Illustration: John Spooner

The Age, July 25, 2009

WE GENERALLY dislike prophets of doom. Confidence is a powerful stimulant. Yet sometimes it is reckless to ignore events that are so important that action must be taken quickly to eliminate or, at least, reduce their consequences. This does not mean we should talk down the economy. But neither should we ignore or be complacent about the damage caused by the financial losses of the past year.

Illustration: John Spooner

The Age, June 25, 2009

LAST week The Australian Financial Review reported on a submission made by the Australian Business Council to the Henry tax review. The council recognised that we had a current account deficit that had persisted for 20 years and that was not in the national interest.

The Age, June 5, 2009

Telling consumers where a product comes from makes sense.

MR CREAN, are you for or against free market economics ?

Minister for Trade Simon Crean is a committed free trader. He is the architect of a number of new and pending free trade agreements with China, Vietnam and the ASEAN countries. He is an inveterate opponent of protectionism.

This is an admirable philosophical position in a world beset by mercantilist strategies pursued by countries that also protest that they believe in free trade. Crean is obviously singing from the right trade hymn book. It is a difficult position in a world where industrial economies have been devastated by the actions of some sections of the financial services sector that certainly haven’t followed the commandment of providing perfect knowledge to the market.