Weekly roundup Saturday 3 February


Parliament House

They have no doubt about the meaning of January 26


Weekly roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy.


Tax cuts

Sound economics from tweaking an economically ridiculous Morrison proposal, but we still need broader reform.

Other economics

A look beyond simple interpretations of the latest CPI. Childcare – still some problems to be solved. Three insights into productivity that economists overlook. The IMF’s report card on the Australian economy – reason to worry.

Politics

Our Constitution: if you don’t know, find out, because the case for constitutional reform is growing. Transparency International’s report card on Australia: the government should get a move-on with its promised reforms. January 26 – fifty shades of meaning. What Australians expect of government: spoiler – we want them to be concerned with public policy and the long term. How the Albanese government is travelling – better than most journalists say, but not as well as straight after it was elected; we may not blame it for the mess it inherited from the Coalition, but we want it to get a move-on in cleaning it up.

Public ideas

The poverty of wokeness, or why Dutton’s attempt to use identity to divide Australians should fail. Gramsci’s advice to Albanese.

Photographs before we all had cellphones

If you have comments, corrections, or links to other relent sources, I’d like to hear from you. Please send them to Ian McAuley — ian, at the domain name ianmcauley.com