Blog
Tenants and Body Corporates: Structural Tensions, Governance Dynamics, and Options for Reform
Abstract Tenants frequently experience body corporates as restrictive, intrusive, or unresponsive. This perception does not arise because the body corporate model is inherently flawed, but because the incentives of tenants and body corporate members are fundamentally misaligned. Body corporate committees prioritise asset value, compliance, and long‑term maintenance, whereas tenants prioritise
Cricket Australia’s Big Bash cash grab is rejected – but there are better options on the table Published: May 1, 2026 2.38pm AEST
https://theconversation.com/cricket-australias-big-bash-cash-grab-is-rejected-but-there-are-better-options-on-the-table-280028 Cricket Australia was considering the privatisation of Big Bash League. Privatisation is often a default choice for sports administrators because it avoids undertaking the more difficult tasks of structural change and market adaptation (let the private investors do it!). It also assumes that there exist large supplies of capital
Scare as Hen’s Teeth: Rugby League in the Movies
Introduction Despite its deep cultural roots in Australia, Northern England, and New Zealand — and despite its 131year separation from Rugby Union in 1895 — Rugby League has rarely been explored in film or documentary. This stands in stark contrast to soccer, whose global popularity has inspired internationally recognised films
Income Inequality in Australia Since 1975: Trends, Drivers, and Policy Responses
Introduction Income inequality is now of central concern in Australian economic and social policy debates. Since the 1970s, Australia has transitioned from a highly regulated labour market with strong wage compression to a more flexible, globalised economy (Leigh 2013). These structural changes have influenced the distribution of income, with inequality
The Shizuoka Senior Citizen Fitness Club
(Shizuka, December 14 6.25 am) After a peaceful sleep on floor mates, I am getting ready to join the Shizuoka fitness group with my neighbour and land- lord Mr Shida. Desperate for some exercise after a long flight from Australia and two weeks of no activity, I join the group
What now for the Japanese Economy: An interview with with one of Japan’s leading business consultants
Introduction Introduction During my recent visit to Japan, I was fortunate enough to talk and discuss the Japanese economy with one of Japan’s leading business consultants at the American Club in Tokyo. Surprisingly, although I had undertaken, what I considered due diligence in terms of reviewing the available economic data, his
The Labour Market in “Home and Away” (Australian soap opera)
If you are sick, need a tradesperson, want good police protection and like sports and entertainment, Summer Bay may be the place for you, despite its high mortality rate! Introduction The popular series Home and Away began in 1988, Set in the fictional coastal town of Summer Bay began with
Why would you shop at an unfriendly grocer?
On visiting a seaside resort town, I came across a shop called the “Friendly Grocer”. I wondered why it was necessary to specify friendliness?. Would customers shop, all things being equal, at an unfriendly grocer? and does greeting customers with a smile allow for higher prices? On inspection a number
Perspectives on the Japanese economy – series II
Series II Reasons behind the slowdown; standard economic cycle behaviour or a peculiarly Japanese problem? All economies go through cycles. Standard economic cycles range from 5-7 years, The unusual feature of the Japanese path is that it has been sustained for longer than normal. As will be argued below, the
Perspectives on the Japanese economy – series I
Series I Introduction The Japanese economy and its stunning economic success were a major topic of discussion for economics students in Australia in the 1970s. I learned with much interest about the post war Japanese economic miracle which began in the 1960’s. The dominance of Japanese in electronics and cars well
Teachers as health workers; a consideration of the economic impacts using unique survey data
Abstract Teachers face a multiplicity task in undertaking their work. Some of these tasks are not primarily educational and may be described as health related. In the provision of these services there is a net transfer of economic benefit from the Education Sector to the Health Sector. Disentangling the net
Placing an economic value on clinical service interventions using self-reported data
This presentation examines the value of and necessity for economic evaluation of community based educational health initiatives. In house evaluation of these initiatives are often based on self-reported data that requires analysis for both reliability and suitability in economic evaluation. This presentation sets out to describe the necessary steps to
Economic Costs of Road Congestion in Australia and how to reduce it : Part II
Despite numerous and well-intentioned efforts to reduce road congestion, any relief achieved by these efforts tends to be short lived. Consider the case of the M1 in Queensland The M1 Pacific Motorway to the Gold Coast—particularly the stretch between Brisbane and Tugun—began experiencing congestion issues relatively soon after its initial
Economic Costs of Road Congestion in Australia and how to reduce it : Part I
Commuters from outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne spend 41% of their commute stuck in traffic, equivalent to ~77 hours/year These delays are roughly two full working weeks per year per driver. Without major action congestion and associated costs are expected to double by 2030 Traffic congestion is a persistent issue in urban areas worldwide,
Structural change in Australian Universities- Part 3 the impact of the rise in international students
International students have become a major source of revenue for Australian universities but also a source of structural and ethical concern Introduction International students have been a major source of revenue for Australian universities since the 1990s, with their contributions growing significantly over time. Pre Covid in 2018-19, international
Structural Change in the higher education in Australia: Part 2 HECS and beyond
The Australian Government supported tertiary enrolments in Australia with the HECS scheme in 1989. It saw no need to extend this deferred payment scheme to vocational education until 2017. By this time, and as a partial consequence, student HECS debts were becoming unsustainable, Australia faced a severe skilled labour shortage
We need tax rate indexation to reduce the impacts of bracket creep
All political parties are aware of bracket creep and Governments of all persuasions have come to rely upon it as a means of “least resistance” revenue raising. The most galling thing is their pretence that the return of a proportion of this stealth tax represents a genuine tax cut for
John Mangan talks sports marketing with Rick Burton
Rick Burton’s career is immersed in sports entrepreneurship and marketing. He serves as the marketing manager for the US Olympic team in 2008, established the National Basketball league in Australia, set up the J League Soccer competition in Japan and was influential in the creation of a national basketball competition
Why the NRL must expand into Christchurch
Why the NRL must expand into Christchurch In the interest of transparency, I should declare that I write this blog as a strong Rugby league fan. Rugby league, while dominant in Australia and PNG (bless their hearts) is dwarfed internationally by Rugby Union. I find this, in terms of product
Guns or Butter: Health Spending versus Defence Spending
Guns or Butter: Health Spending versus Defence Spending Introduction The phrase “guns or butter” originated during the early 20th century, particularly around the time of World War I. The concept was likely first articulated by William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson. Bryan resigned in protest over