Weekly roundup Saturday 14 May
Keeping watch while the hose is unoccupied
Weekly roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy.
The campaign, if anyone’s listening
There’s a sound case for raising minimum wages, and no, that won’t set off Weimar-style inflation: the problem is wage stagnation. The second debate: could anyone hear anything? How journalists are wrecking their own reputation. The debate that didn’t happen.
Neglected isues
Nothing has been entirely neglected, but economic reform is the big one missing. Health care and immigration haven’t had much attention either.
The hard numbers of politics
What if no party wins 76 seats on May 21 – will it be up to Clive Palmer to form a government, will the GG ask the Queen of England for advice? What the polls are showing – no sign (yet) of 2019’s rapid closure.
Public ideas
On secularism, Pentecostalism and their place in public policy. The “moral middle class”. Why “small government” doesn’t work.
The rest of the world
Two hundred million people going hungry, and that’ before Russia invaded Ukraine. Elections in the Philippines and Northern Ireland. (Will Russia stay in Ukraine as long as Britain has stayed in Ireland?
The pandemic
It’s still killing 15 000 Australians a year and overloading our hospitals. That’s serious. USA and North Korea contrasted.
Webinars, podcasts and readings
Still some election speculation, but lots of new stuff.
Sounds under Kyiv
If you have feasted yourself on this selection, Australian websites with regular comment and analysis on economic and political developments include The Australia Institute,The Conversation, The Grattan Institute, Inside Story, The Lowy Institute, Michael West Media, Open Forum, Pearls and Irritations.
If you have comments, corrections, or links to other relevant sources, I’d like to hear from you. Please send them to Ian McAuley — ian, at the domain name ianmcauley.com
