On stuffups
In Brian’s wrap of the Queensland election, he observed that “competence” was a factor in the election loss. I’d like to pick apart this notion of “competence” a bit.
Weekly Whimsy
This week’s whimsy is brought to you by the distractions of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Please share any bits and pieces you have come across recently that have surprised, delighted, intrigued or otherwise positively engaged you.
Quicklink: Planet Under Pressure Conference
Whilst our attention has been focused on the disaster that struck Queensland on the weekend, a major international conference, Planet Under Pressure, is currently under way in London. Here’s a report on what leading scientists have being saying at the [...]
Queensland election wrap
We’ve reached 400 on the other thread and I’m not sure we are done yet. Any way I wanted to make a rather long comment. To me there were three general factors and three specific ones. The first general one [...]
Spotlight the Spin
Our weekly (mostly) look at media spin tactics: let’s dissect this week’s PR and propaganda.
Lazy Sunday
Since we don’t live by politics alone (I sincerely hope), what else did people get up to this weekend? Join in, share some tales, regulars and lurkers all!
Queensland election roundtable
The polls will be closing shortly. The expected result, as no doubt everybody knows by now, is a massive swing to the LNP with only an ignominious rump left for Labor.
The games miners play
It’s basic bargaining strategy. Threaten to walk away. Behre Dolbear have just released their 2012 annual survey of Ranking of countries for mining investment. Australia, Canada, Chile, Brazil and Mexico are ranked in that order as the top five nations [...]
The politics of the top income tax rate
Regardless of what the national fiscal situation looks like at any given point in time, few topics divide the commentariat right from the commentariat left as keenly as whether or not the top rate of income tax should be cut. [...]