Our society is fraying. The damage starts at the top
How moving it was to watch Malcolm Turnbull presenting the Australian of the Year awards last week. What impressive people they were. Made me proud to be an Aussie.
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Ross Gittins
Ross Gittins is economics editor of the SMH and an economic columnist for The Age. His books include Gittins' Guide to Economics, Gittinomics and The Happy Economist.
Pensioner rage: Centrelink beware
Of the loads of films I saw last year, the most memorable was Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake. I go to the movies for escapist entertainment, not to give my emotions a good workout but, even so, it left a lasting impression.
How to find more time for fun next year
I don't know about you, but it's at this time of year, when the Christmas rush is over and things slow down - even for those who are "working through" - that I get a bit more philosophical, a bit more reflective.
Why I'm sorry our credit rating wasn't downgraded this week
There is no good reason any sovereign Australian government – federal or state – should allow a few American for-profit businesses to dictate how much it should or shouldn't borrow (nor engage in hugely expensive ways of disguising the true extent of its liabilities).
Blame game hides real reason for deficit difficulty
Don't believe anything any politician says about the mid-year budget up-date and the expected further deterioration in the budget deficit.
Well done, Malcolm: you've proved yourself a follower
It's our community and our economy and prime ministers don't get to dismiss options without us even being allowed to think about them and decide what we prefer.
Why I'm a pathological optimist, despite my job
Last week in front of 1400 people at a Fairfax Media subscriber event I was outed as a "pathological optimist" by an anonymous reader, who wanted to know how I got that way.
Not a lot's happened in the economy this year - expect much the same in 2017
Not a lot's happened in the economy this year. We're still adjusting to life after the resources boom.
Meet James, the man who always wins the Game of Mates
Not long after he arrived at Sydney Cove as a convict on the First Fleet, James Ruse was granted Australia's first parcel of private land - 30 acres in the heart of Parramatta - by governor Arthur Phillip.
We have nothing to fear from the 'nanny state'
Oh no, the nanny state brigade is at it again. In their certainty they know what's best for us, they're back with their social engineering, wanting to punish us for being fat and use a tax on sugary drinks to push us towards "healthier choices".
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