Health

This update has become something of a weekly policy analysis wrap, given the flurry of announcements we’re getting ahead of a federal election that now looks like it’ll be held on or before 12 April (today is the deadline for a 29 March election to be called).

The fallout from the first Trump 2.0 tariffs has continued into the week, with the latest casualty (other than global equities) being the risky crypto that had been bid up on what was ‘supposed’ to be a market-friendly Trump government:

I trust everyone’s nice and refreshed from the summer break! Lots of interesting things to discuss today, starting with some positive-sounding housing policy news from NSW. Potentially good news on housing # The NSW government and the opposition are getting serious about housing:

Here are a few short takes for you to chew over on the weekend, from the week’s happenings that probably didn’t need a full post. 1. Confusing cause with effect # Former chair of the ACCC, Allan Fels, released his much anticipated report into “price gouging and unfair pricing practices” on Wednesday, and let’s just say it’s a good thing Fels has been out of public policy making for over 20 years.

The vaping crackdown will impose huge costs on users, drive some to the black market and force others to smoke more cigarettes, despite vapes being far less harmful than smoking. Instead of prohibition, regulate vapes like alcohol.