Monthly Archives: June 2015

Why is a Grexit now likely?

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Paul Frijters

Greece owes the IMF 1.6 billion euro that it doesn’t have but is supposed to pay by tomorrow. Unless the ECB lends it to the Greeks, effectively converting the IMF debt into an ECB debt, Greece is bankrupt tomorrow. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Comments

Citizenship-stripping and the Constitution

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Ken Parish

The chorus of public concern over the constitutionality of the Abbott government’s citizenship-stripping proposal is growing.  Malcolm Turnbull has again been emboldened to break ranks with his Prime Minister while denying he is doing any such thing. It will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Politics - national | 25 Comments

Wealth distribution in Australia

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Nicholas Gruen

Wealth distribution is typically more unequal than income distribution – as inequality is cumulatively causative to some extent. I was alerted to the relatively equitable distribution of housing wealth by a recent Henry Ergas column which contains the amazing statement … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and public policy, Inequality | 10 Comments

The HALE Index Q1 (Jan to Mar). 2015

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Nicholas Gruen

Summary of the March Quarter The HALE has recorded a reduction in wellbeing for the first part of 2015. In the March quarter it contracted by 0.4% which is against the long-term rising trend.[1] This is despite GDP recording above … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and public policy | Comments Off on The HALE Index Q1 (Jan to Mar). 2015

Performing expertise: Getting drawn into the showbiz

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Nicholas Gruen

In an earlier post I’ve talked about how ‘performing’ government drives a range of pathologies – in the case of the post I was suggesting it generates a kind of soft-secrecy. But it drives other pathologies – like bullshit. I put … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Economics and public policy, Media | 1 Comment

Stripping Australian citizenship – the illusory protection of judicial review

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Ken Parish

Human rights lawyer Kerry Murphy has a very useful explanation of the weakness of judicial review as a safeguard against new laws foreshadowed by the Abbott government which would permit arbitrary ministerial stripping of Australians’ citizenship from those accused/suspected of … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Politics - national | 37 Comments

Early Childhood Education by MOOC: Lessons from Sesame Street

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Nicholas Gruen

Abstract: Sesame Street is one of the largest early childhood interventions ever to take place.  It was introduced in 1969 as an educational, early childhood program with the explicit goal of preparing preschool age children for school entry. Millions of children … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and public policy, Education | Comments Off on Early Childhood Education by MOOC: Lessons from Sesame Street