So what IS Baird's vibe, whatever that buzz word means?

The suggestion is that he will do anything to flog off public assets.

Where is the discussion on the crisis in TAFE (and shortage of skilled tradesmen?)

Why wasn't some of the State Aid issue mentioned?

What are all the benefits that private schools get in NSW
e.g. free bus travel, assistance for boarding-schools, etc etc.

Meanwhile State schools are languishing and the money supposed to be spent on maintenance just doesn't get spent

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-students-literacy-and-numeracy-rates-dropping-and-schools-not-being-maintained-report-20141212-125sdy.html

Shadow,

I have not made any "fanciful economics claims that have no basis in theory or history". What I have done is contradicted widely accepted economics claims that rely on a theoretical false assumption and/or a historical condition that no longer applies.

I accept that "financial and managerial incompetence" is the purported reason why councils are being forced to merge, but it does not seem to have any actual relationship with which councils are being forced to merge.

Aidan,

The councils are clearly badly managed, and given the reason for reorganizing them is the bad management (as the Labor NSW gov threatened to do), I am intrigued as to the reasons that you believe that they are being merged.

Modern economic theory is not a claim, it is detailed scientific analysis of economics over more than a century by brilliant mathematicians and economists including many Nobel laureates which has been shown again and again to accurately represent reality. What you claim has no basis in reality, and has several examples where it falls down completely.

It's not just the Newcastle issue ( loss of the railway line) or the Bridge to Nowhere, or the councils.
It's the pattern we see.
Ordinary people lose power. Big business gains. We get a giant phallic symbol at Barangaroo to attract more grubby people and nasty gambling types.
Baird sends out more public relations people and adds more to his Facebook page. etc etc

Bill Shorten has said he'll hold a referendum on Baird's forced council amalgamations.
It seems to me that he's trying to capture an anti-Liberal vote in the forthcoming election. Let's keep an eye on that one.
There could be some votes for Labor in it. They need every one they can get.

Waverley,

From Shorten declaring that the CFA bullying was state matter, he is now planning to get involved boots and all in NSW. He is planning a $20m plebiscite in 2019 when the mergers will be complete in a month or two.

Considering that his plebiscite will take place when the new councils are well established and likely to support the new status quo, the chance of Billy taking on state and local government is zero.