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Essays

An archive of essays by opinion makers on issues of national interest.

Time to revisit Keating's superannuation revolution Photo

Posted August 7, 2008 08:22:00 | Updated August 7, 2008 08:23:00

The quicker we go back and embrace Paul Keating's 15 per cent super contribution target the better. Post a comment.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, government-and-politics, federal-government, tax, superannuation, australia

Grocery inquiry throws down the gauntlet Photo

Posted August 6, 2008 08:43:00 | Updated August 7, 2008 08:26:00

The Federal Government can do something to dampen the upwards trend in grocery prices by encouraging greater competition.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, consumer-protection, economic-trends, industry, food-and-beverage, retail, australia

Closing the loopholes in executive payouts Photo

Posted August 5, 2008 09:24:00 | Updated August 5, 2008 09:28:00

Nothing makes shareholders angrier than waving farewell to a departing CEO carrying a large suitcase full of their money.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, corporate-governance, australia

The mark of a good judge Photo

Posted August 4, 2008 10:36:00 | Updated August 4, 2008 10:37:00

It would be a mistake to think that Robert French has established a reputation as a radical or activist judge.

Tags: law-crime-and-justice, judges-and-legal-professionals, australia

Flawed focus drove Doha talks to collapse Photo

Posted August 1, 2008 09:14:00 | Updated August 1, 2008 09:48:00

A lot of excuses will be made, but the real problem is that Doha Round stopped focusing on the WTO's primary purpose - trade liberalisation.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, globalisation, international-aid-and-trade, trade, agreements-and-treaties, australia

Banned: the absurdity of Australia's game rating regime Photo

Posted July 31, 2008 08:51:00 | Updated July 31, 2008 09:02:00

When it comes to video games, Australia has one of the toughest censorship regimes in the world.

Tags: arts-and-entertainment, games, business-economics-and-finance, censorship, australia

Why we need CCS - whether you like the idea or not! Photo

Posted July 30, 2008 08:50:00

For as long as society chooses to use fossil fuels for power generation, we will have to use CCS.

Tags: oil-and-gas, environment, climate-change, greenhouse-gas, coal, australia

Judgement, truth and commonsense Photo

Posted July 29, 2008 08:49:00 | Updated July 29, 2008 09:08:00

Appointing Joel Fitzgibbon as Minister for Defence was not one of Kevin Rudd's better decisions.

Tags: defence-and-national-security, defence-forces, security-alliances, federal-government, foreign-affairs, unrest-conflict-and-war, afghanistan, australia

The modern face of slavery Photo

Posted July 28, 2008 10:45:00 | Updated July 28, 2008 11:26:00

If a person's agency is taken away, if their identity is stolen, if they cannot remove themselves from violence, and if they can be bought and sold at whim, they are slaves.

Tags: community-and-society, prostitution, law-crime-and-justice, courts-and-trials, human-rights, australia

Don't hold your breath for Zimbabwe talks Photo

Posted July 25, 2008 08:55:00 | Updated July 25, 2008 11:17:00

By asking Mugabe to set a government of national unity, African leaders have set a dangerous precedent for the rest of the continent.

Tags: world-politics, zimbabwe

Happy anniversary RAMSI Photo

Posted July 24, 2008 08:50:00 | Updated July 24, 2008 08:55:00

It is time for RAMSI to stop buck-passing and take greater responsibility for economic development.

Tags: defence-and-national-security, defence-forces, government-and-politics, foreign-affairs, world-politics, australia, solomon-islands

Gender equality: it matters to all of us Photo

Posted July 23, 2008 09:00:00 | Updated July 23, 2008 11:08:00

Gender equality is about men and women working together to create a fairer and more equal Australia.

Tags: community-and-society, government-and-politics, laws, human-rights, work, men, women, australia

Countdown to emissions scheme Photo

Posted July 22, 2008 08:28:00 | Updated July 22, 2008 08:32:00

Farmers are willing to play their part in meeting Australia's, and the world's, climate challenge.

Tags: environment, climate-change, rural, agricultural-policy, greenhouse-gas, australia

The voice of youth cannot be silenced Photo

Posted July 21, 2008 08:18:00 | Updated July 21, 2008 08:32:00

We must never allow issues of importance to young people to be debated behind closed doors, or for the assumption to be made that only older people have the answers.

Tags: community-and-society, youth-issues, government-and-politics, activism-and-lobbying, australia

Thanks from a World Youth Day pilgrim Photo

Posted July 20, 2008 08:10:00 | Updated July 20, 2008 08:32:00

Your city will be remembered eternally as meeting place for the young people of this new millennium.

Tags: world-youth-day, australia

Focus on technology to bring China onboard Audio Photo

Posted July 18, 2008 15:00:00 | Updated July 18, 2008 15:42:00

We need a climate change agreement that acknowledges the centrality of economic growth for China for India.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, globalisation, environment, alternative-energy, climate-change, world-politics, science-and-technology, china

Who is watching YouTube? The US courts want to know Photo

Posted July 18, 2008 08:22:00 | Updated July 18, 2008 08:24:00

A lawsuit against YouTube and Google has implications for the debate surrounding online privacy.

Tags: information-and-communication, internet, law-crime-and-justice, courts-and-trials, laws, rights, australia, united-states

An options paper, with the option to save our future? Photo

Posted July 17, 2008 08:55:00 | Updated July 17, 2008 09:35:00

The Government's proposed emissions trading scheme fails to protect our inheritance.

Tags: youth-issues, environment, climate-change, pollution, air-pollution, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia

Thinking through our move to a low-carbon economy Photo

Posted July 16, 2008 08:40:00 | Updated July 16, 2008 10:47:00

In his enthusiasm to rally us to action, Garnaut appears to lose sight of the rocky terrain that has yet to be crossed.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, industry, mining, environment, climate-change, australia

WYD blooms beneath the aphids Photo

Posted July 15, 2008 08:18:00 | Updated July 15, 2008 09:42:00

The main story of World Youth Day is the experience of the young people who gather from around Australia and the world and the exuberance of their celebration.

Tags: community-and-society, religion-and-beliefs, catholic, youth-issues, world-youth-day, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

Dying is everyone's business Photo

Posted July 14, 2008 10:30:00 | Updated July 14, 2008 10:53:00

Most of us seem not to want to know about what will happen to us at the end, preferring attitudes of "let's wait and see" or "tell me about it when I need to know".

Tags: community-and-society, aged-care, death, health, older-people, australia

Car pools: a chance to change driving habits Photo

Posted July 11, 2008 08:22:00 | Updated July 11, 2008 09:07:00

It's time that government at all levels started looking at one practical measure that could reduce fuel costs for motorists, reduce the number of cars on the road and reduce the greenhouse gas emitted: car pooling.

Tags: environment, air-pollution, greenhouse-gas, programs-and-initiatives, road-transport, australia, nsw, ashfield-2131

TAFE reforms require further training Photo

Posted July 10, 2008 08:32:00

Victoria will provide a test case for other states as it considers several reforms to the vocational education and training system.

Tags: business-economics-and-finance, industry, building-and-construction, education, vocational, australia, vic

Justice system on trial Photo

Posted July 9, 2008 08:33:00 | Updated July 9, 2008 08:46:00

Not surprising - when it comes to criminal justice the tabloid press got it wrong again.

Tags: law-crime-and-justice, courts-and-trials, judges-and-legal-professionals, laws, australia

Smart power: Exaggerating America's decline Photo

Posted July 8, 2008 08:27:00 | Updated July 8, 2008 08:46:00

As a non-American living in the United States, I'm struck by the gulf that still remains between America and the rest - in terms of hard power, soft power and what we could call "smart power."

Tags: world-politics, united-states