Australian Politics

Ah yes, the charming gas cartel: It’s just what Woodside shareholders want to hear. The record $US6.5 billion profit ($9.6 billion) for the full year reflects global high oil and gas prices and Woodside’s decision to double down on the future of oil and gas by acquiring all of BHP’s petroleum assets last year.

Some price relief is resuming in the National Electricity Market.

My base case is an ongoing reversion to mean for global gas and coal prices.

The AFR should be shut.

Unions are Australians’ last best hope of stopping Albo’s useful idiots of capital from wrecking the joint: Unions have opposed scrapping requirements for employers to prove domestic shortages before recruiting overseas workers, warning against a business push for quick fixes to the migration system by the May budget.

The treasonous AFR is horrified: Strangely enough, the prevailing response among investors to news that the $18.2 billion bid for Origin Energy by Canadian giant Brookfield and US private equity firm EIG has been lowered from $9 a share to $8.90 is likely to be one of relief.

Since war with China is so de rigueur, with ABC running a four-expert special on what it would look like for Australia, much of which is pretty naive, I thought I’d add some more realistic analysis of the economic outcomes.

The one fact that always seems to elude the gas debate is that 71% of east coast gas goes to China.

So says the Fake Left Guardian: The Albanese government is also in the frame. A majority of respondents (71%) think the federal government wears either some or a lot of culpability when it comes to rising interest rates.

He’s off with the fairies, as usual.

This chart sums up the LNG freefall nicely: That is one giant buyer that will not be around through H2.

Ironically, Gottiboff made a good point yesterday: Markets do not appreciate the turmoil that is taking place among the 15 or so per cent of employed Australians who are now on the brink of financial desperation.

Barring climate, Andrew Bolt is usually reasonable with the Australian national interest but not last night: Suddenly the battle for our future is today.

We’ve had a change of government and no change whatsoever.

Honestly, what is the good of this “Labor” bloke?

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he has received the latest five-year report from the Productivity Commission (PC) on how to improve Australia’s economy, and he says he is likely to release it during March in the lead-up to the budget in May.

The NSW government has given indications that it may be open to privatising more public assets in order to finance the state’s pipeline of infrastructure projects.

Last week, the Albanese Government introduced legislation to establish its $10 billion housing future fund (HFF).

The Albanese Government introduced legislation to establish its $10 billion housing future fund on Thursday.

Money is money, I guess, especially when the Atlassian share price has been demolished: The competition regulator has warned energy retailers their profit margins are under scrutiny as AGL revealed a stunning leap in profits from gas sales that bolsters producers’ calls for them to be included in Labor’s price caps and market intervention.

Think tank, I think not.