The re-election campaign begins

Wednesday, 27 May 2009   Tactics   3 comments 

If Labor can look credible enough on climate change, whatever the next election will be fought on, that should be enough to win it.

The state steps in

Monday, 25 May 2009   The Australian state   5 comments 

Treasury’s unusual move in projecting growth at a higher trend and for a longer forward projection is necessary to provide a guide path out of the downturn that does not come from the economic programs of the political class.

Bluff and counter-bluff

Sunday, 17 May 2009   Tactics   5 comments 

Both parties were just talking tough about going to the electorate with economic programmes that they didn’t have.

What a crisis looks like – an update

Thursday, 14 May 2009   State of the parties   5 comments 

So if the downturn is unprecedented, why has then Treasury chosen this time to change its methodology to more allow for the experience of past economic recoveries than ever before?

The coming non-event – 2009 edition

Monday, 11 May 2009   Tactics   7 comments 

Predictions of some officials in Washington, London and Paris that the economy would begin to recover within a year, are based on no other reason than they wouldn’t know what to do if it didn’t.

A quiet bomb goes off

Tuesday, 5 May 2009   International relations, Key posts   13 comments 

The coalition is desperately trying to hold on to a more fundamental plank in its policy than China-baiting.

Busy and practical II

Saturday, 2 May 2009   Tactics   3 comments 

The government’s problem here is that in its eagerness to appear relevant it has caught itself up with international authorities looking to do the same.

Busy and practical

Friday, 1 May 2009   Tactics   2 comments 

There is probably no better way to appear practical than by responding practically to a problem that doesn’t actually yet exist.