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It's the economy, stupid!

Displaying 11 - 20 of 21 articles

More kids or just more expensive kids?

“We will be getting more expensive kids” writes Professor Davidson, and this is absolutely right. Furthermore, not just every additional child supported under the proposed new scheme will be more expensive…

We’ll be getting more expensive kids

Who isn’t happy to see a new-born? Well soon enough, if the polls and betting markets are to be believed, the taxpayer will wince every time a new baby comes into the world. An Abbott government will be…
Election odds day.

The betting markets are quite accurate

Adrian Beaumont draws our attention to the betting markets and to the controversy that surrounds those markets relating to election outcomes. He suggests the betting markets follow polls and conventional…
EnterpriseZones.

Northern Enterprise Zones – old wine in new bottles

The recent announcement by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to offer lower company tax rates for northern Australia has received a range of positive and negative criticism. However, it is not a new idea. As long…

Subsidies to lower living standards

Proposals by the two main political parties to provide selected subsidies to particular regions and industries, unless justified to correct a market failure, are a quick way to reduce productivity and…

Northern Zone a brilliant thought bubble

Kevin Rudd’s proposal for a “northern zone” with low company tax rates to attract businesses has been widely ridiculed in the media as another crazy thought bubble. I think it is a great idea. As long…
PEFO G.

PEFO highlights budget challenges

The Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Outlook (PEFO) was published this morning. Zareh Ghazarian provided a very readable account of the background to this document. But rather than being an update of the…