that…
Rigid principles can lead to manic delusion
For years I’ve played this game with a good mate, that is, to see who can simplify their life the…
Forced divestiture is better than expanding regulation
‘Muddying the waters’ is one of the cleverer and more effective tools deployed by public relations advisers. The method involves…
Health insurers experiment with nine-day fortnights
It is reported that health insurer BUPA is ‘trialling’ a nine-day fortnight for its staff, meaning it is looking to…
Australian banks need to be making much bigger losses on their lending
At a recent event I met and had a long chat with a retired economist who, in his professional career,…
The 30th anniversary of ABS gender pay gap data
Gender pay gap activists have had an exciting few weeks, especially with the new statistics showing these gaps at the…
Should ANZ be allowed to buy Suncorp Bank?
As I’m writing this article, I have one eye on the ANZ share price. I’ve watched it drop more than…
Medicinal cannabis and government licensing
One of the more insidious aspects of government involvement in commercial markets is the practice of supplier licensing. As entrepreneurs…
Take the lollies away: defund UNRWA
A few weeks back, I observed a pretty sad scene down at the local shops. A mother was holding out…
Applying Javier Milei’s ideas to banking regulation in Australia
There is a series of sentences in Javier Milei’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which are…
The café owner and the public servant
What I thought was going to be an irritation turned out to be a source of admiration. Even inspiration. At…
What happened to Labor’s two big election promises?
The two most notable Labor promises before the May 2022 election involved ‘getting wages moving again’ and the promise to…
How to protect yourself against risk
A formative incident for me happened when I was 25 while travelling through Turkey with a backpack. The British owner…
A splinter in life
My feet had become so white and feminine that I committed myself to walk around barefoot as much as I…
King Charles vs Ayn Rand
Is it only the political movement of Climate Change in which we need to be wary of King Charles III,…
A teetotal Parliament House?
Christmas seems a good time to bring up alcohol. Having recently moved to Manly, I am now living near the…
Albanese government: highest taxing since 1959!
What I’m about to say is probably not fair, but I’ll say it anyway. When working in party politics, you…
