Wealth is just a bunch of claim checks on the activities of others in the future. You can use that wealth in any way you want to. You can cash it or give it away. But the idea of passing wealth from generation to generation so that hundreds of your descendants can command the resources of other people simply because they came from the right womb flies in the face of the meritocratic society. I'd have a higher tax at higher levels of wealth. I wouldn't mind having no tax up to a point and then one hundred per cent for an estate over a hundred and fifty million dollars.

Warren Buffet

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.

Howard (released 21 July 2006)
An opinion column on John Howard published in the Australian Financial Review, 5 October, 2005.
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Come Closer Comrade (released 21 July 2006)
An imaginary conversation about a phantom pre-selection. Unpublished opinion column, 2005
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Pathological Organisation (released 21 July 2006)
The dysfunctional organisation and its pathological effects. Extract from a larger work in progress: Age of Abstraction: Perils and Possibilities of our Time
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Passivity (released 19 July 2006)
The passive social state and passive capital are the curses of our age. Extract from a larger work in progress: Age of Abstraction: Perils and Possibilities of our Time
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Our Age (released 19 July 2006)
Abstraction is the characteristic of our age. Extract from a larger work in progress: Age of Abstraction: Perils and Possibilities of our Time.
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Jihad of Symbolism (released 19 July 2006)
The escalating extremism of terrorism and democratic militarism. Extract from a larger work in progress: Age of Abstraction: Perils and Possibilities of our Time
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What does the ALP need in a leader now? (released 18 July 2006)
Opinion column, January 18, 2006
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Citizenship, Land Rights, Economic Rights… and the importance of Micro Finance (released 18 July 2006)
Some early thinking about the need for linking up the Indigenous Stock Exchange with micro-finance initiatives
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The Future of Success: An Interview with Bob Reich (released 18 July 2006)
Bob Reich enjoyed this meeting with Indigenous Australian leaders. It was a great occasion in Cairns with Noel and Gerhardt Pearson.
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Previously unpublished written notes on the eve of Mark Latham's elevation to the leadership (released 18 July 2006)
Unpublished and unedited written notes in the lead up to the Federal caucus vote which would install Mark Latham as leader of the ALP.
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