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Spectator Australia Diary

First published in The Spectator Australia, 13 September 2019For the past three years, I had been looking to say something strong and substantial about Brexit. I first had a go at an Australian Chamber of Commerce event in London not long after the referendum, and then had a couple of pieces in The Spectator, but my...
on September 13, 2019

Address to Budapest Demographic Summit

In the long run, said John Maynard Keynes, we’re all dead, which perhaps explains why most of us worry much more about what’s happening tomorrow, or next week, than what might happen in ten years’ time, let alone in 50 years. Yet sometimes we really should have to focus on what’s important, rather than what’s...
on September 5, 2019

Address to the Danube Institute

The working title for these remarks is what Australia can teach Hungary on border protection. In fact, Australia has very little to teach Hungary on border protection. In fact, no country has much to teach Hungary on border protection. But Australia does have much to teach Europe on border protection – as does Hungary, which...
on September 4, 2019

Not just better than the alternative, voters believe in Gladys

The NSW election result is a personal triumph for Gladys Berejiklian – the first woman to win an election in our largest state. It’s also a great result for the government…

on March 25, 2019

No deal? No problem

First published in The Spectator Australia, 1 March 2019 Britain, we’re led to be believe, is heading for the worst catastrophe in its history. Officialdom is warning that a no-deal Brexit would mean trucks backed up for miles at Dover, chaos at airports, a special poverty fund to cope with the fallout and — horror! — a…

on March 1, 2019

Liberals back free markets, not oligopolies gouging power customers

First published in The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 December 2018 The Liberal Party is convinced that free markets are by far the best way to generate wealth and thinks that allowing people to do what’s in their best commercial interests will usually maximise society’s economic well-being. But that doesn’t mean “anything goes”. The party has never believed…

on December 8, 2018

Indigenous uplift begins in class: here’s how Canberra can help

First published in The Australian, 8 December 2018 To live in Australia is to have won the lottery of life — unless you happen to be one of those whose ancestors have been here for tens of thousands of years. That’s the Australian paradox. Vast numbers of people from around the world would risk death to be…

on December 8, 2018

Statement to Parliament on Remote Indigenous Education

Back when prime minister, I used to observe, that to live in Australia is to have won the lottery of life – and that’s true – unless you happen to be, one-of-those whose ancestors had been here for tens of thousands of years. That’s the Australian paradox. Vast numbers of people from around the world…

on December 6, 2018

Destructive decision will disable indigenous self-help

First published in The Australian, 5 December 2018 When the Labor Party does good work, sensible Liberals give credit where it’s due. Back in 2008, working closely with Cape York leader Noel Pearson, the then minister for indigenous affairs, Jenny Macklin, and then Queensland premier Anna Bligh set up the Family Respon­sibilities Commission. Thereafter, there was always…

on December 5, 2018

Civic Virtues and the Future of the Centre-Right

First published in Quadrant December 2018 Edition This is the age of disruption, in politics as much as in business, and political parties must respond or fail. In France and Italy the long-established big parties, of the Left and of the Right, have largely been swept away. In Germany, the main parties, of the Right…

on December 3, 2018