15 January 2013 MELBOURNE – The REIV yesterday forecast stable or declining nominal rents if current trends continue. This means rents are falling in real (after inflation) terms. “Shrinking residential rents are a profound set-back for negatively geared property...
BLOG: economic rent
Taxi Licenses are Economic Rent
11 December 2012 Charging Victorian taxi license holders a stiff annual fee as Prof Allan Fels proposes should be welcomed by every citizen and immediately enacted by government, says Prosper Australia. “TaxiLink director Harry Katsianabis manages 160 taxi licenses...
Steer Around the GFC
15 November 2012 The mining investment boom that carried Australia though the Global Financial Crisis is declining rapidly and new engines of growth are urgently needed to steer around the ‘Controlled Depression’ that is driving the world into a spiral of misery -...
CIV Rates Make Families Subsidize Land Speculators
17 October 2012 The survey of Victorian local government candidates conducted by Prosper Australia ahead of the 26 October election reveals few candidates understand where and how councils are funded. “We learned only a handful appreciate Site Value Rating is a...
Banking on Land Rent
by Dirk Bezemer and Michael Hudson As published in the World Economic Association's World Economic Review Vol #1. Borrowed from Michael Hudson's website, where you can find details of his new book The Bubble and Beyond. ABSTRACT Current macroeconomics ignores the...
Telling the RBA like it is
Reprinted from On Line Opinion 6 Sept 2012 The apathy of economists about the costs and burdens imposed upon modest citizens is staggering, as though this is their natural lot and there is nothing to be done. Housing is a perfect example. We see young adults rejecting...
What a load of garbage!
Hobsons Bay Council is considering charging residents by the kilogram for garbage removal. While markets have their place, putting a price on rubbish will have many unintended consequences, few of them pleasant. The anti-social will cost-shift, stuffing their garbage...
The Weaponisation of Economic Theory
by Michael Hudson Europe’s three needs: a debt write-down, a real central bank, and a more efficient tax system Brussels Talk, Madariaga College, Governing Globalisation in a World Economy in Transition, June 27, 2012 Courtesy of michael-hudson.com What can Europe...
Alternative Outlook on Austerity, Sales Tax
This post was adapted from our e-news service. Sign up on the right hand side of the home page for a bi-monthly email. These certainly are exciting times to be advocating an alternative economic framework. We see thoughout the EU failing economies where tax systems...
Welfare offers rich pickings for the wealthy
“The greatest source of redistribution to the rich occurs through the land market, which is usually the largest tangible market in modern economies.”