Weekly roundup Saturday 15 November
Crime scene 50 years on – solved but not resolved
Weekly roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy.
This is the last roundup for 2025. Back on Saturday February 1.
Economics
Where to now for monetary policy? The RBA board is upset because the real world is more complex than their equations on inflation and unemployment.
The slow path to high-speed rail: A Coalition government would get to net zero sooner than this government would build a high-speed rail line.
Three hours of free electricity: Clever politics, and sound economics on our path to lower-cost electricity and net zero.
Dispelling myths about migrants: Migrants aren’t responsible for expensive housing, and they’re contributing more to our common wealth than native Australians.
Choice: The hypocrisy and bullshit about the benefits of choice
The Dismissal, 50 years on
The media, particularly the ABC, have given the Dismissal saturation coverage. I have picked links to just two key issues:
It wasn’t a “Constitutional crisis”: But with a partisan stretch of imagination it could be seen as a (lower-case) constitutional issue.
The Coalition’s view: Of course it was justified because it brought forward the return of the natural party of government.
Other politics
The Liberal Party and net zero: Trumpist populists bid for control of a dying Coalition – nothing to do with policy.
The Whitlam legacy: Remember the Whitlam government by its achievements, not by its clumsy administration, or the treachery of men loyal to a foreign monarch.
How Australian democracy came about: Unencumbered by Old World conventions, we made our own rules and offered them to the rest of the world.
What we think of democracy: We like democratic institutions kept at arm’s length from politicians.
Australian voters explained: The “rusted on” voter is an endangered species.
Nazis in Australia: There were probably many more in the postwar years, but they were less brazen.
Public ideas
Pope Leo and Waleed Ali on inequality: Pope Leo hasn’t Americanised the Vatican’s moral teachings.
Time it was
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
