- This contribution by economist Richard Denniss is well argued and very clearly written. I initially thought the first third a little lame, though thankfully it got a lot better and more focussed as it proceeded. Banging on about the deficits under the Liberals since Whitlam means little, and blaming Frydenberg for the Covid-induced effect on it is facile. I was desperate for some tables and statistics comparing Australia to other countries when it comes to tax/expenditure to GDP percentages. And what about the ‘cost’ of debt? Do higher taxes really mean less spending and lower growth?
- These important macro economic issues thankfully become Denniss's focus about halfway through and become his central argument. The comparison to the Nordic countries is excellent, and numbers given.
- He's also persuasive when he addresses the issues around education: the massive expenditure on elite private schools, high university fees, no free childcare, etc. And he's insightful about our need for public housing investment, construction and ownership by the government, just like we provide for defence personnel.
- When he expands on the subject of taxation his passions get aroused: Virtually everything Australians have been told about their tax system is nonsense.
- Denniss disliked the neo-liberal reforms of the 80's and 90’s - privatisation, competition regulations, and deregulation. Which is perhaps why he never mentions, let alone praises, Paul Keating. He misses the positives that neo-liberalism let loose on a conservative, backwards Australia at that time. Sure, there were negatives that subsequently emerged, and now need addressing. But that's the way history works.
- I enjoyed Jo Dyer's booklet very much. In fact, it is wonderful. She's a clear writer with a firm grasp of our current political malaise. She lashes out at the litany of the Morrison government’s ills: corrupt, incompetent, in the pocket of fossil fuel mates, treating the downtrodden with contempt (for example suddenly ending the JobSeeker Coronavirus Supplement); the cruelty of Robodebt; the appalling treatment of the Biloela family; the continuing flagrant racism initiated by Howard and his hatred of ‘boat people’; the Covid vaccine 'strollout’; the persecution of Julian Assange; Morrison’s Trumpist lies and his 'singular antipathy to transparency’. There are many more.
- Dyer also condemns Labor's lack of vision, and eviscerates the incompetent and malevolent Rudd. Shorten doesn't get off lightly either. ...targeted and equitable reforms informed a massive Morrison scare campaign that Labor seemed incapable of rebuffing - the 'death tax' scare proved impressively cold revenge for the Mediscare of 2013.
- She pens for Albo an election speech, full of vision and policy detail. It's inspiring and well written and would be absolutely loved by rusted on Labor supporters. A campaign of vision she contends, refuting the adopted ‘safe’ strategy, would be 'the lesser of two evils’. Unfortunately, as the party well knows, it would end up proving a real disaster. (Anyway, it's a good speech!)
- There have been positives over the last year: the courage of Grace Tame, Brittany Higgins, and her raped university friend Kate Thornton, and particularly the emergence of The Community Independents movement inspired by former member for Indi Cathy McGowan. Dyer herself is standing as an Independent for the Adelaide seat of Boothby.
- She looks forward to a minority government in Canberra after the forthcoming election. In her opinion we are more than likely headed for that. Such governments are productive, effective and commonplace all over the world.
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