Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

John Quiggin

@johnquiggin.bsky.social

4.3K followers 130 following 4.3K posts

Economist & blogger @ http://johnquiggin.com, http://crookedtimber.org. http://johnquiggin.substack.com/?utm http://mstdn.social/@johnquiggin I repost my content, using the #repost hashtag. You can go to settings/filters to avoid seeing the same post. .. more

Videos

John Quiggin is an Australian economist, a professor at the University of Queensland. He was formerly an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow and Federation Fellow and a member of the board of the Climate Change Authority of the Australian Government. .. more

Economics 65%

Business 9%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 4h

Yes, it's the withdrawal (and subsequent obfuscation) that's the problem.

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 8h

"Sharkie said her constituents were concerned that South Australia’s Woodside Barracks would be sold and converted into housing as a result of the audit," Yes, nothing worse than more housing #auspol

‘Long overdue’: Government prepares to unveil dramatic Defence property sell-off

An overhaul of the nation’s 3 million-hectare defence property portfolio is set to raise billions of dollars as the Albanese government prepares to override military resistance.

www.smh.com.au

1 1 10

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 8h

"Storm, teacup".
This is the same kind of comment that people made about Trump until very recently, before he brought most of the US media to heel. Do you have any reason to think your judgement is better than theirs?

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

Here's the NPC statement npc.org.au/chris-hedges...

Chris Hedges – Statement by the National Press Club

npc.org.au

1 1

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

The National Press Club doing its best to destroy trust in legacy media #auspol

Statement on cancellation of Chris Hedges’ confirmed appearance at the National Press Club of Australia

AFOPA is responding to the statement published on 4 October 2025 by the National Press Club of Australia in relation to their cancellation of Chris Hedges’ confirmed appearance at the National Press Club on 20 October 2025.

johnmenadue.com

5 10 17

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

Renewables have now passed coal globally – and growth is fastest in countries like Bhutan and Nepal

Even as clean energy progress slows in the US and EU, developing nations such as Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives are surging ahead.

theconversation.com

2 11

Reposted by John Quiggin

Peter Cook: Brexorcist in Chief: Reboot Britain @brexitrage.bsky.social · 1d

Take direct action on #Brexit.

Send copies of the #RejoinEU book to MPs and influencers.

Endorsed by Lords Heseltine and Newby. Featuring input from former MEPs, a KC, and subject experts.

See www.amazon.co.uk/Rejoin-EU-Mr...

Rejoin EU : Reboot Britain

Buy Rejoin EU : Reboot Britain by Cook, Mr Peter, Ward MEP, Ms Julie, Clutterbuck, Dr Charlie, Hindley MEP, Mr Michael, Nowak, Ms Wendy, Cawthorne, Mr Paul, Knott, Mr Terence, Ekins-Daukes, Mr Adrian, Forrester KC, Mr Ian, Sampson, Mr Mark (ISBN: 9798305106251) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

1 1

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

The Express is right to say that this is a disaster for Starmer, who has continued to chase the Tory dream of "cakeism" (getting all the benefits of EU membership while staying out), and added a side helping of humble pie, crawling to Trump for favors and getting kicked in return

3/3

1 4

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

This is the same paper that claimed being in the EU had destroyed the UK steel industry. www.express.co.uk/ne...
2/3

EU's horrifying impact on British steel sector exposed

THE EU had a horrifying impact on the steel industry in Britain, Conservative MP John Redwood has claimed in an interview with Express.co.uk.

www.express.co.uk

1 1 3

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

An amusing case of #FAFO as the most rabidly pro-Brexit paper in Britain rages at the EU for ... treating Britain the same as every other
non-EU country.
www.express.co.uk/ne...
brexit-revenge-plot
1/3

EU makes major threat to UK in Brexit revenge plot - it's a disaster for Starmer

The UK steel sector is facing its "biggest crisis" in history as the EU prepares to impose "devastating" tariffs of up to 50%.

www.express.co.uk

2 1 7

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 2d

Australia faces a looming crisis of older women retiring in poverty. Here’s what we can do johnmenadue.com/post...?

Australia faces a looming crisis of older women retiring in poverty. Here’s what we can do

Australia faces a serious challenge. Despite important progress on gender equality over recent decades, a looming crisis now threatens the economic security of older women. Without urgent and bold action, we risk consigning further generations of women to poverty in retirement.

johnmenadue.com

1 1 8

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 2d

Trump's capricious and arbitrary polic

US losing ‘moral authority’ in Pacific, report warns

The CSIS says Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, transactional dealings and cuts to foreign aid are making it harder for Canberra to negotiate regional tensions.

www.afr.com

2 2

Reposted by David Peetz

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 2d

I've got 40 years of work invested in #Apple, and now they've gone evil. No easy way to shift, so for the moment I've just shelved all plans to buy anything new. I was really looking forward to an iPhone 17.

pluralistic.net/2025...

1 3 9

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 2d

What's left of the US cutting itself off from the world in every way it can. It leaves a big hole

Libraries Can’t Get Their Loaned Books Back Because of Trump’s Tariffs

Libraries have shared their collections internationally for decades. Trump’s tariffs are throwing that system into chaos and can ‘hinder academic progress.’

www.404media.co

10 14

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 2d

Yet again a failure of quasi-NGO university education for which minister Clare takes no responsibility

Careers in limbo after graduates discover university courses were never accredited

Students have been left with HECS debts and careers that are "non-existent" after completing degrees that were not accredited. Class actions have been launched against two Australian universities.

www.abc.net.au

2 9 8

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

Direct air capture doesn't solve the fundamental problem of CCS - where to store the CO2 once it's captured

Financial Times

News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publication

ft.pressreader.com

1 3 3

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

Solutions will only be reached when universities are treated as a public service, like schools and hospitals, rather than as a set of quasi-private entities subject to half-hearted regulation
2/2

2 12

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

This is, unfortunately, misconceived. The federal government is the source of the problem - #university bosses are responding to the incentives successive governments have provided. #auspol

www.nteu.au/News_Art...
1/2

Broken university governance needs urgent reform after unprecedented federal intervention

The National Tertiary Education Union has urged the federal government to overhaul Australia’s broken university governance system following an unprecedented intervention by the Education Minister.

www.nteu.au

1 1 6

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 4d

A generic policy problem. When crimes are profitable (illegal tobacco, tree clearing), local government lacks the tools to police them

Stolen views, shipping containers and ‘shame signs’: do Australia’s tree wars need a new solution?

Conservationists and councils have called for bigger fines, a national database about illegal tree removals and even jail time to deter tree killers

www.theguardian.com

2 3

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 4d

John Burn-Murdoch asks: Has the world passed peak social media? At a minimum, Musk has killed Xitter and Meta is in decline. And, as the article says, we must be near saturation point with short-form video.

Financial Times

News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publication

ft.pressreader.com

1 1 2

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 4d

Indeed, I make this very point a bit further on

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

Spooky season reading, including my own Zombie Economics

Spooky season reading

Curious about all things melancholy and mysterious? As the nights grow longer and chillier, there's no better time to curl up with a hauntingly good book. From Gothic style and graveyards to Zombies and Calculus, we’re summoning the perfect reads for autumn’s darkest hours.

press.princeton.edu

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

The long retreat from public housing yet another failure of neoliberalism. "Social housing" at best a partial substitute
3/3

1 2 8

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

The failure of #HAFF was predictable and predicted (by me anyway). A typical Grattan exercise in trying to deliver policy outcomes without actually spending any money out of the budget
johnquiggin.com/2021...
2/3

Hypothecation and housing

In my first post on Labor’s $10 billion housing fund, I pointed out that the $10 billion number is misleading. The key idea is to borrow $10 billion at the low rate of interest payable on governme…

johnquiggin.com

1 2 5

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

Long article on the failure of #Labor's #HAFF scheme gets to the point right near the bottom, quoting Greens' Senator Pocock "“It would have been better for the government to directly fund the construction of social and affordable housing" #auspol

www.abc.net.au/news/...
1/3

The PM wants to build homes like the one he grew up in. These days, it's harder

It takes a long time to build anything at all in Australia's dysfunctional housing market, even for the federal government, but Labor's social housing fund is inching towards an impact.

www.abc.net.au

1 4 11

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

I support the version with individual accounts at central banks

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

There is none. "Digital" really means "unregulated".

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

Not actually true, at least if you're including Greens in relation to IR greens.org.au/news/media-r...
And Labor's tweaks to Morrison's Stage 3 were pretty lame.

Greens win a Right to Disconnect in Fair Work bill | The Australian Greens

Following months of negotiations with the government and the crossbench, the Greens have secured support in their push for a legislated right to disconnect for workers.

greens.org.au

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

"We must keep an open mind about stablecoins and financial innovation." On the contrary we should keep a suspicious mind, alert to the fact that the great majority of financial innovations are scams. Try them out on a small scale and with close supervision

Technology, Payments, and the Rise of Stablecoins

Technology, data, and changing societal values are reshaping how people and institutions move money and trade financial assets

www.imf.org

2 5 19

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 5d

Why Europe Needs a Digital Euro

It would safeguard monetary stability, fend off private payment monopolies, and stand as a potent symbol of European unity

www.imf.org

1 1