Originally published on Crikey.

Malcolm Turnbull and his Government now have the dubious honour of presiding over half-a-trillion dollars in gross debt for the first time ever in this country’s history.

Originally published on Crikey.

There are really three ways to improve the Budget bottom line – through increasing taxes, fair savings measures and strong economic growth.

Originally published by Huffington Post

One of the reasons Australians are no more convinced with or impressed by the Abbott-Turnbull Government's fourth Budget than the three preceding it is because it can't be divorced from the broader economic and political reality into which it has been released.

Originally published on John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations blog

For Australia to succeed and prosper as an economy and a society, we need to ensure growth is inclusive, hard work is rewarded, and there’s a decent safety net for those left behind.

Originally published by the Huffington Post

It’s confronting to consider that in a prosperous nation like Australia, nearly three million people, including 730,000 children, live below the poverty line.

Originally published by the Chifley Research Centre

Wilful ignorance is a powerful state of mind that triggers some pretty absurd behaviour. It stops someone with worrying symptoms from visiting a doctor; it allows a shopaholic drowning in credit card debt to justify buying a new outfit; it makes a cash-strapped uni student ignore the worrying rattling sound coming from their overworked and underserviced 1974 Datsun 180B.

Originally published by the Huffington Post

Almost a week on, the world is still coming to terms with Donald Trump’s shock US election victory. For so many people it was a demoralising result.

Originally published by the Labor Herald.

Let’s not stuff around: politics has gone mad. ‘The Donald’ toyed with inviting Gennifer Flowers to the presidential debate.  Jeremy Corbyn increased his internal majority in British Labour, despite probably having next to no chance of winning an election.

Originally published by ABC's the Drum. 

The Prime Minister has, for all intents and purposes, pulled the trigger for this year's federal election. But while those of us in the political world prepare to contest a federal election, our Olympians and Paralympians are preparing for Rio.

Originally published on the Lowey Interpreter. 

Last month’s Shanghai meeting gave more ammunition to critics of the Group of 20. Its meagre outcomes bolstered the argument that while the G20 was extraordinarily successful in spurring the decisive and coordinated international action necessary to survive the global financial crisis, its post-crisis role is much diminished.