Category Commentary

The road to neo-serfdom

Late last year, the NSW Liberal/National government revealed plans to sell off the NSW Lands Office and retained JPMorgan to produce a scoping study. The Victorian Liberals tried this on before the last state election, and lost. Many will simply…

Currency Cold War Breakout

In other news, our colleague Michael Hudson (who will appear on next week’s Renegade Economists radio show) provides his unique insight into geo-politics. Cross-posted from his site:   On December 8, the IMF’s Chief Spokesman Gerry Rice sent a note…

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts

The economic impact of stamp duty, a study by Deloitte Access Economics for the Property Council of Australia released yesterday, finds Australia’s GDP would increase by $3.3 billion and real consumption by $9.7 billion if conveyancing stamp duty was replaced…

Vacant homes up 28% despite housing crisis

Media Release: Speculative Vacancies Defy Housing Affordability Pressures – Again 82,724 properties lie vacant and unoccupied across Greater Melbourne, according to Prosper Australia’s 2015 Speculative Vacancies Report released today. Key findings: •    4.8% of Melbourne’s total housing stock vacant in…

Learning history’s failed economics?

“The relevance of Moses’ economics to our own tax-burdened days is startling” proclaimed The Viking Press’ blurb for Francis Neilson’s book “The Eleventh Commandment” on its release in 1933. However, during those early days of the Great Depression, policy makers…

An obituary

RIP Australia   Australia was not overrun and defeated. It became dead at heart, and the rot and canker spread to its extremities. Federally, proportional representation elected only the Senate, because rent-seekers who divided and ruled the nation charged that it…