Weekly roundup Saturday 14 September
Our housing is changing but regulation is lagging
Weekly roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy.
Housing
At last we’re ready to pressure the Commonwealth government to make housing cheaper, but it’s still licking its wounds from the 2019 election. Who do we blame for unaffordable housing? How the strata management system works: it’s ugly, uncompetitive and exploitative. A report on our housing – poor quality dwellings and an under-regulated industry. Early signs that the housing bubble is deflating.
The Reserve Bank and its discontents
The Reserve Bank is in the spotlight for two reasons. One is a view, expressed by many economists, that it is unnecessarily aggressive in its fight against inflation. The other is the political conflict in getting changes to the RBA’s enabling regulation through Parliament.
Australia’s shifting political landscape
Niki Savva on changes in our political parties: the Liberal Party has swung to the far right, Labor has taken the place the Liberals once occupied, and the Greens have headed somewhere that no longer exists. Martyn Goddard on the Greens’ rising and falling fortunes.
Other politics
The report on veteran suicides: changing culture will be tough. The Liberal Party’s woes in New South Wales and South Australia. A gentle person’s recount of the Voice referendum. How journalists fall into an age-old trap set by politicians. The media from Murdoch to Musk. Essential polls on education and the economy, confirming that we’re a weird mob.
Public ideas
The really big picture on immigration and exploring the boundaries of markets through a pop group’s ticket sales.
Dawn mantra
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
