It was not that long ago that many economic commentators were talking of a direct trade-off between fiscal and monetary policy. Tax cuts and smaller budget surpluses, we were told, would lead to higher inflation and interest rates (strangely, the argument was rarely applied to increased government spending). Some economists were even brave enough to quantify this supposed trade-off.

Apparently, politics is simple. Either you are good and care for people, or you don’t.

If only houses were built of words instead of stones, the government would be well on track with its Indigenous housing program. As it turns out, its much celebrated Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) is not half as good with bricks and mortar as it is with the production of bureaucrat speak.