Miscellaneous

By Leith van Onselen From the AFR comes some interesting prognosticating from Standard & Poors’ (S&P) analyst, Craig Michaels, on the risks posed from a sharper than expected slowdown of the Chinese economy.

Interesting night overnight with more Taper talk in the US, a less dovish than expected Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and a much stronger yen than anyone could really imagine given the challenges of the Japanese economy.

ANZ has an interesting note out today looking at reasons for why NSW could lead national growth as the mining boom drags down our former high-flying states.

From the AFR comes Tony Abbott today: And we may have a new catch phrase!

The first day of the 2013 election campaign saw opinion polls that were more favourable to the Coalition than Labor: Essential was unchanged at 49-51 in the Coalition’s favour. Morgan had moved a point to the Coalition to be 49.5-50.5 in the Coalition’s favour (using the preference flows from the 2010 election).

The monthly Dunn and Bradstreet Business Expectations survey is out and shows a slight hiatus in the deterioration: Business confidence levels are showing signs of stabilising, with the year-end outlook for profits, sales, employment and capital investment beginning to level out.

Kevin Rudd has called the election for September 7.

NAB has a little note out confirming my reading of the Economic Statement today and with some excellent extra details on persistent Treasury unicorns and rainbows.

Righto.

Tony Abbott is out this morning declaring: The federal Coalition has backed down on its opposition to Labor’s school funding plans in a bid to neutralise education as an election issue.

I have watched David Murray’s post CBA public service career with a mix of trepidation, anger and admiration.

From AP: Treasurer Chris Bowen is expected to reveal a $30 billion black hole in revenue when he releases Labor’s economic statement today in Canberra at 1300 AEST.

From the AFR today, Warwick McKibbin appears with new evidence for the argument I put earlier this week that Australia’s fiscal strategy should shift away from the cuts and surpluses of Howard/Costello and towards an outcome focused on spend quality.

Gosh, this from the Kouk this morning: As always, economics and economic policy management will be dominant issues in the election campaign.

And so, the surplus imbroglio marches on.

From The Australian: KEVIN Rudd has all but ruled out an August 31 election date and is now unlikely to call a poll until at least September 21 – three years and one month after Labor went to the voters in 2010.

Cross-posted from Mark the Ballot.

Allan Border is exactly the kind of guy that the Australian cricket team needs right now.

From the AFR: Labor has agreed to make it easier to dump an opposition leader than a prime minister, during a special caucus meeting at the Balmain Town Hall on Monday.

Boy, is it ever going to script.

From Roy Morgan today: This week, the exclusive Roy Morgan Reactor tested Australians’ responses to the appearance on ABC’s Q&A on Monday night of Minister for Defence Stephen Smith, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Julie Bishop, and Greens Senator Scott Ludlum.