John Menadue

  • MORTON HALPERIN, PETER HAYES, LEON SIGAL. Options for denuclearising the Korean peninsular

    A critically important part of assembling the Korean peninsula-wide denuclearization jigsaw puzzle is the institutional and legal form of North Korean commitments on the one hand, and the nuclear negative security assurances by the NPT-Nuclear Weapons States (NWSs), especially the United States, on the other.  

    In Nautilus  Institute there is a special report ‘A Korean nuclear weapons-free zone treaty and nuclear extended deterrence:  options for denuclearising the Korean Peninsula’. (Nautilus Institute Report).  A summary of this special report follows.   (more…)

  • DAN MCGARRY. Want to lead in the Pacific? Try listening first

    The average Australian’s conception of Pacific island nations is so limited it makes some of us wonder if they even want to understand. Our voices—and our reality—have been pointedly and repeatedly ignored in the media, and in the corridors of power. (more…)

  • PETER MARTIN. It’s time for sweetest tax of them all.

    Never before has a tax been such an instant success. I am talking about what happened in Britain last Friday. That’s when new so-called sugar tax sprung into life, with much of its work already done.

    The whole idea was to cut the consumption of sugar, something we have just as much need to do here, given that our rates of obesity are on a par with those in Britain – an outrage that will prevent many of us living long lives. (more…)

  • SCOTT BURCHILL. The attack on Syria

    There are seven points to consider after the US, UK and French attacks on Syria last week. (more…)

  • PETER RODGERS. Israel and Gaza: another bout of what?

    Given Gaza’s appalling living conditions, the outburst of violence on the Israeli-Gaza border should come as no surprise. The question is whether its signals a shift in Palestinian tactics, aimed at using Israel’s disproportionate violence to revive jaded regional and international interest in the Palestinian cause.   (more…)

  • VIC ROWLANDS. Reclaiming democracy

    Democracy across the world is under siege and facing its biggest challenge. Despite different interpretations of democracy in terms of process, – voting age, optional or compulsory, the new world is creating fundamental strains which threaten at least its current status, if not viability. (more…)

  • Pope Francis admits mistakes in Chile

    Pope Francis has apologized for underestimating the seriousness of the sexual abuse crisis in Chile, acknowledging that he has made “serious mistakes” in handling the issue. (more…)

  • GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND …

    Josh Frydenberg and Malcolm Turnbull would like us to believe that if only recalcitrant states could sign on to the Commonwealth’s “National Energy Guarantee”, energy policy will be set on a stable path.  A more realistic view is provided by the World Economic Forum, which, in a short and hard-hitting “while paper”, warns that “tsunamic forces could swiftly upend businesses and also profoundly alter the outlook for how energy systems affect emissions and sustainable development” in all countries.

    “Never let good policy or consistency get in the way of a donor’s dollar or some leadership undermining” writes Crispin Hull on the misnamed Monash Forum. He compares the demise of coal-fired electricity with the demise of the film camera.

    What’s keeping the lid on wages growth in Australia?  Writing in the Fairfax press Jessica Irvine has a short article on the confounding situation of low unemployment and low wages. A decline in union membership stands out as a compelling explanation.

    In the New York Times Michelle Goldberg has a short review of Madeleine Albright’s book Fascism: A Warning.  Goldberg supports her review with reference to surveys by Freedom House, which “reported that 71 countries suffered declines in political rights and civil liberties last year, while only 35 saw improvements. Rather than standing against this trend, America under Trump has become part of it.”

    James Comey has a story to tell and it is very persuasive – New York Times

    Donald Trump has spent his whole career in the company of grifters, cons and crooks. Now that he’s president, that strategy isn’t working — for him or for the country – New York Times editorial.

    US taking the world to the brink – Rick Sterling, Consortiumnews.

    Winning slowly(on climate change) is the same as losing – Bill McKibben, Rolling Stone.

    Malcolm Turnbull didn’t walk away from his believes because he never had any – Peter Lewis, the Guardian.

    Frydenberg takes the low road: It’s a weak NEG or nothing – Giles Parkinson, RenewEconomy

    Anne Aly and Jacqui Lambie tell compelling stories about life before politics – Brett Evans, Inside.

    Murray-Darling – when the river runs dry – the Guardian.

    Beating the khaki drum: how Australian identity was militarised – Paul Daley, the Guardian.

    How Alinta turned into Australia’s most aggressive energy business- the Canberra Times.

    The Tesla big battery is changing the way people think about the grid – RenewEconomy

    On Saturday Extra with Geraldine Doogue this April 14th,  marine heatwaves and what they mean to our ecosystem; a MSF doctor returns from Yemen where even before the war the healthcare system was lacking; what can leaders learn from Dwight Eisenhower with Louis Galambos, Professor of History at John Hopkins University; what does the Trump and Bezos stoush tell us about progressive liberals in the US with Thomas Frank , US political analyst and how the 1918 Spanish Flu changed the world with science journalist Laura Spinney. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/

     

     

     

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  • MICHAEL O’KEEFE. Response to rumours of a Chinese military base in Vanuatu speak volumes about Australian foreign policy

    Rumour has it that Vanuatu has agreed to a Chinese request to establish a military base. The substance of this rumour is highly speculative at the least and disingenuous at most. Regardless of the truth, the fact that it raises alarm about the threat of Chinese military expansionism speaks volumes about Australian foreign policy, particularly toward the Pacific.It  looks like another beat up in the anti China phobia (more…)

  • TIM SOUTPHOMMASANE. Australian business and other organisations persistently fall short on cultural diversity.

    Australia is widely celebrated as a multicultural triumph, but any such success remains incomplete. There remains significant under-representation of cultural diversity in the senior leadership of Australian organisations. Our society does not yet appear to be making the most of its diverse talents. (more…)

  • LEANNE WELLS. Private health care in Australia: health policy’s wicked problem.

    The anguish expressed by many of the 1,200 respondents to the Consumers Health Forum’s Out of Pocket Pain survey highlights the widening gulf between the cost of modern medical care and the struggle of many Australians to pay for that care. (more…)

  • ANDREW HAMILTON. Clerical culture produces poor fruit.

    In a recent ‘Eureka Street’ article, I remarked that in the Catholic Church clericalism is a pejorative term. I tried also to identify some of the attitudes and behaviour associated with people regarded as clericalist. The article sparked a lively conversation.

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  • SOPHIE VORRATH. Why Turnbull will “never” back renewables.

    A federal government led by Malcolm Turnbull will “never” back policies that accelerate the shift to renewables, effectively tackle climate change, or help to phase out coal plants. (more…)

  • PETER DAY. “Tweet others as you would like to be tweeted,” Mr Folau.

    It is problematic when someone is described as a “devout Christian” because the term implies a person’s bona fides; it implies that a person is a ‘true’ follower of Christ and the Bible.

    Think Wallaby fullback, Israel Folau, who has attracted notoriety thanks to this recent twitter exchange with one of his followers:

     “What was God’s plan for gay people?” tweeted Mike Sephton.

     “HELL… unless they repent of their sins and turn to God,” responded the “devout Christian”. (more…)

  • NICOLE GURRAN and CATHERINE GILBERT. England expects 40% of new housing developments will be affordable, why can’t Australia?

    Australia has record levels of supply of new properties but despite various government interventions, housing still remains unaffordable for many. (more…)

  • MEDIA ALERT: APPEAL LODGED AGAINST FEDERAL COURT DECISION IN ‘PALACE LETTERS’ CASE

    Professor Jenny Hocking has lodged an appeal against the decision of the Federal Court last month in ‘Jennifer Hocking v. Director-General, National Archives of Australia’. The Court ruled that the Palace letters’, between the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, and the Queen relating to Kerr’s dismissal of the Whitlam government, are ‘personal’ not Commonwealth records, continuing the Queen’s embargo of them. (more…)

  • GIOVANNI DI LIETO. Move over Canada and EU, Australia is best placed to benefit in the US-China trade tug-of-war

    Australian firms are in a sweet spot between the bickering United States and China, where they can sell more and buy more cheaply because of weaker competition in both markets. Essentially, the mutual tariffs are a double blessing for Australia. (more…)

  • CAROLYN PETTIGREW. Tourism and NSW National Parks – looking to the future. Part 2 of 2

    The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is facing a future crisis that perhaps is not fully recognised by supporters of nature conservation. Visitation is skyrocketing http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/research/NSWparkspopularity.htm which on the face of it is wonderful. More and more people are beginning, potentially at least, to value our national parks and enjoy the experience of visiting them. On the other hand, successive governments have cut funding to NPWS.  Staff numbers and financial resources have dwindled relative to the areas to be managed. The solution on both sides of government seems to be to increase tourism opportunities with the help of commercial interests. https://publish.pearlsandirritations.com/john-menadue-the-new-squatters-in-our-national-parks/  That may be a reasonable response, but it shouldn’t come without some serious caveats. Do we really want the Starbucks solution as in USA National Parks? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/26/yosemites-secretive-starbucks-cafe-opens-in-park-to-delight-and-dismay    (more…)

  • MIKE WALLER. The real problem with our banks- “it’s leverage, stupid”

    “When you combine ignorance and leverage, you get some pretty interesting results.” Warren Buffett

    “There is no evidence that the growth in the scale and complexity of the financial system in the rich developed world over the last twenty to thirty years has driven increased growth or stability, and it is possible for financial activity to extract rents from the real economy rather than to deliver economic value. We need to challenge radically some of the assumptions of the last thirty years and we need to be willing to consider radical policy responses.” (Adair Turner, UK Financial Services Authority 2010).  (more…)

  • RUTH ARMSTRONG*. Pathways to justice pass through health: six ways the health sector can help reduce the harms of over-incarceration.

    A recent post at Croakey highlighted the major findings of the Australian Law Reform Commission’ s Pathways to Justice report on the over-incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The report was tabled in parliament last week and is awaiting a detailed response from government.

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  • FRANK JOTZO. China’s emissions trading takes steps towards big ambitions.

    China’s new emissions trading scheme will start small, but comes with big potential, Frank Jotzo writes.

    China recently announced that it will begin to introduce a national emissions trading scheme for carbon dioxide this year. The promise for more market-oriented climate policy in the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitting country is enormous. But it will be a gradual start and many big obstacles need to be overcome for the scheme to become an effective part of China’s climate policy portfolio. (more…)

  • CAROLYN PETTIGREW. What has gone wrong with the management of NSW National Parks? Part 1 of 2

    In 2014 the NSW government hosted the IUCN World Parks Congress. The government touted securing the conference as a victory for their major events calendar. The key outcome of the congress was the Promise of Sydney – the Vision was excellent. The commitments, however, from the NSW Government were almost laughable, given the importance of the Congress on the world stage. http://www.worldparkscongress.org/about/promise_of_sydney_commitments.html The shallowness of the commitments said a lot about what had become of NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) which, through the 1990’s, had been described by the IUCN as one of the five best conservation agencies in the world.  (more…)

  • EDMUND CAMPION. On Cardinal Gilroy At The Sydney Institute.

    A few days ago, I told a friend that Gerard Henderson had just asked me to speak here tonight, to give, what he called, a ‘personal reflection’ on Cardinal Gilroy. ‘You should say,’ said my friend, ‘that you once wrote a book, A Place in the City, the first sentence of which is, ‘It wasn’t much fun living in the same house as Cardinal Gilroy.’ True. But I wasn’t there for fun. I was there, half a century ago, to be a curate in the cathedral parish.

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  • GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND …

    The federal Coalition has many ideological cleavages. The division between liberals and conservatives has been most prominently on display in the same-sex marriage issue, and is again on display in arguments about intervening in the energy market to privilege the coal industry. In an article in The Atlantic The passing of the libertarian movement Kevin Williamson describes similar tensions in America’s Republican Party.

    In case you’re thinking of putting in a bid to buy the Liddell power station from AGL, The Australia Institute has a report on the station’s generation costs and reliability. A used Leyland P76 may be a better investment.

    The Consumers’ Health Forum has released a major report into out-of-pocket costs incurred by people with serious conditions. People surveyed by the CHF found that many of those surveyed, despite having health insurance “still had to pay thousands of dollars out of their own pockets for critical surgery, other treatment and diagnostic scans”.  The full report is summarised in a press release.

    Last week on Pearls and Irritations Peter Johnstone, Convenor of the Australian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform, wrote calling for systemic reform of the Church in Australia. On the ABC Religion and Ethics Report he asks Australian bishops to release and act upon the Report of the Church’s Justice and Healing Council (8 mins).

    Former prime minister Tony Abbott says that around 400 white farmers have been murdered in South Africa over the past 12 months. RMIT ABC Fact Check takes a look at the data – the ABC.

    Ghost water, poor planning and theft: how the Murray-Darling plan fell apart – the Guardian.

    Israeli authorities block airport ads urging women to refuse to give up seats – the Guardian.

    On Saturday Extra this 7th April, Geraldine Doogue is speaking to Michael Ignatieff , president and rector of the Central European University. He is discussing the two very different approaches to populism comparing Theodore Roosevelt to Viktor Orban in the lead up to the Hungarian elections; are we about to see another Gaza War?’ the twists and turns in the forthcoming Malaysian elections with James Chin, University of Tasmania and Ross Tapsell, ANU; HRW Burma researcher Richard Weir; our oral health with Professor John Dwyer and Lesley Russell and the life of Aboriginal advocate Mary Montgomerie Bennett with historian Sue Taffe. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/

    Gerald Murnane – a great Australian novelist you may not have heard of – the Guardian

  • ANDREW BLAKERS, MATTHEW STOCKS. Solar PV and wind are on track to replace all coal, oil and gas within two decades.

    Solar photovoltaic and wind power are rapidly getting cheaper and more abundant – so much so that they are on track to entirely supplant fossil fuels worldwide within two decades, with the time frame depending mostly on politics. The protestation from some politicians that we need to build new coal stations sounds rather quaint.

    The reality is that the rising tide of solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy offers our only realistic chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. (more…)

  • LYNDSAY CONNORS. Where did the money come from for the recent Robocalling in Batman?

    In the recent Batman by-election, the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV) headed by Executive Director, Stephen Elder, contacted voters directly through so-called  Robocalling to urge them to vote Labor. Since then, I have been asking myself two questions.  Why should the Catholic Education authority do this at all and, second, where did the funds come from…parents, taxpayers or the Church’s own coffers? (more…)

  • JIM COOMBS: The “moral crisis” in Cricket is a “beat up” with media frenzy making a mountain out of a molehill.

    One would have to assume that all these outraged commentators have never played cricket with anything more substantial than a used tennis ball. For those of us who have played the game with any interest in the techniques and science of the game (alas, I am one such eccentric) know the true facts. The ball used in the “big boys” game has a leather exterior, and, in the course of play, that exterior, which has two sides, with a seam around the ball where the two sides meet, being leather, is affected by the course of play: being hit by the bat, landing on a rough surface (the pitch) at least once each ball, and rolling on the ground in the outfield, and even striking the boundary fence.  This has some effect upon the ball, as a matter of course. Over the years the relative shininess of one side or other of the ball has been found to affect its trajectory through the air. As a player, you are entitled to take that into account. (more…)

  • JIM COOMBS: Lets have some real banking competition.

    The banks still haven’t got it. They charge $6 a month for doing nothing, theft or fraud, both crimes. But government and their appointed (neoliberal economics graduates) regulators, do nothing about it. Make the Reserve Bank of Australia the Peoples Bank…again. (more…)

  • IAN CHUBB. Longing For Leadership -Part 2 of 2

    Australia today faces multiple challenges. They include the fact that we are unlike any other continent with species and ecosystems that are found nowhere else. If we don’t look after ourselves, who will? There is global warming and climate change, and its impact on so much that we take for granted; an economy heavily reliant on what we dig up and sell, in a world less eager to buy. There is the spread of artificial intelligence and automation, and the impact on work and people; there is the increasing requirement to understand ever more sophisticated data, and its wise use; a growing need to grapple with almost unfathomable technologies rushing fast from the world of research into our lives. There is health care: pandemics, epidemics, complications from the spread of antibiotic resistance to bacteria, and how to keep a growing population in good health.

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  • NICHOLAS GRUEN. Some real banking competition – central banking for all.

    As the great economic journalist Martin Wolf puts it, there’s a “giant hole” at the centre of modern economies. Although the money in our economy is a classic public good, like the air we breathe or the radio spectrum over which we communicate, almost all of it is privately created – by commercial banks like NAB and Westpac when they advance loans. (The physical money in our wallets represents a tad over 3 percent of the money supply.) (more…)