Reddit mentions: The best australian & oceanian politics books

For a start, me and my mates don't see a more progressive future (the vision you outlined) as a better one in most aspects of our life for us or the average Australian.


Let's go through the issues that you have raised.


0. "It's well known that wealth and income inequality have been spiralling out of control."
My main thought is that it can be fixed but your policies are not the way to go and you ought to read this book about reducing corruption / political favours in Australia, it basically sums up my feelings on the issue and shows how to reduce inequality in a fair way by eliminating the "Game of Mates" rather than by just taxing normal people as you suggest. https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0648061108/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0

1. "Property prices remain incredibly high." This is only in Sydney and Melbourne, and prices are actually starting to decrease now in Sydney. Even in Brisbane, the 3rd largest city you can buy a house for a reasonable amount (say 400K). Also somewhat related to the next point, if we stop wasting so much money on education we can reduce stamp duty and other state / federal taxes which will allow people to afford homes easier. This is an affordability problem, we need to find ways to allow people to EARN more and KEEP more by paying less tax so they can afford homes. Removing negative gearing and cap gains tax actually will have minimal impact as studies have shown.
   
   
   
2. "Education and healthcare funding is not keeping up with demand."
   Lets start with education spending. Similar to the USA, per capita education spending has massively increased with student results remaining stagnant. https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/02/09/considerations-on-cost-disease/. Empirical evidence is showing us that increased spending is NOT the answer, and actually paradoxically works to increase income inequality by subsidizing the education of people who will already do well, and by wasting the time of those that actually should NOT go to university for example (see all those with $50000 in debt and no relevant jobs). To reduce inequality we actually need LESS education and MORE work. A thoroughly researched logical and empirical argument of this is set out in this book https://www.amazon.com/Case-against-Education-System-Waste/dp/0691174652.
   I don't know much about healthcare, but would assume that Labor has the advantage on this.
   
   
   
3. "We have absurd energy prices and yet nobody wants to pull back from coal and gas."
   Let me tell you that this argument does not make logical or economic sense. Having coal and gas gives us MORE options not LESS options. We can use coal/gas where it is cheaper, and then solar/wind/storage where that is cheaper. Limiting your options does not make your decisions mathematically optimal.
   
   
   
4. "The NBN is in crisis."
   I will give you this one. There is some hope that internet satellite (e.g from SpaceX) will massively increase competition and provide high speed internet to the entire world.
   
   
   
5. "Media conglomeration is on the rise."
   I don't think this is a problem because of the rise of new forms of media and ways to get information. I don't know anyone under 25 that actually has a TV or reads a newspaper anymore. You need to fight the system not just complain that the government isn't doing enough. (Look at how the right wing is taking over youtube / social media). The influence of big tech companies like Google and Facebook is worrying, but no party in Australia can do much about that. That is up to the EU and US.
   
   
   
6. "Increasing sexism and racism."
   Increasing sexism? I really doubt this, unless you mean sexist against men. We are now having quotas for police / firefighters / army and reduced standards which will reduce the effectiveness of these bodies by promoting ideology over actual merit. Same thing in universities, universities now have a vast majority of female students. Yet we still see female only scholarships and pandering that is acting like women are still some disadvantaged group. Most men are sick of all of this and want a merit based system rather than women getting unfair advantages which is actually what is sexist. And just take a look at the WGEA. Just considering that we have a federal government body trying to fix the "wage gap" which has been thoroughly debunked is actually ridiculous. Just because differences between women and men exist, doesn't equal sexism. People have different priorities in their lives. If women want to focus less on paid work in their life then that is their business and you have no right to say that is wrong.
   Fundamentally the right wing believes more in equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. We all have the opportunity to apply for the jobs, but the men might be more suited, or the women might make working less of a priority in their life. And nothing is wrong with that.
   "Increasing racism." Not really going to answer this one as it doesn't deserve much of a response, but opposing immigration to reduce impacts to cost of living and the living standards of the future of our country isn't racist in my opinion.
   
   
   
7. Climate change.
   I agree that Labor would be better at dealing with this, due to the carbon tax which is a good economic incentive system to reduce emissions.
   
   
   Liberal Party
   
   

• Wins on Education (Needs to be cut significantly, as empirical and logical evidence is proving this to be a waste of money and time which can actually increase inequality.)
  
• Wins on Immigration
  
• Wins on Sexism (No quotas, believes in individual choice of men and women and accepts that this might result in different outcomes.)
  
• Wins on Energy Prices
  
• Wins on Housing Prices (Via lower taxes, only a marginal win. Neither party would influence the market much.)
  
• Wins on Economic Policy (Lower company tax rates, less distorted market system, not wanting to change the refund of dividend franking credits, in general seems to understand economics better rather than being populist with policies that sound good but don't make much sense.)
  
  
  Labor Party
  
  
• Wins on Health
  
• Wins on Climate Change
  
• Wins on NBN
  
  
  Both Loses
  
  
• Inequality. Seriously read this book https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0648061108/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0. This is probably the biggest area to reduce inequality (corruption / favours) and nobody is talking about it.
  
  
  So in summary. The issues that Labor wins at, have much easier solutions technology wise (global satellite internet, biotech, solar and wind will out compete the cost of coal / gas eventually anyway). This leaves me to vote for Liberal for the issues which actually require fixing by the government.