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.
I can't remember when there's been so much speculation about what the future holds for working life. Or when those who imagine they know what the future holds have worked so hard to scare the dickens out of our kids.
It's drawn little comment, but the decades-long drift of students from government to non-government schools has ended.
It has cost the budget a lot of money to make the prices of homes as hard to afford as they now are.
Our politicians, asked to explain their policy on X will switch to expounding on what's wrong with their opponents' supposed policy.
There's a long history of politicians professing to be terribly concerned about "the cost of living" and nothing good ever comes of it. It's always about saying things to keep or win your vote and rarely about doing anything real – let alone sensible – about prices.
As we've sweltered through this terrible summer - and lately, as bushfires have raged - what a comfort it's been to know that climate change doesn't exist and isn't happening.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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