As the next federal election looms, the Albanese Government is preparing to campaign under a new slogan: “Building Australia’s Future”. (more…)
David O’Halloran
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The Bible, the Hawking Index, and the case for critical engagement
If a younger me had come across an article written by an older me arguing that the Bible should be taught in schools, I’d have assumed some serious u-turn was in my destiny. (more…)
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OSCA’s quiet arrival: Rethinking how Australia defines work
Australia’s new job classification system, OSCA, replaces ANZSCO with little fanfare. Its streamlined approach raises questions about workforce planning, transparency, and the evolving definition of work. (more…)
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The widow’s mite: a call to justice, not sacrifice
The early Quakers knew that a deep understanding of the Bible was critical to recognising when they were being fed bullshit cloaked in religious language. By knowing Scripture well, they resisted manipulation and propaganda, ensuring faith remained a force for justice rather than a tool of power. (more…)
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The missing story of the adulteress: censorship, power, and the bible
By grappling with the history of the story of the adulteress, we are reminded to approach Scripture critically, aware of how it has been shaped and reshaped to suit power. In doing so, we ensure that its calls for justice, equity, and mercy are not silenced but remain central to our understanding of faith and humanity. (more…)
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Hope: A shared responsibility
In uncertain times, hope can feel fragile, but it remains essential. It’s up to the adults in the room to foster resilience and take practical steps to inspire and support future generations. (more…)
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Howard’s Iraq War legacy: Tasmania’s brief moment of integrity
The release of newly declassified 2004 cabinet documents about Australia’s involvement in the Iraq War sheds further light on one of the most controversial decisions in the nation’s history. The evidence confirms what many suspected: secrecy, manipulation, and unverified claims drove the Howard government’s decision to commit troops to Iraq. Amid the rush to war, Tasmania’s The Mercury briefly stood apart, publishing an anti-war editorial in September 2002 that warned of the dangers ahead. (more…)
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Every day is Christmas: A Quaker perspective
The peace, goodwill, and love of Christmas aren’t confined to December—there’s an opportunity to see the sacred in everyday moments, all year round. (more…)
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A flicker of reform: Can Labor avoid political collapse?
As the Albanese government announces modest employment services reforms, it faces growing disillusionment and risks losing ground to Peter Dutton’s Trump-inspired exploitation of economic and cultural frustrations. (more…)
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When the system fails
As someone who has spent most of my life working with people for whom the system is profoundly broken, I wrestle with the same question that many middle-class people do: Why do so many disenfranchised people support figures like Donald Trump, whose policies often seem designed to further entrench inequality? The answer, I’ve come to realise, isn’t as simple as ignorance or irrationality—it’s about living in a system that fundamentally doesn’t work for them, a reality that can be hard for us in the middle class to fully grasp. (more…)
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When life gives you oranges…
While the result of the US election is bleak in some ways, it may ultimately lead to a more independent Australian foreign policy—one that centres on regional needs rather than simply following American interests.
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Payslip harassment: Another scandal in the Australian welfare system
New revelations have exposed the continued abuse of vulnerable Australians by privatised employment services under Workforce Australia. Documents obtained under Freedom of Information by the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union confirm that several providers are threatening job-seekers with payment suspensions to coerce them into handing over payslips. This is a clear breach of the guidelines, but the government has failed to hold these providers to account. The question continues: what is the point of a Labor Government? (more…)
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A blueprint for inaction – the government’s feeble response to Employment Services crisis
Amid rising demands for robust employment reforms, the Albanese government’s response disappoints, offering vague promises over decisive action. This critique unpacks why minimal improvements and continued reliance on flawed policies may leave the most vulnerable behind, questioning if mere mediocrity is the new standard. (more…)
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Calling all pacifists
“We are called to live ‘in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars’. Do you faithfully maintain our testimony that war and the preparation for war are inconsistent with the spirit of Christ? Search out whatever in your own way of life may contain the seeds of war. Stand firm in our testimony, even when others commit or prepare to commit acts of violence, yet always remember that they too are children of God.” Advices and Queries
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Goodhart’s Law and the overlooked complexities in Australia’s employment services sector
Yesterday, I wrote that the Jevons Paradox is a good explanation for the problems of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Today, I look at another theory – Goodhart’s Law – to explain what is wrong with Australia’s $3 Billion a year employment services sector. (more…)
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Unpacking the Jevons Paradox: how effectiveness gains in the NDIS lead to increased demand
Australia has just completed major reviews of two of its largest public expenditures – the NDIS and Employment Services. Each program manifests problems predicted by two lesser-known economic theories: the Jevons Paradox in the case of the NDIS and Goodhart’s Law in the case of employment services. Neither were mentioned in either review. (more…)
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Rebuilding Employment Services will take more than a few virtuous words
Pearls and Irritations’ weekly roundup this week commented on the paucity of analysis regarding the House of Representatives Select Committee’s report Rebuilding Employment Services. This is not surprising given the number and complexity of its recommendations. However, it is hard to pin down many specifics in the report other than the current system is useless. (more…)
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On carrots and sticks and the unemployed
Australia’s main Active Labor Market Program, the Duttonesque sounding “Workforce Australia”, is the latest iteration of a long line of models for Employment Services inflicted on the unemployed since the demise of the CES 25 years ago. It’s yet another Morrison government turd that the Albanese government should have flushed away the minute the ink was dry at Yarralumla. (more…)
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Unemployed workers are tired of being the RBA’s blunt instrument
The term ‘jobseeker’ needs to be dropped – it is Orwellian in nature and has no place in a civil society. (more…)
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What does a “good” employment service look like?
This week, the House Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services held one of its public hearings. During the opening remarks, the Committee chair, Julian Hill remarked that he had asked the Department of Employment what a good service model looks like, and they couldn’t answer. He said they looked like a bunch of “well-paid, gaping fish”. Harsh. (more…)
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The sin of Robodebt
What appears to be absent from the politicians and public servants appearing in the Robodebt Royal Commission is an understanding that it was a moral failure – a sin. Finding the sinners to punish in atonement might make us feel better for a moment, but it might not fix the sin. (more…)
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Australia’s modern Stanford Prison Experiment
Is Workforce Australia a modern-day Stanford Prison Experiment? (more…)
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David O’Halloran: One hour a week counts as employed – it doesn’t matter
One hour a week counts as employed – it doesn’t matter. (more…)
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DAVID O’HALLORAN : Workforce Australia will repeat the same mistakes as jobactive
Australia’s employment services system is about to have a major shake-up commencing on July 4th. The lamentable ‘jobactive’ (no capital ‘j’) is being replaced by a new program ‘Workforce Australia’. Will Workforce Australia be any better than previous designs? (more…)