Deficits are immaterial to the progress of the nation. Nations have plenty of ways to get rid of them and turn them into surpluses. One way, of course, is to collect taxes. Another is to print their own money, which is what all major countries do. And, of course, inflation follows as it always has done.

waerloo

In the new curriculum Anzac Day is studied in year 3 as one of a number of days of national significance. The Gallipoli campaign is studied in year 9.

Mr Pyne criticised the fact that Anzac Day is ''locked in with NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Day and Harmony Day'' in the national curriculum.

Mr Pyne's sentiment was similar to that expressed by former prime minister John Howard, who last year accused the government of purging British history from the curriculum.

Labor fails to gain traction in latest Newspoll

MPs risk accusations of laziness and poor value for money because the number of hours they work in Westminster appear to be shrinking, according to the senior MP responsible for scrutinising public spending.

Intelligence agency ASIO has made startling allegations - of plots to kill, training of militants, forged documents and people smuggling - to justify the indefinite incarceration of dozens of refugees as security threats to Australia.

from The Stringer …..

from The Stringer ….

Maasai — Gus'  picture library (Gus does nor remember where — possibly Kenya — circa early 1960)

WHEN THE Gillard Government announced a set of mild reforms to media regulation recently — I had an epiphany.

Surely the FBI could have saved itself a lot of time and trouble if it had rung our very own Alan Jones, the visionary broadcaster, to find out who was behind the Boston bombing.

from Crikey ….

Hockey, finally, sees the light on the road to Treasury

The role of record-keeping is close to the centre of what the royal commission into abuse is all about: the battle between the Closed and the Open Society.