When it comes to sport, Queenslanders understand competition. 11 series SOS wins on the trot proves that. But we don't seem to have noticed that when it comes to the state of the nation, the Blues (and Victoria) are all over us.
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Universal Basic Income on ABC radio
The ABC broadcast a panel discussion on the Universal Basic Income on the Big Ideas program on Monday, June 26. I was a panelist.
Real figures on negative gearing and housing affordability
Recent political debate on housing affordability has been conducted in a fact-free vacuum. Home owners receive more from the tax system than investors.
Housing investment – the last five years
Negative gearing helps investors but the home owner receives substantially more benefits. Nevertheless, for both of them, housing over the last 5 years was a great investment - far better than the superannuation they are forced to contribute to.
Bill Shorten’s Budget Reply Speech 2017
Mr SHORTEN (Maribyrnong—Leader of the Opposition) (19:31): This is a budget and a government that wants to bury its past and rewrite its history. The Liberals want Australians to forget four wasted years in which wages growth has hit record lows, unemployment is up, underemployment and casualisation are at record highs, living standards have stagnated, inequality has widened. This budget is an admission of guilt, a signed confession.
Retro budget cements higher tax and spend
Politically it is brilliant, redolent of the Menzies’ method of stealing your opponent’s clothes. Economically it is a disaster, although it does deal with the debt situation, but at a cost.
More tax, but no more affordability, in ALP housing policy
The inability of Labor’s Treasury Spokesman, Chris Bowen, to explain how Labor’s new housing “affordability” policies could decrease house prices shows it is not about affordability at all.
Super for deposit only immediate solution to “affordability” crisis
If the aim of federal government policies is to increase affordability without decreasing house prices, then there is only one solution – allowing potential purchasers access to all their savings, including superannuation.
Party Games Monday April 3, 2017
This week's program concentrated on flooding, politicians and townplanning.
Housing affordability inquiry avoids change for change’s sake, but falls through the deposit gap
The analysis by the majority is fundamentally sound, and avoids the mistake of thinking that housing affordability can be fixed by introducing more Commonwealth Government regulation and tax. But it misses the real problem for first home buyers, which is the deposit gap.
