Author Archives: Sinclair Davidson

US economists think the stimulus saved jobs

Posted on 6:27 pm, July 31, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

Justin Wolfers has an interesting snippet in the New York Times: Recently each of these eminent economists was asked whether the unemployment rate was lower at the end of 2010 than it would have been without the stimulus bill. Of the 44 … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and economy | 15 Comments

Stranded renewable assets

Posted on 2:53 pm, July 31, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

It is a delicious irony that the government’s review of the RET is generating exactly the kinds of regime uncertainty for renewable energy that that industry had hoped to impose on fossil fuels. Miles George is the managing director of … Continue reading →

Posted in Divestment, Global warming and climate change policy | 29 Comments

Picking energy winners

Posted on 2:22 pm, July 31, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

The problem with government trying to pick winners is that it usually ends up picking losers. So too, it seems, with renewable energy. That graphic is from The Economist (and was reproduced in the AFR yesterday). It shows the costs … Continue reading →

Posted in Global warming and climate change policy | 15 Comments

UNESCO speaks with forked tongue

Posted on 4:55 pm, July 30, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

Compare and contrast these statements. First from an official UNESCO document dated June 2012 and authored by Fanny Douvere and Tim Badman (page 51 – 52 emphasis added). The mission also noted presentations from some coal export proponents regarding opportunities … Continue reading →

Posted in Global warming and climate change policy, Hypocrisy of progressives, Mining | 30 Comments

How’s that mining tax going?

Posted on 4:17 pm, July 30, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

Not well. The Treasurer this morning revealed net revenue from the Mineral Resource Rent Tax was only $600,000 in the June quarter, compared with the already-downgraded $150 million forecast last year. Is that net of the promise to refund state … Continue reading →

Posted in Mining Tax, Taxation | 37 Comments

Wednesday Forum: July 30, 2014

Posted on 4:00 pm, July 30, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson
Posted in Open Forum | 1,475 Comments

Here is a proud man

Posted on 11:01 am, July 29, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

That’s Daniel Andrews – the Victorian ALP leader. I’ve only seen him in action twice. The first time as a talking head on election night in 2010 when the Brumby government unexpectedly lost the state election and then recently when … Continue reading →

Posted in State Politics | 79 Comments

Q&A Forum: July 28, 2014

Posted on 9:00 pm, July 28, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson
Posted in Open Forum | 199 Comments

George Brandis is a hypocrite

Posted on 6:55 pm, July 28, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson

George Brandis wants to strengthen Australia’s Intellectual Property laws: It involves three main proposals, but the big one is overturning the important iiNet decision that highlighted that ISPs are protected from liability for users infringing, because they’re not the proactive party. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and economy, Hypocrisy of progressives, Politics, Take Nanny down | 49 Comments

Monday Forum: July 28, 2014

Posted on 6:30 pm, July 28, 2014 by Sinclair Davidson
Posted in Open Forum | 988 Comments