Blogotariat

Oz Blog News Commentary

One Nation is pro-immigration

February 17, 2026 - 13:30 -- Admin

There is an immigration cult in Canberra. It has nothing to do with national interest and everything to do with self-interest. Because population growth adds to GDP, pollies don’t need to pursue reform to drive growth. And it lifts their property portfolios. Too easy! They can just lie that the economy is growing for you,

New Zealand’s housing crash restores affordability

February 17, 2026 - 13:00 -- Admin

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has reduced the official cash rate (OCR) by 3.25% since mid-2024, which has driven a sharp decline in mortgage rates to around pre-pandemic levels and a significant improvement in mortgage affordability: Normally, such a sharp reduction in mortgage rates would deliver a strong rebound in home values. However, no

It’s per capita emissions that matter

February 17, 2026 - 12:30 -- Admin

My friend and colleague, LVO,  has done an excellent job of outlining how China and India have been commissioning large amounts of coal power. What he has not done, however, is examine the underpinnings of multilateral agreements to cut emissions over time. International agreements on carbon emissions acknowledge the historical right of poorer countries to

India doubles down on coal generation

February 17, 2026 - 12:00 -- Admin

Earlier this month, I reported on China’s insatiable appetite for coal-powered electricity. China is by far the world’s largest carbon emitter, which has been driven by its insatiable appetite for coal: China has a significant number of new coal mines in development: More than 50 large coal units—individual boiler and turbine sets with generating capacity