Australian governments and some business leaders tend to think of High Speed Rail (HSR) as a ‘White Elephant’ interstate project that is too expensive and should not be built. This is not so. (Most people cannot understand why HSR has not been built long ago.) New thinking is required. HSR is not just an interstate […]
Australian Manufacturing 4.0
Whither manufacturing? Or ‘Wither manufacturing’ is not just whimsical. It is a bad fact. In the recent two decades, manufacturing has declined to a 4% contribution to GDP from 13% and from double that historically. Manufacturing has actually declined, e.g. steel and autos, while other sectors have grown e.g. tourism, transport, and finance. Their growth […]
Government Policy: Long-term
Slow average real growth of 2% pa long-term, though accepted by government authorities pre-virus, is not acceptable. The aim should be at least 3.5%pa. It is achievable despite possible recession. First, it must be recognised that there may be another virus pandemic in the next 10 years. China has had three virus crises so far […]
Government Policy: Medium-term
Strong government support will have to continue in the next four years. In the short-term it will succeed during the virus, but it is not for a bridge over a chasm to viral recovery. It is a recession or possibly a depression sized gulf to renewed growth. New thinking is necessary. People who previously argued […]
Government Policy: Short-term
The sudden coronavirus pandemic is causing fear, panic and chaos around the world and in Australia. It is the worst for a century. Government here has rapidly and rightly put aside everything but fighting the virus (covid-19) and supporting the community, business and the economy. It has been distracted from other serious matters such as […]
Bradfield Revisited
The 1938 Bradfield Scheme’s basic concept was simple: take the excess river water flowing to the sea in northern Queensland and divert it inland for irrigation. The cost was too great and the technology of tunnelling through mountains was under-developed. Bradfield’s concept may be achievable today by other means. No tunnel is needed and electricity […]
Australian Energy and Prosperity: Profit and Jobs from Zero Emissions
Executive Summary Australia has the opportunity to become the first 100% renewable, 100% reliable, lowest cost energy, and zero emissions country in the world. Prof Ross Garnaut’s concepts are affirmed and extended. Australia has vast areas of cheap outback land with intense sunlight for solar renewable electricity. PNG has enormous reliable hydroelectric potential and NZ […]
Bushfire Policy
The 2019/2020 bushfires have clearly risen to new ferocity. They have happened once. They could happen again, or worse. The cost of the bushfires is horrendous in loss of human life, livestock and wildlife as well as property. Preparation must be made to protect them from future bushfire events, possibly as early as the 2020/2021 […]