"You can't do well in investing unless you think independently. And the truth is, you are neither right nor wrong because people agree with you. You're right because your facts and reasoning are right. In the end, that's what counts".

Warren Buffet

Snowball Warren Buffet and the Business of Life, Alice Schroeder, Random, 2008, p. 682

Latest Papers

The working papers collection comprises historical papers as well as current ideas and works in progress on some of the major issues and topics of our times.

Governing NSW - Local Government (released 23 March 2007)
John Turner worked hard in the parliament and pipped Kerry Hickey.
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Governing NSW - Gaming & Racing & Central Coast (released 23 March 2007)
Grant Mc Bride, George Souris and Chris Hartcher had an even battle in gaming and racing and Central Coast portfolios.
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Governing NSW - Water Utilities, Small Business, Regional Development, Illawarra (released 23 March 2007)
Labor and Liberal National party Ministers and Shadow Ministers were evenly matched in these portfolios.
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Governing NSW - Energy, Ports & Waterways (released 23 March 2007)
Joe Tripodi was simply no match for Peta Seaton, Andrew Stoner and Gladys Berejiklian
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Governing NSW - Fair Trading & Western Sydney (released 23 March 2007)
Despite her war wounds you couldn’t get a better Westie than Di Beamer who knows her way around the hard suburbs. She’s generally held her own and been effective at repelling some of the Opposition leader's more fanciful attempts to win votes in the West.
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Governing NSW - Roads (released 23 March 2007)
In a clear area of major weakness for the government, Stoner has had some major hits. It was Stoner who said of the ALP in May 2006 "The origins of this once-proud party were in the bush, the Labor Party is now a city-dominated party whose frontbench looks like the cast of The Sopranos..” The Sopranos tag has stuck.
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Governing NSW - Justice, Juvenile Justice, Emergency Services, Land & Rural Affairs (released 23 March 2007)
In the Justice portfolio, Labor’s Tony Kelly and the Liberal National Party’s Greg Aplin were equally matched. In Juvenile Justice the youth criminalisation policy of the Liberal National party is not a credible way of dealing with youth crime. In Emergency Services and Land and Rural Affairs the major parties were on level peggings.
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Governing NSW - Primary Industries & Mineral Resources (released 23 March 2007)
The contest between Ian Mc Donald and Duncan Gay in the Legislative Council was often colourful. Labor’s strong strategy for rural and regional NSW and Mc Donald’s ability to humorously shrug off Gay’s attacks gave it the edge. Mc Donald also travelled energetically and extensively offering support throughout NSW during the second worst drought in one hundred years. This held him in surprisingly good stead for a Labor member within the rural community.
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Governing NSW - Tourism Sport & Recreation (released 23 March 2007)
Labor appears to be playing catch up in this portfolio. The Liberal National policy is significantly better researched and presented.
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Governing NSW - Aboriginal Affairs (released 23 March 2007)
Until the major parties see that it is important to set out Aboriginal affairs policies in election campaigns, Australia will remain an under developed country. Brad Hazzard has been a noble Liberal National Shadow Minister for a decade. However if Labor wins the next election the promotion of Linda Burney is a necessity that may create some competition, vision and policy substance at a political level that is badly needed in NSW.
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