Four common claims about education funding and quality that need explaining
Aug 29, 2016 00:43 am UTC| Insights & Views
When the 2016 NAPLAN results were released a couple of weeks ago, a claim from the Education Minister Simon Birmingham attracted a lot of attention. The minister said that despite a 23% increase in federal education...
It's not just the economy, stupid; it's whether the economy is fair
Aug 29, 2016 00:17 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy
Most experts say globalisation spreads wealth, bringing people out of poverty and nations closer together. But right now some politicians and their supporters are arguing it simply increases inequality. Whats really going...
Dropping the plan to ban junk food ads in prime time was a bad move – we'll regret it
Aug 27, 2016 13:31 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law Business
The governments Childhood Obesity Plan has been met with widespread anger from numerous health organisations. This was not least because it delivered absolutely nothing to regulate food advertising, something Jamie Oliver...

Italy's deadly earthquake is the latest in a history of destruction
Aug 27, 2016 13:24 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature
The Appenines region of central Italy has been struck by a deadly earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.2. The quake, which had an epicentre roughly 10km southeast of Norcia, Italy, occurred just over seven years after the...
The link between uranium from the Congo and Hiroshima: a story of twin tragedies
Aug 27, 2016 13:18 pm UTC| Insights & Views
On August 6 Hiroshima Day I participated in a groundbreaking event at the South African Museum in Cape Town entitled The Missing Link: Peace and Security Surrounding Uranium. The event had been organised by the...

Independent Scotland might get away with a high deficit – if it's feeling lucky
Aug 27, 2016 12:53 pm UTC| Insights & Views
The predictable result of Scotlands expenditure and revenue data for 2015-16 is that its fiscal deficit is much worse than the UK as a whole. Why predictable? Well, the Scottish economy is much more dependent on the oil...

Despite China free trade agreement Australian beef producers are missing out
Aug 27, 2016 12:46 pm UTC| Insights & Views
Despite a free trade agreement dropping tariffs from Australian beef imports to China, Australias ability to supply China has gone backwards. In 2014-15, the volume of Australias beef exports to China fell by 28%. And...