Treasury says the economy is performing “modestly”, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has dismissed calls for additional stimulus spending & Reserve Bank of Australia chief Philip Lowe predicts growth will return to “trend” over the next year.
So nothing to worry about, right?
Labor’s announcement that it supports declaring a climate emergency is no doubt directly related to the growing movement for climate action. Yet it is also clear that, for now, this remains little more than an empty gesture.
The interests of marginalised and vulnerable people —here and abroad — must be place at the forefront of the campaign for climate action.
A Marxist critique of society remains incomplete if it does not consider the fact that, to make profits, capitalists have to not only exploited workers but also nature and animals.
If Prime Minister Scott Morrison is as concerned about refugees as he claims to be, then Australia should condemn Turkey's invasion of Syria and secure emergency aid for those being forced to flee the region.
The economy is clearly in the doldrums and the situation only looks like getting worse — at least for the poor.
Governments are attempting to prevent citizens from venting warranted opposition to destructive industries and businesses, as well as government itself. Yet, the fact they are continuing to pass laws that criminalise protesters shows this attempt to silent dissent interests isn’t working.
Australian mining companies are making a killing in Africa — literally.
Between 2004-15, Australian-listed mining companies were linked to more than 380 mine-related deaths in several African countries, according to the Centre for Public Integrity and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
“It seems that towns in western New South Wales are being shut down and nobody is listening,” local resident Mark Merritt told Green Left Weekly on the banks of a non-existent river.
All of us know someone who is worse off than ourselves. Chances are that person is someone barely surviving on the Newstart Allowance.
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's announcement of yet another inquiry into the banking sector is just the latest attempt by the Coalition government to pretend it is doing something about the crimes of the Big Four banks.
