While uncertainty remains over the final composition of the government, there can be no doubting that the two-party system took a hammering in the federal elections. It can also be said that the success of the Greens was not the result of a protest vote, but a conscious choice on the part of many voters based on policy. The Greens with 11.5 percent of the vote only won one seat in the House of Representatives, highlighting the undemocratic nature of the present voting system and the need for substantial electoral reform.  more ...

The death of a detainee at the Curtin Detention Centre last week has once more drawn attention to the immigration policies of the both the ALP and the conservative coalition.   more ...

Each of the candidates from the Communist Alliance give their thoughts on the electorial campaign. more ...

Count Folke Bernadotte was a Swedish noble and diplomat, nephew of the Swedish king, fluent in six languages; he was an outstanding humanitarian and very well respected for his integrity. He gained international recognition through his work as head of the Swedish Red Cross during World War 2, organising exchanges of disabled prisoners.  more ...

The equities markets are in disarray while the bond markets continue to surge. The avalanche of bad news has started to take its toll on investor sentiment. Barry Ritholtz’s “The Big Picture” reports that the bears have taken the high-ground and bullishness has dropped to its lowest level since March 2009 when the market did a quick about-face and began a year-long rally. Could it happen again? No one knows, but the mood has definitely darkened along with the data. There’s no talk of green shoots any more, and even the deficit hawks have gone into hibernation. It feels like the calm before the storm, which is why all eyes were on Jackson Hole this morning where Fed chairman Ben Bernanke delivered his verdict on the state of the economy.  more ...

It is surely ironic that when Australian television programs want to show viewers the impact of the outbreak of WW2 on this country they usually start with people listening to the radio while the then Prime Minister Robert Menzies hypocritically intones that “it is my melancholy duty to inform you that Britain has declared war on Germany and that consequently this country is also at war.”  more ...