Poirot,
I get the impression that you would favor the Rudolph Steiner model over the Japanese or Chinese model of more school and less holiday time. Oops, that would impinge on the teachers free ride holidays wouldn't it? Sorry it just slipped out.

Haven't given an update for a while.....

According to Stephen Koukoulas, the govt has just borrowed another $800 million, tenure - 11 years, yield - 4.08%

Total gross borrowing since 9 September is $18.0 billion.

Hi Poirot,

I've been having computer problems for the past week
so have been unable to post.

As for the metamorphosis of Joe Hockey?
Virginia Trioli had an interesting article in
"The Weekly Review," October 23-29, 2013.

She points out that "politics has changed in Australia
to the point where voters have been required to see an
entire party as embodied by one person only - one
leader - and where voters have treated these parties, and
their potential as a government, as the vision and
ambition of one person only. It's their triumph if they
get it right; it's entirely their fault alone, if they
don't."

Trioli tells us, "It's an absurdity. It's untrue,
and it's a wasteful disavowal of a parliamentary system
that has served this country well for so long."

"Australia is not a presidency, despite the now entrenched
style of our federal election campaigns. Despite the way
an election is pitched now by all - by the media, the parties
and the leaders themselves. We do not elect a prime minister,
we elect a parliament of individuals who are mostly aligned
by party connection and form themselves into a representative
government."

"Our governments are at their best when there is a vehement
contest of ideas, when, cabinet labours and struggles over
policies, when individuals dissent and speak out and sometimes
even step down because they strongly disagree with the policies
adopted. The strongly argued dissenting case is one of the
great contributions a politician can make to posterity and
to future good policy."

I agree with Trioli that it would
be great to see the return of the true ministerial
system, with clear delegation, clear autonomy and authority,
and the ability for all to be heard within a robust and
respectful group. It takes a particularly strong individual
to allow all that. A thoughtful, smart, secure, emotionally
intelligent adult. As Trioli states, "Let me know when you
next spot one.