LOL. Canberra’s broadband is terrible

If you’re reading this anywhere south of Hindmarsh Drive, congratulations. Canberra’s worst-kept secret is finally out in the open, thanks to Member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann.

 

 

As reported in The Canberra Times, it will be another two years before NBN Co even commences a four-year plan to cover another 35,600 homes in the city’s southern reaches. On the internet, six years is the equivalent of a lifetime, and Tuggeranong folk will simply have to wait patiently to the tune of their dial-up modems until the troubled project reaches their front lawn.

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Deadline for another Braddon redevelopment.

 

Speaking of troubled projects, this week the opponents of developing Braddon’s Rugby League Park will have to decide whether to continue their action. The application has been the subject of attacks since its announcement three years ago.

The North Canberra Community Council is behind the challenge, and has pursued a number of different avenues to block the project – suggesting their stance is ideological rather than searching out a solution to satisfy all parties.

 

 

There has been a similar pushback to the Manuka Green proposal on the city’s southern side. Although that project is in its early days, you can bet there will b plenty of challenges from local groups looking to push back on any further development of the historic precinct.

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China lowers expectations… again

Premier Li Keqiang

At the fourth session of the 12th National Peoples Congress over the weekend, China’s own predictions for growth in 2016 has been brought down from 7.0% to 6.5 - 7.0%. The world is watching carefully, as a crash in China would potentially deliver turmoil worse than that of 2008. There is simply no cash left to again prop up world markets.

 

 

(Interestingly, after Tuesday when the Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate at 2.0%, the dollar has shot up to over US$0.74 – that will make Mr Stevens & Co nervous…).

In classic Chinese style, Premier Li Keqiang said, “pursuing development is like sailing against the current: you either forge ahead or drift downstream.” He also said the government must “ensure that China’s economy, like a gigantic ship, breaks the waves and goes the distance.” Poetic indeed, but there is one particular iceberg that China cannot control, and that is…

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Donald Trump

Donald Drumpf

 

“We’ll build a wall!” “Vladimir Putin loves me!”

Clearly these are the ravings of a madman, but a this is a madman who will spend the next eight days sweeping through state after state taking primaries and delegates and leave the US political establishment with no sense of how to stop him.

But what terrifies world markets – even those in Australia – is the so-called ‘expertise’ that Donald Trump threatens to bring to The White House. Along with Mexico, Trump sheets home blame for the loss of American manufacturing to China.

 

 

While claiming that he will, “Force Apple to make computers in America” he’s also shouting ideas for a 45% tariff on imported products to make domestic production more competitive.

You can bet the immediate result is to push sky-high the prices of almost every product sold in Walmart, Gap, and Target. The net effect will be to make pretty much everything for every American that Donald Trump claims to represent.... and there's potential for any handbrake on the Chinese economy to impact Australia in a big way.

But hey, that’s just details. Strap yourselves in to see just how far 'The Donald' will take us.