Economy

Reserve Bank low productivity claims distort the reality

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By Joe Montero

All the talk about productivity in the Australian economy and its association with interest rates has left most people none the wiser. The Reserve Bank sets the short-term interest rate, and in doing so, unleashed the new round of the productivity debate, by downgrading its productivity forecast. The assumption here is that in terms of its productivity the Australian economy is going backwards. Official growth is expected to be merely 0.7 percent over the next 2 to 5 years, and this will lead to economic growth of just 0.2 percent after 2027 according to the Reserve Bank. Continue reading Reserve Bank low productivity claims distort the reality →

International, War

Russia secures an important victory in Alaska

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By Joe Montero

What the hell happened during the Trump and Puttin meeting in Alaska/ The answer is simple. There was a recognition that Russia is winning in the battlefield, and that the regime in Kyiv and its backers combined, lack the capacity to win the war. The fact that Russia was able to compromise on some secondary demands and secure its primary ones is evidence of this. Continue reading Russia secures an important victory in Alaska →

Economy

The Reserve Bank’s interest cut and the growing indebtedness of Australia

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By Joe Montero

The Reserve Bank has just cut the interest rate by 0.2 percent. While this might please mortgage holders and others paying oof debt, the question whether and by how much will the banks transfer this to their customers. Regardless of this, the government will not resist the temptation to talk this up as a testament to its good management of the economy. As for the banks. The small ones say they are passing the cut on. The big four have said no such thing. All they have committed to so far is that there will be a cut. They haven’t said by how much. Continue reading The Reserve Bank’s interest cut and the growing indebtedness of Australia →

International, Rights, War

Netanyahu’s attacked Australia and deserves a harsh and swift response

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By Jim Hayes

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has attacked Australia for acting shamefully for moving towards recognising Palestinian Statehood. Ther only shameful part about this is that it took so long. It took more than the admitted 61,000 Gazan’s dead, many of them women and children, and perhaps as many as 40,000, plus Netanyahu’s loud proclamation to totally annex Gaza. Australian public opinion moved this rather than compassion from the Australian leadership. Continue reading Netanyahu’s attacked Australia and deserves a harsh and swift response →

Economy

Australia’s economy is still far from having been fixed

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By Joe Montero

A new financial year has just begun, and this is as good a time as any to consider the state of the Australian economy. The news we are getting from the official numbers is that it is looking good. Why? Because the official interest rate is down. The implication, it is suggested by some commentators, is that the rise in the cost of living is down. Continue reading Australia’s economy is still far from having been fixed →

Government, International, Rights

Sydney Harbour Bridge march witnessed a major list in support for the Palestinians in Australia

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By Jim Hayes

When more than one hundred thousand marched across Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday (Sunday 3 August) they made history. This was the biggest turnout Sydney has ever experienced, and they came to demand the Australian government acts to oppose Israel’s Gaza holocaust, impose sanctions on that country, and recognise a Palestinian state. Continue reading Sydney Harbour Bridge march witnessed a major list in support for the Palestinians in Australia →

Economy, Government, International

It is the United States that threatens Australia’s sovereignty

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By Jim Hayes

In the lead up to Anthony Albanese’s trip to China to talk to his counterpart there, Premier Xi Jinping, the China threat to Australia claim raised its ugly head once again. It was lapped up by the usual media hacks. We’ve heard stories about a ship cruising the Indian or Pacific Ocean perhaps veering a little closer to Australia posing a tangible threat. What about the one that the Chinese might send spies into Australia? Then there is the repeating story about the Chinese acting aggressively, when they object to an Australian battleship cruising within sight of their coast in the South China Sea.

Image from AP/ABC: Anthony Albanese’s is meeting with Xi Jinping

Continue reading It is the United States that threatens Australia’s sovereignty →

Economy, Environment, Government, International

The BRICS Summit 2025 was incredibly important and will have a lasting impact on the global order

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By Joe Montero

The BRICS summit came and went last week in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. Western media aligned with United States economic and political global leadership largely ignored the event. This is despite the participation of the 10 full members (Brazil Russia India China. South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia) and 10 0ther Associate Members (Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam). More than 100 other nations are showing a keen interest, with many of them seeking to join the alliance. Continue reading The BRICS Summit 2025 was incredibly important and will have a lasting impact on the global order →

Housing

Destruction of public housing continues in Victoria

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By Joe Montero

The Victorian government is continuing with the plan to demolish 44 of the state’s high rise public housing towers and is doing so under the cynical cover of expanding what it calls affordable housing. Thousands of families and individuals will be forced to relocate to the fringes under this plan, away from their communities, with no guarantee that housing needs currently being met will continue. Continue reading Destruction of public housing continues in Victoria →

International, Media

Video: Journalists and their shadows

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American journalist, author, commentator, and Pulitzer Prizer winner of Chris Hedges, discusses the decent of the media and journalism into a tool for the powerful with Patrick Lawrence, a fellow journalist, as well as editor and critic. Hedges once wrote for the New York Times, and Lawrence with the now defunct Far Eastern Review, the International Herald Tribune, and the New Yorker. Both found themselves cast aside for standing against the imposed narrative of the tool. That once employed them.

Here the discussion focuses on how the deception to spread ideology that benefits the ambitions of the powerful. They contrast what it means to be a principled journalist or a hack for sale, accepting widespread censorship and lies.

What is exposed here about the media in the United States could just as easily be about Australia, given that Australian media generally echoes its counterpart in the United States. This is a must watch for anyone interested in the truth.

Video from The Chris Hedges Report

Official site of the May Day Committee (Malbourne)