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John Quiggin

@johnquiggin.bsky.social

4.3K followers 130 following 4.4K 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

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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%

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 6h

Pleased to see a shout out to @DanDavies. But no mention of Australia's great contributor, Lex Greensill.
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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 6h

I first read about the dangers of receivables accounting in The Money Game by "Adam Smith" (aka George Goodman) which I got as a school prize. Exemplar was Brunswick Co that sold pin-spotting machines on credit to bowling alleys. As this article shows, the game goes on.

www.economist.com/fi...
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The most dangerous corner of a balance-sheet

Forget debt. Here is something to villainise

www.economist.com

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 7h

You can do the numbers. They are maintaining about 700k in the field and losing 30k a month killed and wounded, about 360k a year. So, the average expectation is about 2 years. Those who were in the initial invasion force must either dead or dead lucky.

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 8h

Russia can carry on current WWI-style infantry + drone war with Ukraine indefinitely, but capacity for any kind of rapid advance is almost gone. Good news for the rest of Europe, and good reason to expand support for Ukraine.
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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 8h

Not placing too much reliance on a single report, but it seems likely that #Russia's vast stockpile of tanks, fighting vehicles and artillery has mostly been exhausted. Navy and air force also depleted, and pre-war army mostly wiped out. 1/2

united24media.com/la...
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From 7,342 to 32—Satellite Analysis Shows Russia’s Depot Armor Is Nearly Spent

An analysis of Russia's military reserves shows a critical shortage of functioning tanks, hindering the Kremlin's ability to sustain its forces on the ground.

united24media.com

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 21h

More coming

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 21h

Yesterday, I found a journal article published in 2021, which I had read as a working paper in 2009. The main author left academia years ago, I believe, but their co-author obviously persisted, managing to get it out in a journal ranked well below where it would have first been submitted.

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 21h

The closest thing to .arxiv is the seminar circuit centred on the US NE, where a working paper can be presented to audiences that include the likely referees. Since the paper is out of BU, I'd guess it's going through that process now.

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 21h

The publication process is painfully slow in economics, and five years isn't unusual. Rejection rates are above 90 per cent at most good journals, and getting to the point of rejection can take a year.

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 21h

"Now, it’s worth noting that this comes from a working paper that has yet to be evaluated by peer review or published in a major journal, and considering that it was first drafted in 2020, I’m guessing it never will." Your guess is probably wrong.

Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Jan W. Mueller, John Quiggin , and 6 more Stephen M. Walt, Jan W. Mueller, John Quiggin, Julia Lynch, Lauren Hersch Nicholas, Jacob T. Levy, Henry Farrell, Stephen A. Meserve, Anita Gohdes

Filipe Campante @filipecampante.bsky.social · 1d

It might be hard to convey to people outside economics just how seismic this is. The Trump effect has most certainly arrived to US academia.

Florian Scheuer @florianscheuer.bsky.social · 1d

I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

I was doing smelter bailouts today. I'll try to catch up with this disaster

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

I assumed as soon as I read about the six-foot tailless monkeys that the informants were having a lend (and in fact that JG was in on the joke).

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

Labor, the natural party of government in Australia, but no longer the party of initiative

The natural party of government in Australia

But no longer the party of initiative

johnquigginblog.substack.com

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks to my marvellous friends and readers, I've reached my fundraising goal of $1500 and the status of B2GC Champion.

Now all I have to do is keep my head down and turn the pedals about 20 000 times (200 rotations per km for 100km) between Brisbane and the Gold Coast

fundraise.mater.org....

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

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

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

"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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 1d

"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 · 2d

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

Chris Hedges – Statement by the National Press Club

npc.org.au

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 2d

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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 2d

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

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Reposted by John Quiggin

Peter Cook: Brexorcist in Chief: Reboot Britain @brexitrage.bsky.social · 3d

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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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
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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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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

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Reposted by David Peetz

John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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...

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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

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John Quiggin @johnquiggin.bsky.social · 3d

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

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