As I have often argued, this graph from The Australia Institute shows that a major cause of rising house prices has been increased demand from investors. Their research shows restricting negative gearing to newly built housing and scrapping the capital gains tax discount would reduce speculation in the housing market and allow more first home buyers to get into their own home. Reducing tax concessions would also raise billions of dollars of revenue that can be used to build more housing. Negative gearing and the CGT discount cost the budget around $20 billion per year, more than twice the $8.4 billion state and territory governments spent on public and community housing in 2022-23.

I have just listened to the interview with Tim Winton on the CPX (Centre for Public Christianity) podcast, "Life and Faith". I highly recommend it. Winton is articulate in talking about the human condition, history, politics and the climate crisis. Some valuable wisdom here. https://publicchristianity.org/podcast/tim-wintons-refusal-to-submit-to-despair/

This weeks Federal Budget was a classic pre-election 'small target' budget, designed to offend no one. The modest tax cuts for lower incomes is welcome, but the budget leaves in place massive tax concessions for the wealthy and for the fossil fuel industry. It does nothing to address climate change or the housing crisis. One hopes that if Labor win another term of government, they will show a little more moral gumption. God knows that if Peter Dutton wins, then everything gets worse.

Yirara College in Mparntwe/Alice Springs is looking for a volunteer/s who might be interested in helping in the school library. This library is full of wonderful books and resources in many of our students’ languages, and about their communities and cultures. It is also a place our students love to spend time. But it is in need of extra hands, sorting and creating an ever-evolving space with more culturally relevant resources (including live story-tellers!). There are also paid roles at the school, including teaching, if anyone is interested in such opportunities. Find out more: https://yirara.nt.edu.au Contact Thea Smith for more information: thea.jawun.fwc8@gmail.com

80% of white evangelicals voted for Trump. Their Bibles must read something like this: "Truly I say unto you, whoever welcomes one of these little ones in my name ... might be letting in a murderer or a druggy." "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. And behold, now I'm all lazy and entitled." "Do unto others as you suspect they might want to do unto you."

Between 11,000 to 14,000 First Nations people killed in Australia’s frontier wars, according to the final massacre map of the Killing Times project. By comparison, it is estimated that 399 to 440 colonists were killed in frontier conflict. Australia cannot really move forward well until it knows its own past. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/23/more-than-10000-first-nations-people-killed-in-australias-frontier-wars-final-massacre-map-shows-ntwnfb