When the stimulus stops

When the stimulus stops. Just as well they are still building school halls because things are going to get a bit grim for those employed putting up new houses. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics this morning show things are really slowing down in that important employment sector.

It’s surely time for the Reserve Bank to stop and have a little think again about the level of interest rates.

What would happen if it was close? As the Labor Government decided to back away from its principled stand on treating asylum seekers with at least a hint of decency, the Morgan poll was releasing figures showing the Government once again well ahead. On a two party preferred basis Morgan puts it at 58 to 42 which would result in a landslide victory if repeated on election day.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is apparently not a believer in such a prediction but more interested in a finding that a clear majority of Australians believe anyone arriving illegally by boat should be sent back. The details of the poll can be found on the Crikey blog site.

An applicable quotation? Christopher Booker writing at the weekend in the London Telegraph:

Three virtually indistinguishable parties squabble over trivia, leaving the electorate without any clear alternative – so that on May 6 almost half the voters may well stay apathetically or sullenly at home.

If it wasn’t for compulsory voting would Australia be any different to Britain?

The temperatures keep rising. Now that Kevin Rudd has decided to squib making global warming into an election issue the evidence of a warmer world keeps coming. This is from this morning’s Times of India:

And now for an update on the world wide trend and I’ve chosen the data measuring temperatures at 14,000 feet because the graph has the 20 yer average (in yellow) as well as all the record highs over the same 20 year period (purple), last year (green) and this year so far.

This year is markedly hotter than last, well above the 20 year average and for much of the time hotter than the previous record highs.

What is it about bikes? Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett and the Greens Leader Nick McKim went cycling up Mount Wellington at the weekend so they could have a quiet chat about the state’s political future. Meanwhile Liberal Leader Tony Abbott was pedalling up the Snowy Mountains with journalists in tow. At least Tony Wright of the Melbourne Age had the good sense to conduct his interview while mounted on a motor bike.

Concussion becomes an issue. As I watched players return to the field of battle during the weekend’s rugby league games I could not help but think our sporting administrators have failed to grasp the significance of recent developments in the United States where litigation from long retired NFL players is now becoming common place. The claims are based on concussions in their youth during games being the cause of mental problems later in life.

Similar workers compensation claims are sure to be made in Australia before long.