Blog Archives
MUST PARLIAMENT BE HUNG?
If the Australian Parliament is hung, it could be an artificial impasse created by representatives who are prevented by self-serving parties from separating and compromising on issues because they want to force a change of government. Could the incumbent government better organise the parliament’s business to operate a minority government and avoid deadlock?
Presumed Dead is a crime fiction story with a hung parliament, resolved by an independent woman politician who opposes and ends partisan politics.
Reviews: martinknox.com

CAN PARTISAN POLITICS PREVENT NATIONAL LEADERSHIP?
My crime fiction novel Presumed Dead is set in a Westminster political system with a partisan legislature hung approving a casino development. When a politician disappears, interests in the casino are investigated and the government process depoliticised. Available on Amazon https://martinknox.com

KNOW IF GROWTH IS GOOD OR BAD?

Australia's GDP growth was 0.2 percentage points for the quarter ending September 3rd, 2019, bringing the annual pace of GDP growth to 1.2 per cent. It has been higher in the past and is almost at the zero growth rate favoured for a steady state economy. It is a half of the US rate of 2.3 percent for the 4th quarter in 2019. Australia's production is growing slowly. Are we to suppose there has been improvement in something else? Unlike Bhutan, Australia does not record happiness. If there has been an increase in happiness, or a decrease, we wouldn't know. Media reports of growth and its effects provide only a partial picture.. To appreciate what growth is occurring and how beneficial it is, I will switch my viewpoint to individual developments, the criteria for identifying winners and losers, and what they can expect. This is investigated in my paper DOES GROWTH BENEFIT SOME GROUPS AT AN EQUIVALENT COST TO OTHERS? For developments where this occurs, there are several possible philosophies of compensation. A conclusion is that development proposals should be audited for their attention to: markets; the public good; resource use efficiency; disadvantaged people; and conserving environments. Careful development will ensure that growth, although it may be slow, will be fair. My novel Presumed Dead is a crime fiction story that illustrates a government decision process for a casino development involving a sassy woman city councillor.
growth-benefits-and-costs-160819.docx