The French economists Thomas Piketty recently published a long-prepared book on the growth of inequality in the Western World over the last few centuries. His main contention, as I see it, is that wealth inequality is rising rapidly again and that we are returning to 19 th cen...

Continue reading →

A decent society is one whose institutions do not humiliate people - Avishai Margalit The Great Depression stripped many Australian workers of their dignity. For many, applying for government relief was like begging for charity. Instead of giving unemployed workers cash, state...

Continue reading →

With people living longer and with societies becoming more forward-looking as to how to handle the long post-retirement years, the issue of optimal pension systems is big in Australia and elsewhere. Have a look at this excellent interview between John Piggott and Jan Libich wh...

Continue reading →

According to the Australian , the Abbott government's first budget will include tough new "learn or earn" Measures designed to force young people off the dole and into education, training or work. "One thing the government doesn’t want to do is to continue to pay people to sta...

Continue reading →

In an everyday political sense I suppose we can't really blame Little Bill Shorten for cynically and dishonestly demonising the Abbott government's mooted tax increases and spending cuts. After all, Abbott cynically, dishonestly and very successfully demonised Labor's carbon a...

Continue reading →

Last night I attended the unveiling of a facsimile of a portrait of my father painted when he was fresh off the boat in 1941. Thanks go to Bruce Chapman above all, but to many others for organising. To Erwin Fabian, who pained the portrait all those years ago. It's been over 1...

Continue reading →

My own university, the University of Queensland, has around 6 flagship courses that it puts online for free, in a deal that involves universities from around the world who put up the courses that they excel in. It typifies the current reality of online courses: it is free; it...

Continue reading →

You know the drum. There's a film festival on and these are the films that rate four stars or more. Living is Easy with Eyes Closed In 1966, John Lennon was determined to leave the Beatles to become an actor, and arrives in Almería to shoot 'How I Won the War'. Antonio, a scho...

Continue reading →

Terms of Reference Phase 1 Report (the one that’s caused most of the uproar). Submissions from Organisations and Business Submissions from Individuals The humane alternative

Continue reading →

Just a note to let people know of the unveiling of a magnificent portrait of my father , discovered some years after he died. It's in Canberra on Tuesday afternoon. Here's the invitation. Perhaps I'll see you there. Professor Rabee Tourky Professor Bruce Chapman Emeritus Profe...

Continue reading →