Issue 43 : 6 – 12 May 2021
The six graphs you need to see to understand Australia’s back-to-the-future federal budget
Greg Jericho | The Guardian
Oh, glorious recovery! Oh, a short recovery too. And, oh dear, those wages are set to remain low.
Years of neglect won’t make it easy to get wages up
Ross Gittins | Nine Newspapers
Further evidence for my theory that part of the reason both productivity improvement and wages have been weak for some years is our businesses’ preference for improving their profits by cutting costs – particularly wage costs – rather than improving their efficiency.
Aged Care fail – and now a Budget bonanza for Home Care freeloaders
Sarah Russell | Michael West Media
The highest level of home care support costs $52,000. This $1000 a week buys, on average, less than nine hours of support. There’s plenty of skimming going on by aged care providers, some of whom are the nation’s biggest corporatised charities.
Behind the headlines of a cash splash in Australia’s budget, there’s a sobering reality
Peter Lewis | The Guardian
Where Australia lands with its borders will ultimately have a deeper impact on our economy and politics than the budget
The budget’s still-narrow gender lens
Carol Johnson | Inside Story
Leaking budget highlights makes for an anti-climactic budget speech
Janine Perrett | Crikey
Israel attacks Gaza after Jerusalem defeat
Ali Abunimah, Maureen Clare Murphy, Tamara Nassar | Red Flag
India latest front in Morrison Government’s war on Australians
Michelle Pini | Independent Australia
Australia’s anti-war movement is depleted – who will stop the march to the ‘drums of war’?
Jeff Sparrow | The Guardian
The usual mass coalition that mobilises against war is no more. As tensions between Australia and China increase, we must prepare to resist.
The disease knocking off social democratic parties the world over strikes again in UK
Guy Rundle | Crikey
Left-wing politics has succumbed to a killer condition inflicted by centrists who fear losing prestige more than losing elections.
To Protect Australian Workers’ Retirement Savings, We Must Democratize Pensions
Robert Lechte | Jacobin
The Australian right has long dreamed of fully privatizing workers’ pensions. Now that one of the world’s largest investment firms is moving into Australia’s superannuation market, their dream may be realized. To protect workers’ retirement, we need to democratize super funds.
Bad and getting Worse: Why we need an unemployed workers movement
Kristin O’Connell and Jay Coonan | Overland Online
Blokes Will be Blokes
Anna Spargo-Ryan Meanjin Online
How dangerous is Marine Le Pen?
John Mullen | Red Flag
The wait of history
Frank Bongiorno | Inside Story
Inadequate funding doesn’t explain all the problems at the National Archives
Activists demand AFP stop training killers
Kerry Smith | Green Left Weekly
The don’t-mention-climate budget delivers on its goal
Ketan Joshi | Renew Economy
The Budget’s affordability measures won’t lower house prices. They weren’t designed to
Richard Denniss | The Guardian
Cash for gas and big emitters in another miserly budget for clean energy and EVs
Michael Mazengarb | Renew Economy
Batteries not included: Coalition’s stunning hatred of new technology
Giles Parkinson | Renew Economy
NSW government forced back to drawing board on flood plain harvesting
Tracey Carpenter | Green Left Weekly
How the Myths of “Progressive Neoliberalism” Hollowed Out Australia’s Left
Ben Conway | Jacobin