A number of journalists ranging across the spectrum from Fairfax's Annabel Crabb to News Limited stalwarts Dennis Shanahan and Andrew Bolt have identified the apparent contradiction between Rudd's 'I feel your pain' pitch to 'battlers' (or as the Piping Shrike has put it 'The New Sensitivity') and the inherent need for energy prices to rise to combat climate change. Read more »
The realpolitik challenge of climate change lies in its economics. Although governments and environmental movements alike have long advocated the use of market mechanisms such as emissions trading in concert with traditional regulation and conservation measures, the major stumbling block to building a universal consensus for action is the link between economic growth and emissions growth. Read more »
We know that women earn a lower average wage than men, and earn far less money over a lifetime than men (putting our retirement security at major risk).
The latest Morgan poll shows a 2PP improvement for the Government to 63-37. Discussion at The Poll Bludger. Read more »
The latest Newspoll has Rudd's popularity as preferred PM slumping to, er, 66% and Nelson's soaring to, um, 17%. The voting intention, of course, remained unchanged at 57-43. Read more »
Serendipitously, my dear perceptive Malaysian friend Roh has skewered and dissected the shock climate change fear oil bubble horror being shoved down our throats every five minutes by the media and pollies, a current mass-marketing phenomenon not unique to Australia. Read more »
Last month I went by cab from Ryde to Mascot domestic terminal, cost $72. My fare from Mascot to Coffs Harbour was $69 with Virgin Blue Airlines.
Now we find that our incompetent governments are allowing our taxi companies to increase their fares as a result of an increase in fuel prices.
Most of the cabs run on gas, my question is, "with all of our huge gas reserves who's taking who for a ride?"
Appsie
Clarence Valley
Read more »
Map found in BankWest Key Worker Housing Affordability Report 2008 based on salaries of nurses, ambulance officers, teachers, police and firefighters. Read more »
The Rudd Government's brief look into fuel prices led to the creation of a petrol commissioner and adoption of the Fuel Watch policy.
While being able to go online to find the cheapest at bowser petrol price nearest to you may go a small way to allowing consumer choice, it does nothing to actually bring costs down for an
extended period of time in what is supposedly a competitive market.
National implementation of this monitoring scheme may be difficult to achieve, and once the novelty wears off voter dissatisfaction is bound to resurface. Read more »
Prime Minister and Treasurer,
We elected you to make the decisions and frame the legislation for the good running of this great country.
You have been in government now for six months so take the "bit in your teeth" and start telling the Banks not to put extra on their rates just because they want to. Read more »
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