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An Absence Of Political Vision For Australia

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In: democracy, economics, featured, Government, latest post, media, politics, power, social media

Australian political leaders and their parties offer little in the way of a real vision for our futures. There is an absence of political vision for Australia. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is predominantly an American invention, as is the entire digital economy. PM Anthony Albanese in his unmitigated support for the uptake of AI by Australian businesses and society appears to have no comprehension of the consequences of this. If all of our businesses and institutions are contracted to American AI companies, where is our independence and sovereignty in that position? If AI is essential and that AI is controlled by US Big Tech corporations, where does that leave us all? Under the thumb of big brother, of course. Already, the digital economy, in the form of Visa and Mastercard, largely control the money matters in our lives. Australia has effectively lost its sovereignty in all but name in the 21C. There is a vacuum of leadership downunder.Continue Reading

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Why You Are Feeling Poorer?

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In: democracy, economics, featured, Government, latest post, media, politics, power, security

GDP is up, but most of us are still feeling that we have less than we want or need. Why are you feeling poorer? No less an economic boffin than Alan Kohler puts the onus on moribund productivity within the Australian economy. Now, that does not infer that you are not working hard enough, rather it is due to lack of investment by the companies at the heart of our economy. Why is this so? Have a look around at the markets making up our economy. They are largely controlled by one, two or a few giant corporations. Monopolies, duopolies and oligopolies abound. The distinct lack of competition in most sectors in Australia translates as neutered consumer power in the market place. These companies have no market driven need to innovate, as they have massive market shares already. Little to no innovation means they are not investing and that means productivity gains are not happening within the Australian economy.Continue Reading

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Stupid Right Wing Culture War’s Behaviours

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In: corruption, democracy, economics, featured, Government, identity, latest post, media, politics, power

Look around at the evidence of stupid right wing culture war’s behaviours in Australia. Those on the Right champion fossil fuels like diesel and coal, despite the economic savings now available via renewable energy and batteries. Australia has spent the last 30 years facilitating the investment and development of LNG. During that same time frame, successive governments subsidised diesel use to the tune of billions every year. Australia is one of the largest exporters of LNG globally, but our transport trucks run on diesel and not on gas. Australia imports oil and diesel. Predominantly right wing federal governments have overseen the energy policies followed in Australia during this period. The trucking industry itself has long been content to stick with what it knows rather than open its eyes to realities like global warming. Surely, it would be smarter to use our own resources rather than run our essential trucking transport infrastructure on imported energy.Continue Reading

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The Danger Of Land Ownership

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In: economics, featured, Government, history, latest post, media, politics, power

Land property has become majorly expensive in Australia. The housing shortage crisis has impacted upon prices and land values across the board. Until very recently, property investment in Australia was a rolled gold investment and this has contributed to the sustained growth in prices over many years. The great Australian dream has been narrated around owning your own home and for many this has seemed unaffordable on the basis of the high prices for land and housing. Alan Kohler has shown us that home ownership now demands up to x13 years of average annual incomes in places like Sydney. The danger of land ownership is not only economic, however.Continue Reading

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Digital Imperialism: The New Colonialism

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In: economics, featured, Government, latest post, politics, power, truth

Have you been getting the message that machines do it better? That AI is smarter than you? Have you been replaced at work by some sort of artificial intelligence program? Digital imperialism: The new colonialism is here. Now, you get to experience what plenty of Indigenous peoples have had to deal with over the journey. The clear and present inference that you are not good enough and too dumb to matter. Your culture thrown on the scrapheap of progress and advancement. This time, however, it is humanity per se copping it in the neck via a form of Social Darwinism. Only a small group of investors matter, those who are shareholders in the Big Tech companies overlording the rest of us.Continue Reading

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Pauline Hanson

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In: democracy, featured, Government, identity, latest post, media, politics, power, social media, truth

These are the things that Pauline Hanson said at her National Press Club speech recently.

Australian workers are lazy! Always on their phones rather than working. No more pay rises for them under One Nation. No paid parental leave for any workers, either.

51.5% of the Australian population were either not born here or their parents weren’t. Despite this, Pauline Hanson wants an end to multiculturalism and a return to a white, Anglo-monoculture. Talk about pipe dreams in a population of 28 million Australians. This is neither feasible or realistic. In line with this, Hanson wants an end to SBS and the ABC, as government funded entities. The white supremacist racist wants to cancel any media in opposition to her reactionary agenda. A vote for One Nation means her way or the highway.Continue Reading

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Australia Needs To Ensure Its Sovereignty

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In: economics, featured, Government, latest post, politics, power

The European Union and Canada are both reducing their reliance on US financial systems like the Visa and Mastercard credit card sector. This has controlled upward of 90% of their digital payment arrangements and the realisation has sunk in just how vulnerable they could be to having the plug pulled on this. Obviously these moves are in reaction to President Donald Trump and his regime’s threatening stance on everything from tariffs to NATO. Australia is in the same boat on this score and is it time to take control of our own digital money sector. In Brazil they have PIX which is a feeless digital payment system not dependent upon American multinationals. Australia needs to ensure its sovereignty around its financial sector and stop being so dependent upon American corporations.Continue Reading

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Break Up These Big Companies & Bust Their Monopolies

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In: corruption, democracy, economics, featured, Government, latest post, politics, power

We need to break up these big companies and bust their monopolies and oligopolies. Capitalism only works effectively for all when there is real competition in the marketplaces. Right now, this doesn’t exist in Australia and in most countries around the globe. There are too many sectors where only 2 or 3 corporations control markets. This prevents consumers having buying power and employees having any wage bargaining power. The chips are all in the corner of the bosses and the shareholders. Think about Coles and Woolworths dominating the supermarket and the liquor sectors. Think about the 4 big banks and the 4 big accountancy consulting firms. The insurance business is, likewise, dominated by a small number of giant companies. The telco business is Telstra, Optus and not much else. Big Tech is even worse, with most of them holding monopolies. Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta and their ilk control their markets monopolistically. Consumers are screwed when multinationals have such domination over markets and sectors. Capitalism does not work when competition does not exist.Continue Reading

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Albanese Backs Gas Industry Over Ordinary Australians

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In: corruption, democracy, economics, featured, Government, latest post, politics, power

Labor is in the pocket of the Gas Giants, obviously, why else would they rather kick off 160, 000 disabled Australians from the NDIS than properly tax the gas industry to improve the budget bottom line. The facts are that the LNG export sector is worth tens of billions of dollars annually but the majority of the companies involved have not paid corporate tax for years and years. Most of the gas is sold royalty free and the PRRT fails to derive tax from LNG sales, according to the current rules in place. The whole thing is a scam. Why do our governments  support this ripping off of the Australian people in favour of foreign multinational companies? It is a combination of politics over good policy, revolving door corruption and stupidity. Albanese backs gas industry over ordinary Australians.Continue Reading

Why Has It Taken So Long For The RBA To Act On Digital Surcharges?

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In: economics, featured, Government, latest post, power

Many would welcome the announcement that the RBA is going to remove surcharges on debit and credit cards in Australia. I would ask why has it taken so long for the RBA to act on digital surcharges? The number $1.8 billion in imposts from these surcharges annually has been revealed by the research. These fees are the largely hidden hands reaching in to take unwarranted funds from every transaction utilising these digital tools. Is it any wonder that banks make billions and the rest of us are doing it tough in our economy? Those with the inside running reap rewards for doing bugger all, whilst most of us struggle to make ends meet these days.Continue Reading