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Gadfly 258 By Robert Macklin If Shakespeare were writing today, I think he’d change his famous quote from Dick the Butcher in Henry VI Part 2. You know the one, ‘The first thing we do, Let’s kill all the lawyers.’ Not that I have much time for lawyers. Recently, I needed to sort out a concern over one of my biographies with a relative of the subject. We were quite good friends and we pretty much sorted it out face to face and on the phone. But then she said she’d ask her lawyer to confirm it in writing. And wouldn’t you know – when the lawyer’s letter arrived it expanded the little problem into a big issue and I had to get my lawyer to respond. Suddenly the relative and I were adversaries; the dispute was finally resolved but a friendship that I valued was gone forever. That’s lawyers for you. However, these days they are much less pestilential – at least on the macro scale – than that other mob of pretentious ‘experts’ we call economists. They pretend they know stuff in the same way that theologians assert their absolute certainty about the number of angels who could dance on the end of a pin. And by their jabbering of forecasts – they effect our day to day lives in the most extraordinary manner. How many times have you heard some television newsreader intone the message that, ‘Most economists believe the number of jobless/hours worked/inflation figures/trade balance/widgets exported would have been much higher/ lower/smaller/bigger than today’s result.’ And in consequence the government is embarrassed or triumphant and either changes course or doubles down on whatever the result portends. Either way, it turns out a mistake. Truth is, the economists don’t know, anymore than the theologians know the precise number of their angelic terpsichoreans. It’s all a giant con. Yet we’re so scared of the unknown that we elevate them to the status of guru and every night on the ABC we get a segment from the chummy Alan Kohler with their pretty graphs and chatty reportage about the miniscule movements – for no apparent reason – of various stocks, bonds and commodities. At least he does it with the smile of someone who is in on the joke. Unlike, say, the Nobel Prize committee who last week gave the Economics Prize to three characters who, they assured us, had thrown a piercing light on the causes of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Golly, I’d been on tenterhooks waiting for that one. I confess, however, that until recently I’d actually made a point of reading Paul Krugman in the NYT who also won a Nobel for some breathtaking economic insight. I thought it gave me a social cache at parties to casually drop his name into the conversation. But then yesterday I read this – his latest. It was my road to Damascus moment: “I agree with the conventional wisdom on this, and I’m agnostic about the issue of whether slack is best measured by the unemployment rate, the ratio of vacancies to unemployment or something else. I’m also reasonably sure that the economy is indeed running too hot, so the Fed was right to raise rates — although I’m much less clear about whether the Fed needs to keep raising rates, given that much of the effect of past rate hikes has yet to be felt. As I said, there’s still a lot of downdraft in the pipeline.” See what I mean: ‘The first thing we do…’ robert@robertmacklin.com
Reading—le er to the editor Road Reserve community asset given the boot
The latest step in the saga of the Crown Road Reserve off Turnbulls Lane is the confirma on by Crown Lands of the sale to one landowner (presumably the Lot 6 landowner) to facilitate the Council’s desired no management responsibility outcome. The proposal for the Turnbulls Road Reserve to become a public recrea on asset that the neighbouring community would con nue to manage as it has done for over the past five years has been obliterated.
The Council’s own ‘recrea on and open space’ strategy gives high priority for bike, horse and walking trails in item E13, a major opportunity for the reserve that could not penetrate council’s mindset for packing into our open spaces as many rate payers as possible. Given Moruya’s Lot 6 Turnbulls Lane subdivision for 97 house lots and the Francis Street subdivision of 95 house lots, is there a need to destroy longstanding public rightof-ways to gain more house blocks? The 20-metre-wide road reserve also serves as an essen al firebreak providing through- access for Rural Fire Service vehicles. The environmental benefits of the road reserve as a green buffer with its important trees that would minimise the visual and heat impact of an extensive expanse of urban roofs, the possibility of a community managed recrea on route for community use and the demise of the last historic albeit paper, remnant of Lagoon Road is now lost forever. Whether the reserve becomes either a road or house blocks it is highly likely the important trees will go. It is a kick in the face for the Swan Ridge Place neighbours who have lost an asset, although one they did not own, but for several years did manage and enjoy. The road reserve can now be purchased for a price being determined by the Valuer General, although in May this year, it was priced by Crown Lands for the Lot 6 owner at the rate or $39,187 per ha. According to the most recent advice from Crown Lands, the revaluated price will not be made public.
Thanks to our State member Dr Holland and local Councillors Worthington and Mayne who support the value of community owned public space and land caring, the local natural environment, and the importance of a protected recrea on area for community well-being. Juliet Ramsay Swan Ridge Place, Moruya Above: The two clumps of important trees supposed ‘to be retained’!
Inga Simpson has wri en a new book! So don your whites and join us to celebrate with a spot of cricket, some bubbles and fun at @mogendoura_farm Bookings are essen al so pop in to the shop or give them a call to reserve your spot. The Willowman is out October 26th, pre-order your copy now.
Reading—A beer with Baz
Bazza had his chin neatly cupped between his thumb and forefinger with his elbow resting on the bar table. He scanned the front bar as the late afternoon clientele filtered in and he could not help observing how footwear defined people and hinted at their personalities. Heavy work boots for the tradies, designer flats for the businesswoman, shiny pointed black shoes for the real estate agent, thongs or sandals for the holidaymakers and branded sport shoes for the pretend Olympians.
Bazza took a sip of his schooner, rubbed his earlobe and returned his chin to its cradle.
The same greetings echoed around the bar with various “G’days” or sometimes an elongated “Gidday …… mate” for less frequent patrons.
The response to the follow up “How ya going?” intrigued Bazza.
The various “Yeah….. good”, “All right” and “Not bad” had the questioners simultaneously glancing at phones, checking the television or immediately making their way to the bar.
Bella, the publican, approached to wipe his bar table.
Bazza grinned.
‘Yeah….I know Bella. I don’t know why we ask “How ya going?” Everyone just gives an automated response even though we know people are doing it tough with personal issues, mortgage stress, rising prices and news loaded with floods and war. I’m just not sure if that greeting has any meaning at all.”
Bella straightened her back and smiled.
“But sometimes it’s genuine, Bella. Take Ron, over there. His wife has multiple sclerosis and is in a wheelchair.
Almost everyone greets him with “G’day Ron, how’s your wife?”. They stop what they are doing and are genuine about their inquiry. I reckon Ron could sit there with his head bandaged, an eye patch and two broken arms and everyone would still ask “G’day Ron, how’s your wife?”
Bella raised her eyebrows.
“How about if I greeted you with ‘G’day, Bella, what did you have for breakfast?’”.
“Exactly, Bella ……..and then just maybe that level of concentration might carry through to the next inquiry about
‘How ya going?’”.
Bella finished wiping the table and moved on as Mick approached.
Mick folded his arms and furrowed his brow.
A seated Mick pulled out his mobile phone and focussed on his text messages.
“Anyhow, Bazza……. how ya going?” Have a beer with Bazza at john.longhurst59@gmail.com
