Alex’s blog about strategy, campaigning, growth, politics and climate (among other things).
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How mainstream economics hides the real cause of the cost-of-living crisis
Every time you get hammered buying groceries, petrol or by your rent or mortgage repayment, the mainstream media and economists tell you it is just the neutral laws of supply and demand — “just tighten your belt”. The establishment tells us that times are tough and sacrifices must be made. We are told the cost-of-living… Read more
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Why is the Reserve Bank increasing interest rates?
Today the Reserve Bank will make a decision whether to increase interest rates. If they do, their justification will be something like: “we need to cool the economy” or “reduce the persistent pressures driving up inflation”. This may sound like technical, complex economics, but it is actually very simple. The establishment economic “theory” of raising… Read more
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Why is Australia giving away $45 billion to foreign gas companies?
Australia is giving away around $45 billion each year to foreign gas companies at the same time as everyday people are being crushed by the cost-of-living crisis. That’s the latest data from Prosper and their new report Australia’s Resource Wealth Giveaway. Here’s what Prosper says: Australia could be collecting around $45 billion more every year… Read more
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What I’m reading (Oct 2026)
Stories and links that are of interest or relevance to leaders, strategists, campaigners and organisers. Inequality and the economy Global affairs Unions Workers’ rights Data, tech and privacy AI and the future of work Campaigning, communications and social media Society, media, health, news and culture Climate Change Read more
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Why billionaires love a conspiracy theory (and why it lets them off the hook)
Recently I’ve received emails from newsletter subscribers who want me to know that the world is run by “baby eating paedophiles” and the One World Government who want to poison the poor with psychiatric drugs. Progressives usually dismiss these kinds of messages and hit delete. With a bit of morbid curiosity, I decided to reply.… Read more
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Political slopaganda and weird AI content
Australia is at risk of being hijacked by Americanised, AI-created digital political trickery called “slopaganda”, designed to fool you and make you angry. If you use social media, you have almost certainly been targeted by it. We used to think that the risk of AI was from deepfakes — AI altered or created images, video… Read more
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How digital ‘dark patterns’ manipulate our brains and politics
Digital “dark patterns” are a multi-billion dollar system of behavioural manipulation used by Big Tech to deceive our brains and distort our politics, and they are a threat to Australia’s economy and democracy. Dark patterns are user interface designs and algorithms created to confuse individuals, obscure true preferences, or coerce unintended choices. They are deliberately… Read more
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What I’m reading (Sep 2026)
Stories and links that are of interest or relevance to leaders, strategists, campaigners and organisers. Inequality and the economy Global affairs Unions Workers’ rights Data, tech and privacy AI and the future of work Campaigning, communications and social media Society, media, health, news and culture Climate Change Read more
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What if inequality is causing the mental health crisis?
What if wealth inequality and neoliberalism was causing Australia’s mental health crisis through physically altering and damaging our brains? That’s the claim in research by eight academics that argues that inequality, deprivation and isolation are active forces in our society that causes neurological harm. Wealth inequality is a public mental health crisis — it is… Read more
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Talking about the economy with US voters
If you are telling struggling families that the economy is going well because the GDP or jobs data looks healthy, you have already lost them. That’s the key takeaway from an interesting new report from the right-wing Centre for Campaign Innovation called Voter Vocabulary: The Words Voters Use to Discuss Key Issues. This makes sense… Read more
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What if “economic growth” is the problem?
Australian political debate remains trapped in a singular and toxic obsession: pushing economic growth higher regardless of the human, social and ecological cost. However, despite enjoying material wealth far beyond subsistence, Australians report skyrocketing rates of stress, burnout, and disillusionment. The ANUpoll data, for example, shows “life satisfaction is lower than during the COVID-19 lockdowns… Read more
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What if the luxury property value crash is good, actually?
There is a panic in the corporate media about the luxury property value crash in exclusive suburbs like Mosman, Point Piper and Toorak. The investor class, property developers and real estate agents are trying to turn the falling prices into a national economic crisis, while everyday Australians are finally finding room to breathe. What we… Read more
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What I’m reading (August 2026)
Stories and links that are of interest or relevance to leaders, strategists, campaigners and organisers. Inequality and the economy Global affairs Unions Workers’ rights Data, tech and privacy AI and the future of work Campaigning, communications and social media Society, media, news and culture Climate Change Read more
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The real cost of Australia’s privatised electricity sector
Australia’s electricity costs are often presented as set by a natural, non-ideological “free market” — where prices respond to supply and demand. You don’t need to be an energy market expert to see the reality however is that this is a completely manufactured illusion. The entire national energy system was designed by the big business… Read more
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Why are so many people so lonely?
When you look at modern life, it is easy to see loneliness as a purely personal issue. We tend to view it as a matter of individual bad luck, changing social habits, or the breakdown of the traditional family. For many people, those changes are very real. You might see a neighbourhood where people no… Read more
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Power bills, groceries and rent: What 115+ readers said about cost-of-living
Last month, I asked a group of my newsletter subscribers how the cost-of-living crisis was impacting them and more than 115 people responded. (You can add your voice to the survey here.) Groceries, energy, housing, insurance and healthcare came up constantly — and all of these big increases in cost-of-living are being driven by concentrated… Read more
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Who is responsible for the mess Australia is in?
When the power to your small business gets cut off, your rent goes up, or your local shop closes, who is actually responsible? Some politicians and media commentators want you to believe it’s the fault of the greedy front-line workers, a recent immigrant or a person on NDIS. However the real culprit is a handful… Read more
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What I’m reading (July 2026)
Stories and links that are of interest or relevance to leaders, strategists, campaigners and organisers. Inequality and the economy Global affairs Unions Workers’ rights Data, tech and privacy AI and the future of work Campaigning, communications and social media Society, media, news and culture Climate Change Read more