Opinion & Commentary by Author

1. Losing sight of the lucky country

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Apr 2012 | Business Spectator

   Australia is a country that barely understands, let alone appreciates, its own luck.

2. Carmaker triumph or GM hypocrisy?

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 29 Mar 2012 | Business Spectator

   It's a product of public relations that Australians believe every government supports its own car industry, and looking at... Read More

3. EU referendum is a bad Irish joke

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 22 Mar 2012 | Business Spectator

   Economically, whatever happens in Ireland will not be decisive for the future of the euro. That is more likely being decided... Read More

4. Striking a French euro tinderbox

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Mar 2012 | Business Spectator

   Either Sarkozy or Hollande will win France’s presidential elections, but the project of European cooperation and integration... Read More

5. The hypocrisy of Europe's bankers

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 08 Mar 2012 | The Business Spectator

   As the eurozone crisis has now seemingly calmed down and my friend’s updates become more ecstatic by the week, I am afraid... Read More

6. A zero-sum carbon game

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 01 Mar 2012 | Business Spectator

   There is no point trying to subsidise reductions in carbon emissions if the total amount of emissions is capped anyway.

7. Returning to old European rivalries

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Feb 2012 | Business Spectator

   Europeans may one day wake up in an environment of revived national rivalries, new political extremism and a continent without... Read More

8. In search of a Greek hero

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Feb 2012 | Business Spectator

   To escape from its current mess, Greece does not need more Sisyphus work. It needs someone to tackle the Herculean task... Read More

9. A Ponzi by any other name

   Oliver Marc Hartwich | 09 Feb 2012 | Business Spectator

   Georgios Chatzimarkakis, a German-Greek member of the European Parliament, just had a splendid idea. In an interview with... Read More

10. An EU fix stuck at German denial

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 02 Feb 2012 | Business Spectator

    The summit-less time is over and the professional euro rescuers are back at work. After the first crisis meeting of EU leaders... Read More

11. Hallmarks of an EU power play

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 24 Jan 2012 | Business Spectator

    The tragedy of the European crisis is not that it was caused by striving for too much economic efficiency. The real tragedy... Read More

12. Paying for Europe's wishful thinking

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 19 Jan 2012 | Business Spectator

    It is one of the most used phrases in the eurozone crisis: Buying time. The measures taken by European politicians over the... Read More

13. Why Merkozy is destined to fail

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 12 Jan 2012 | Business Spectator

    The eurozone crisis may soon return with more bad news from bond markets. Pity Europe’s leaders are too busy to deal with... Read More

14. Testing the RBA's DNA

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Jan 2012 | Business Spectator

    As a practical first step towards more RBA independence, perhaps politicians of all parties could refrain from both applauding... Read More

15. A wild forecast for Euro pain

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 22 Dec 2011 | Business Spectator

    You may think that all of this sounds utterly ludicrous, and perhaps you are right. But ask yourself whether only two years... Read More

16. Let the online bargain hunt begin, properly

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 15 Dec 2011 | The Telegraph

    Australians are being ripped off due to Government regulations, especially when buying cars, bananas, and dvds.

17. A British pawn in Europe's game

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Dec 2011 | Business Spectator

    Perhaps it is dawning on Cameron that he had been moved like a pawn on a chessboard by his continental friends. His insistence... Read More

18. Germany's blissful euro ignorance

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 08 Dec 2011 | Business Spectator

    It is only a matter of time until reality will catch up with the Germans at some stage. But don’t wake them up just yet.... Read More

19. Merkozy's palliative care pact

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Nov 2011 | Business Spectator

    The euro won’t survive a day longer just because of the political marriage of the German chancellor and the French president.... Read More

20. No fuel like an old fuel: Germany's nuclear reaction provides a win for coal

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Nov 2011 | The Sydney Morning Herald

    Fear and green populism were bad counsellors indeed when Germany drew the wrong lessons from the Fukushima accident.

21. Europe's hidden doomsday machine

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 22 Nov 2011 | Business Spectator

    What Europe is still discussing and Germany is vehemently resisting – the transformation into a fiscal liability union... Read More

22. Will Mr Nobody crash Europe?

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 15 Nov 2011 | Business Spectator

    When Germany’s political Boxing Day comes on December 17, there could be some hidden surprises among the presents which... Read More

23. Europe's social failure

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 12 Nov 2011 | The Weekend Australian

    Capital markets are not loquacious storytellers. They condense the world into simple numbers. For this reason, the surge... Read More

24. Greece has no choice but to get out of eurozone

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 11 Nov 2011 | The Australian

    With the dramatic spike in Italian bond yields, the euro crisis has reached the stage everyone always wanted to avoid. Contagion... Read More

25. Europe awaits a Chinese burn

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 09 Nov 2011 | Business Spectator

    The assessment of Europe’s state of affairs could have hardly been harsher: “If you look at the troubles which happened... Read More

26. Going long on European deja vu

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 03 Nov 2011 | The Business Spectator

    Markets were euphoric, political leaders relieved. “Europe has taken a step forward. Europe and Greece will emerge stronger... Read More

27. Europe’s forgotten lessons of history

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Oct 2011 | ThirdLink Newsletter

    The rise and fall of the Euro is just another chapter in the long history of monetary unions in Europe. The Euro was not... Read More

28. Is Australia shy of the Asia boom?

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 27 Oct 2011 | Business Spectator

    By internationally practising a policy of exceptionalism against its Asian neighbours, and domestically following the path... Read More

29. Unravelling the Greek basket case

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 20 Oct 2011 | Business Spectator

    This weekend, European leaders will once more decide on how to deal with Greece.

30. A sterling sidestep

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 13 Oct 2011 | Business Spectator

    Under more normal circumstances, we would now be discussing the coming sterling crisis. That we are not doing so does not... Read More

31. Stepping stones to an EU inferno

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Oct 2011 | Business Spectator

    Don’t read too much into last week’s vote in the German parliament to extend the European Financial Stability Facility... Read More

32. Should Australia’s population be controlled?

    Jessica Brown, Oliver Marc Hartwich | 02 Oct 2011 | Sunday Herald Sun

    Australia should embrace population growth

33. A few home truths on people and houses

    Jessica Brown, Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Sep 2011 | The Age

    Population growth: starting acting, not discussing

34. Wanted: a friendly EU break-up

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 27 Sep 2011 | Business Spectator

    If the result of Europe’s bungled attempts of economic and political integration is a continent-wide disaster zone, the... Read More

35. Housing sense in short supply

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 Sep 2011 | Business Spectator

    While the rest of the world wonders what the next phase of the GFC will bring; and while the rest of Europe discusses the... Read More

36. Wet ink on a euro death notice

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 13 Sep 2011 | Business Spectator

    The euro has been a moribund currency for years. The remaining options to buy it more time have been blocked by the German... Read More

37. Skilled arrivals work in Australia's favour

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 07 Sep 2011 | The Newcastle Herald

    We are the richer for being more selective with our immigration policy in Australia

38. Don't get starry-eyed about housing

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Sep 2011 | Sydney Morning Herald

    In textbook markets there is no need for price forecasts. Prices are determined by the interaction of supply and demand.... Read More

39. A miracle that masks a mirage

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 01 Sep 2011 | The Australian

    As it turns out, there is not much in the German manufacturing example that Australia should copy. We would be much better... Read More

40. A poisoned chalice of EU power

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 25 Aug 2011 | Business Spectator

    Eurobonds had not even been on the agenda (officially, that is), and an EU-wide tax on financial transactions almost certainly... Read More

41. A euro power play that backfired

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Aug 2011 | Business Spectator

    As it turns out, the euro is not only an unworkable currency. It actually started as a French insurance policy against German... Read More

42. Setting a European time bomb

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 10 Aug 2011 | Business Spectator

    The announcement by Standard & Poor’s to downgrade US government debt may have been historic but largely inconsequential

43. Hitting pause on the eurozone crisis

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 04 Aug 2011 | Business Spectator

    Every year, the Centre for Independent Studies hosts a high-level conference in Queensland. One of the speakers this year... Read More

44. Think local and give country towns the freedom to prosper or perish

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Jul 2011 | The Australian

    FOR politicians, and especially for town planners, letting people decide where and how they want to live has never been an... Read More

45. Paying dearly for European insanity

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 Jul 2011 | Business Spectator

    it would be tempting to seize the moment and rehash all the arguments for why the euro will never work and cannot be saved.

46. Growing anger in local government

    Adam Creighton, Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 Jul 2011 | The Courier Mail

    So how well are Australian local government leaders really equipped to deal with population growth?

47. The PC empire strikes back

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 20 Jul 2011 | The Australian

    GERMAN banker Thilo Sarrazin is a pariah for saying things few would question here.

48. Local councils deserve a better financial deal

    Adam Creighton, Oliver Marc Hartwich | 18 Jul 2011 | The Canberra Times

    Council rates surging to pay for new residents

49. A bad time to damage our economy as the next stage of the GFC looms

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 15 Jul 2011 | The Australian

    WITH the US fiscal crisis nearing a dramatic finale, downgrades of European debt ratings continuing and the euro crisis deteriorating,... Read More

50. Learning from Europe's competitive spirit

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Jul 2011 | Business Spectator

    One of the classic questions of economic history is how the West grew rich.

51. Has the EU's stress test failed?

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 07 Jul 2011 | Business Spectator

    As the whole world worried about a potential Greek collapse, another European country experienced two actual bank failures.

52. Sending profits abroad is a good thing

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 04 Jul 2011 | Online Opinion

    It is amazing how easily people are convinced by this 'sending profits abroad' argument, when it is just a protectionist... Read More

53. The phantom giant of Luxembourg

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 30 Jun 2011 | Business Spectator

    Under the veil of its legendary diplomatic finesse, Luxembourg hides its profiteering role in the sad state of Europe’s... Read More

54. Putting Greek lessons into practice

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Jun 2011 | Business Spectator

    Excessive public debt plagues most developed economies, not just small countries on the periphery of Europe.

55. Is Germany saving Greece or saving itself?

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 16 Jun 2011 | Business Spectator

    The short-sighted German strategy of keeping the eurozone together at all costs is turning Greece into one big welfare recipient.

56. Europe enters a wintery spring

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 19 May 2011 | Business Spectator

    Europe’s debt crisis is far from over.

57. Eurovision notes EU disharmony

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 13 May 2011 | Business Spectator

    European integration is moving backwards and old nationalisms are returning, as seen in the Eurovision Song Contest as well... Read More

58. Australia’s Norwegian doppelganger

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 04 May 2011 | Business Spectator

    The IMF is calling for Australia to follow Norway and divert profits from the mining boom to a new sovereign wealth fund.

59. A dangerous euro enchantment

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Apr 2011 | Business Spectator

    Instead of bringing Europe’s peoples closer together, the struggling euro currency is driving them further apart.

60. Look to Britain and hold the champagne

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 25 Apr 2011 | The Sydney Morning Herald

    The UK property bust provides worrying parallels for our self-congratulatory local economy.

61. Sad songs from Portugal

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 Apr 2011 | Business Spectator

    Although EU loans are keeping the Portuguese government liquid for now, the austerity measures will be demanding – not... Read More

62. Out of Iceland's ashes

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Apr 2011 | Business Spectator

    Icelanders are great at turning crises into opportunities. The Eyjafjallajökull disaster provided a much needed impetus... Read More

63. Home is where the money is

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 07 Apr 2011 | Business Spectator

    Today country hopping has become a mass phenomenon. Global migration flows have increased, but the migrants themselves have... Read More

64. Greens unlikely to emulate German success

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Apr 2011 | The Australian

    Why is it that the Australian Greens cannot break out of their ghetto while their German friends are about to replace the... Read More

65. Britain's debt time bomb is still ticking

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 31 Mar 2011 | Business Spectator

    Britain’s economic problems are well known. After a massive expansion of government spending in the Blair and Brown years,... Read More

66. Getting the nanny state out of alcohol retail

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Mar 2011 | Online Opinion

    To Australian regulators, beer, wine and spirits seem to be in the same danger category as guns and porn – and thus have... Read More

67. Should we have an absolute freedom of speech?

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 26 Mar 2011 | The Sydney Morning Herald

    So it is easy to be for free speech in principle. It is far less obvious what this will mean in practice.

68. The hysterical republic

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 24 Mar 2011 | Business Spectator

    Today’s Germany has little in common with the country that used to trouble the world so much.

69. A plan that will damage Europe

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Mar 2011 | Business Spectator

    It is astonishing how little Europe has learnt from previous mistakes. The belief in grand strategies with ambitious targets... Read More

70. Most voters just want a pretty face

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Mar 2011 | The Australian

    Sometimes, even a politician's smile is more important than his or her policies.

71. New Zealand is in a dangerous debt spiral

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 10 Mar 2011 | Business Spectator

    The earthquake that struck Christchurch was not only a national catastrophe for New Zealand. It is also becoming clear how... Read More

72. The myth of green jobs is leading to industrial decline

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Mar 2011 | The Australian

    A German study shows that renewable energy will not boost employment.

73. The ascent of lying

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 01 Mar 2011 | Business Spectator

    Yet our political leaders’ sometimes strained relationship with the truth pales into insignificance when compared with... Read More

74. Farewell to Europe's old guard

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Feb 2011 | Business Spectator

    Last week’s unexpected resignation of Bundesbank president Axel Weber sent shockwaves through the German government.

75. How the Germans keep a lid on prices

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Feb 2011 | Sydney Morning Herald

    You get a lot more house for your money in Germany and there's a simple explanation for the stability in the housing market... Read More

76. A housing market whodunit

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 10 Feb 2011 | Business Spectator

    Economics, so the saying goes, can be summed up in one word: incentives. If we want to find out why house prices are flat... Read More

77. The cult of Australian property

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 03 Feb 2011 | Business Spectator

    It is time to deflate one of the great myths of the housing market. It is the myth that restricted supply is a guarantee... Read More

78. A necessary shock

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 02 Feb 2011 | Australian Literary Review (The Australian)

    It is useful to imagine a scenario in which the fundamental changes of the last decades had not happened. This thought experiment... Read More

79. Let's hold the line on immigration

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 27 Jan 2011 | Business Spectator

    Rebuilding the flood affected parts of Queensland will be an enormous task with big labour market implications. But should... Read More

80. Belgium's debt bomb is ticking

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 20 Jan 2011 | Business Spectator

    Belgians are now chasing a veritable world record: they want to be the country with the longest post-election negotiations.

81. A crisis eating away at Europe's freedom

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 13 Jan 2011 | Business Spectator

    Europe’s moral credibility hangs in the balance after Hungary enacted a law to limit press freedom.

82. Estonia should have listened to Marx

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 06 Jan 2011 | Business Spectator

    With its entry into the Eurozone, Estonia is more likely to be punished for its enviable public finances.

83. The iPad app upper hand

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 30 Dec 2010 | Business Spectator

    Given the poor track record of forecasting the way people inform themselves, the impact of the latest wave of new technologies... Read More

84. Don't believe this forecast

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Dec 2010 | Business Spectator

    As always in Europe, the continent’s politicians know much better what is needed than their often hapless and ungrateful... Read More

85. EU fails to grasp nettle of a continent in crisis

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 22 Dec 2010 | The Australian

    It's time for fresh thinking in Brussels about the debt threat.

86. Europe shows the end game for big government

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 Dec 2010 | Online Opinion

    Europe’s present can be our future if we repeat the mistakes Europeans have made in the past.

87. Glory be to Gaia, I'm dreaming of a green Christmas

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 20 Dec 2010 | The Australian

    Christmas is when two great religions collide: Christianity and environmentalism.

88. A fundamental Euro flaw

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 16 Dec 2010 | Business Spectator

    There are good economic reasons for Europe’s economic crisis. The fiscal catastrophe across the continent is the result... Read More

89. Europe's self-inflicted crisis

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 16 Dec 2010 | ABC News

    To superficial observers, this week's European summit in Brussels will look like any other high-level conference.

90. Trichet's prize for shredding Europe

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 09 Dec 2010 | Business Spectator

    Life in Euroland is full of ironies but they don’t come much more bitter than Sunday’s announcement to award the prestigious... Read More

91. German polemic has resonance for West

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 04 Dec 2010 | The Australian

    He’s blunt, but Thilo Sarrazin makes a lot of sense.

92. The Euro monster

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 02 Dec 2010 | Business Spectator

    Under their self-chosen monetary corset the Europeans now have the choice between the mother of all banking crises, hyperinflation... Read More

93. Europe's growth-killing cult

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 25 Nov 2010 | Business Spectator

    Originating from the green movement, a culture of risk-aversion has become firmly entrenched in the European mindset. This... Read More

94. Britain's phoney pursuit of happiness

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 18 Nov 2010 | Business Spectator

    The new ‘happiness’ cult is no substitute for hard-headed economic policies.

95. Europe's most dangerous man

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 11 Nov 2010 | Business Spectator

    Ahead of the G20 summit in Seoul this week, the mood music between member countries is markedly different from previous conferences... Read More

96. Population bomb still a fizzer 40 years on

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 08 Nov 2010 | The Australian

    Anti-population growth campaigners like Paul Ehrlich claim to be fighting for the environment and sustainability. In effect,... Read More

97. The EU's win-win losers

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 04 Nov 2010 | Business Spectator

    The problems around last weekend’s summit are thus the problems of the Euro as a currency – Europe is too diverse to... Read More

98. Trivial twitter

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 29 Oct 2010 | The Australian

    Millions are tweeting, but does anyone really care what they have to say?

99. Britain's 'bold' debt detractors

    Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Oct 2010 | Business Spectator

    The kneejerk Keynesian reactions against the British government’s plans only demonstrate that critics have not fully understood... Read More

100. Germany proves clumsy with foreign matter

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 Oct 2010 | The Australian

     The ghosts of multiculturalism are haunting Germany, a country that has failed with the concept.

101. Sarkozy's Ides of March

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 Oct 2010 | Business Spectator

     Whether the new pension system is eventually implemented or not, the tumultuous scenes in the streets of Paris, Marseille... Read More

102. America's warpath to Depression

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Oct 2010 | Business Spectator

     The early Mont Pelerin Society members knew that a free and stable global economic order was not just vital for creating... Read More

103. Game on in the states of Monopoly

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 11 Oct 2010 | The Australian Financial Review

     Parker Brothers' Monopoly has been around for 75 years, and needs an update. To make the game more reflective of reality,... Read More

104. The small Australia nightmare

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 07 Oct 2010 | Business Spectator

     As one of the very few rich countries that still has a young and growing population, Australia should embrace this opportunity... Read More

105. State the obvious in the big Australia debate

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 07 Oct 2010 | Newcastle Herald

     Population policy requires a federation fix.

106. Economists should learn some history

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 01 Oct 2010 | Spectator Australia

     The inability of economists to see beyond their own models left them unprepared when the global economy hit trouble.

107. The failure of German banking

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 30 Sep 2010 | Business Spectator

     The involvement of German state and federal governments in banking precedes the financial crisis; in fact it has long been... Read More

108. The fracturing of Australian politics

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Sep 2010 | Business Spectator

     The palpable sense of a rift between voters and their political representatives is not unique to Australia but a global phenomenon,... Read More

109. The perils of multi-party Australia

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 26 Aug 2010 | Business Spectator

     It may be nerve-wrecking for the Australian public to watch the negotiations between the parties and the independents in... Read More

110. Grave euro doubts remain

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 19 Aug 2010 | Business Spectator

     Experts have now shifted their attention to the US dollar. However, this does not mean that the euro is off the hook, says... Read More

111. The Italian omen

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 12 Aug 2010 | Business Spectator

     Is everything back to normal for Europe? Was the European crisis just a storm in a teacup? Asks Oliver Marc Hartwich in Business... Read More

112. Baking a recipe for migration

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Aug 2010 | Business Spectator

     If Australians need reminding why migrants can be a great benefit to society, they only need to look at the German bakery... Read More

113. Scrap 'Cash for Clunkers' scheme, not older cars

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 30 Jul 2010 | The Australian

     Instead of scrapping hundreds of thousands of perfectly functional cars for imaginary benefits, the Prime Minister would... Read More

114. Europe’s lesson too late?

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 29 Jul 2010 | Business Spectator

     Will Australia learn the lessons from Europe’s past too late? Asks Oliver Marc Hartwich in Business Spectator, 29 July... Read More

115. Europe shows the alternative to growth is decline

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Jul 2010 | The Australian

     Growth is not everything, but without growth everything is more difficult, says Oliver Marc Hartwich in The Australian 23... Read More

116. It's time Henry had an umpire

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 22 Jul 2010 | Business Spectator

     It’s not always easy to discern where factual information ends and political posturing begins, creating widespread cynicism... Read More

117. Australia’s choice between growth and decline

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 15 Jul 2010 | Business Spectator

     It is hardly surprising that Australians worry about further population increases but we only need to look to Europe’s... Read More

118. Nuclear’s new dawn

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 08 Jul 2010 | Business Spectator

     The Swedish parliament recently reversed the country’s decades-long anti–nuclear policy, so is it time to re-open the... Read More

119. Red-tape trading scheme

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 06 Jul 2010 | Camberra Times

     Red tape should be treated like pollution and perhaps a ‘cap and trade’ scheme should be considered to minimise regulatory... Read More

120. Europe’s not-so common market

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 01 Jul 2010 | Business Spectator

     The European common market does not work properly, says Oliver Marc Hartwich in Business Spectator, 1 July 2010.

121. The great China tech rip-off

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 24 Jun 2010 | Business Spectator

     China's resilient economic growth has prevented the economic crisis from becoming an economic catastrophe for the world but... Read More

122. Ken Henry should get a new career – as a pollie

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Jun 2010 | Sydney Morning Herald

     Treasury secretary Ken Henry has no business trying to stifle debate, says Oliver Marc Hartwich in The National Times, 23... Read More

123. Nothing can save Spain

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Jun 2010 | Business Spectator

     Spain is different in one vital way to Greece – it is too big to be saved from its financial woes, says Oliver Marc Hartwich... Read More

124. Where Europe's smart money hides

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 03 Jun 2010 | Business Spectator

     Some currencies suffer in uncertain times, and there are other currencies that thrive on uncertainty , says Oliver Marc Hartwich... Read More

125. The economic curse of populism

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 27 May 2010 | Business Spectator

     If the Germans continue to pretend that the current crisis was caused by speculation and not by inherent flaws of the European... Read More

126. A European triumph amid the chaos

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 19 May 2010 | Business Spectator

     Amid the current EU financial crisis there still some positive policy ideas, such as the Netherland’s innovative way of... Read More

127. Cap and trade our way out of red-tape pollution

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 19 May 2010 | The Australian

     Red tape should be treated like pollution and perhaps a ‘cap and trade’ scheme should be considered to minimise regulatory... Read More

128. The fantasy of European integration is over

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 13 May 2010 | Business Spectator

     It has become clear that the problems in Europe are not just isolated to Greece, in fact, what we are really witnessing is... Read More

129. Will German voters cut the chord?

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 06 May 2010 | Business Spectator

     The Greek crisis may cause long-term consequences for cooperation and stability in the region, argues Oliver Marc Hartwich... Read More

130. Will German voters cut the chord?

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 06 May 2010 | Business Spectator

     The Greek crisis may cause long-term consequences for cooperation and stability in the region, argues Oliver Marc Hartwich... Read More

131. A bailout that hurts the Germans but doesn’t help the Greeks

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 May 2010 | Institute of Economic Affairs

     As long as countries such as Greece are joined with Germany in a monetary union, this monetary union will not work, argues... Read More

132. Nick Clegg isn't the Messiah...

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 29 Apr 2010 | Business Spectator

     Nick Clegg, Policy Exchange, David Cameron, Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats, UK election, Labour, Gordon Brown

133. Political idol: why TV offers more creative answers than politicians

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Apr 2010 | The Sydney Morning Herald

     We need more creativity in policy making, says Oliver Marc Hartwich in the Sydney Morning Herald, 28 April 2010

134. Sparking Europe's Economy

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 22 Apr 2010 | Business Spectator

     Are electric cars really the future of car manufacturing in Europe? asks Oliver Marc Hartwich in Business Spectator, 22 April... Read More

135. Perpetuating the Canberra Reflex

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 19 Apr 2010 | Government News

     There are many questions about the role of local government that should be considered before it is recognised in the Commonwealth... Read More

136. The Next Fall of Rome

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 15 Apr 2010 | Business Spectator

     Demographic change in Europe could have disastrous consequences for the future, says Oliver Marc Hartwich in Business Spectator,... Read More

137. The 'postmodern economy' was a con

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 08 Apr 2010 | Business Spectator

     The ‘postmodern economy’ in Britain was a con.

138. The home ownership nightmare

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 01 Apr 2010 | Business Spectator

     There is a dark side to Britain’s property mania. The stampede into home ownership has created at least as many problems... Read More

139. The flawed giant of Europe

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 25 Mar 2010 | Business Spectator

     Australians worried about their productivity performance in international rankings may relax a little, as Germany shows productivity... Read More

140. Europe's China blindness

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 18 Mar 2010 | Business Spectator

     Europe’s relationship with China needs to move with the times.

141. Unhappy lefties tend to be too clever by half

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 18 Mar 2010 | The Australian

     Lefties are smarter than righties, but could righties be happier.

142. No more hope or glory for Britain

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 11 Mar 2010 | Business Spectator

     Britain needs to make tough decisions to reassure investors of its fiscal credibility.

143. Learning about Hayek the hard way

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 09 Mar 2010 | The Australian

     The Prime Minister should have listened to his least favourite economist, Friedrich Hayek.

144. Europe can’t afford weak leaders

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 25 Feb 2010 | Business Spectator

     Europe does not need politicians wishing to win beauty contests but leaders willing to tackle the manifold problems in the... Read More

145. Europe’s slow, painful death

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Feb 2010 | Business Spectator

     The potential Greek bankruptcy is only the beginning of Europe’s inevitable decline.

146. The euro is a failed experiment that should be cashed in

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 10 Feb 2010 | The Australian

     Europe was never ready for a common and the recent global financial crisis highlights this.

147. Ripped off and overcharged? Not necessarily

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 02 Feb 2010 | The Courier-Mail

     Why should consumers believe that they have a right to pay the same price wherever they go? And can a market economy really... Read More

148. Every vice is really a blessing in disguise

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 13 Jan 2010 | Sydney Morning Herald

     Thank God for the porn industry. The seemingly questionable industry does not care about morality, but is nevertheless a... Read More

149. We aren't just larrikins

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 24 Dec 2009 | The Australian

     Too many Australians take for granted that they live in a prosperous and vibrant nation with a fantastic quality of life... Read More

150. Property bias

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 04 Dec 2009 | The Australian

     Newspapers have a big heart for heavily indebted homeowners. Perhaps occasionally they should show equal compassion for tenants... Read More

151. What makes great cities?

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 01 Dec 2009 | Thought Broker

     There is no yardstick to measure the greatness of cities. Some features of cities may be a blessing and a curse, depending... Read More

152. Let internet replace journals

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 25 Nov 2009 | The Australian

     International publishers are ripping off taxpayers, who are paying for scientific research and pay again to read the results.

153. It's time to bring back a bit of class to rail travel

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 29 Oct 2009 | The Sydney Morning Herald

     For a city that wants to play in the first league of the world’s great cities, our dated intercity train connections are... Read More

154. For Merkel, it’s now or never to get serious

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 29 Sep 2009 | The Australian

     The strong showing of the pro-market Free Democrats is one of the greatest shifts in Germany’s political tectonics that... Read More

155. Dynamics of difference

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 26 Sep 2009 | The Canberra Times

     Where once Australia was a European outpost in the South Pacific, our recent love affair with China suggests Europe may no... Read More

156. Say it like you mean it, we love a bold leader

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 07 Aug 2009 | Sydney Morning Herald

     The Prime Minister may only get three hours' sleep a night, and it took Kevin Rudd's latest essay in the Herald to understand... Read More

157. Nuclear risk powers fear rather than debate

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Jul 2009 | The Herald Sun

     When it comes to risks such as swine flu and nuclear accidents, we're often no wiser than Forrest Gump. "Life is like a box... Read More

158. G8 loses way to point of nothing.

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 07 Jul 2009 | Camberra Times

     A hectic sequence of state banquets, photo opportunities, and diplomatic excitement followed by a declaration as solemn as... Read More

159. Hands that rock the cradle

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 15 Jun 2009 | The Courier Mail

     You have to ask yourself what is funnier: A mediocre sketch on a national TV show, or the political scandal that this allegedly... Read More

160. Parliament without a people

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 10 Jun 2009 | Online opinion

     If only European elections were as entertaining as the Eurovision song contest … When the good, the bad, and the ugly of... Read More

161. Big government not so smart

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 26 May 2009 | opinion online

     Treasurer Wayne Swan’s second budget speech will not be remembered for long. It was probably one of the most boring presentations... Read More

162. The great neoliberal misunderstanding

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 21 May 2009 | The Australian

     When Kevin Rudd published his lengthy essay on the global financial crisis, it was not only an attempt to strengthen his... Read More

163. It's all down to the market

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 02 May 2009 | The Australian

     An email debate on the budget, stimulus packages, and what the Treasurer should drink on budget night, between Oliver Hartwich... Read More

164. You’ve Earned a Celebration – It’s Tax Freedom Day

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Apr 2009 | The Courier-Mail

     A tax is ‘a compulsory exaction of money by a public authority for public purposes, enforceable by law, and is not a payment... Read More

165. Oh joy, the rest of the year is in our pockets

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Apr 2009 | The Newcastle Herald

     Happy Tax Freedom Day! A tax is ‘a compulsory exaction of money by a public authority for public purposes, enforceable... Read More

166. Taxpayers pay billions for government’s car trip

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Mar 2009 | The Australian

     When the government presented their New Car Plan for a Greener Future last November, promising $6.2 billion in subsidies... Read More

167. Goodbye to GM, hello Rudd Car

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 17 Mar 2009 | The Australian

     It was meant to be a bold statement in troubled times when Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Industry Minister Kim Carr launched... Read More

168. Stop this highway robbery

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 10 Mar 2009 | The Herald Sun

     The future of Australia’s iconic carmaker Holden is linked to its American parent General Motors. When Kevin Rudd goes... Read More

169. Still no life on Mars

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 23 Feb 2009 | Business Spectator

     With much fanfare Channel Ten has just started screening the new series of Life on Mars, in which a policeman is thrown back... Read More

170. Rushing to spend like Britain could leave us out in the cold

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 16 Feb 2009 | The Canberra Times

     If Rudd continues his New Labour-like policies, Australia may well become another Britain.

171. Economy can kick a winner

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 28 Jan 2009 | The Courier Mail

     A touch of sporting optimism could get us through the financial crisis.

172. More power to the people

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 22 Jan 2009 | The Australian

     The Australian Constitution needs to recognise and redefine local government.

173. Defining greed is an indulgence of its own

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 30 Dec 2008 | The Sydney Morning Herald

     Greed as a moral category is hardly apt to describe the business world.

174. Crisis a valuable lesson

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 26 Dec 2008 | The Australian

     The end of the world as we know it is not the end of capitalism.

175. Santa Rudd is coming to town

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 11 Dec 2008 | Governement News

     For Australia’s mayors and shire presidents, Christmas came a bit earlier this year—on 18 November, to be precise. But... Read More

176. There is no such thing as a free bus

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 05 Dec 2008

     Life is a constant struggle. Who would know better than NSW premier Nathan Rees? But if he can’t solve his own problems,... Read More

177. Land supply is at the heart of our home-front problems

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 19 Nov 2008 | The Age

     The current financial nightmare began with millions of Americans’ dreams of owning their homes. Their desires to buy a... Read More

178. Free-marketers must make a convincing case

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 15 Nov 2008 | Online Opinion

     When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, it marked more than the end of an era. It also symbolised the triumph of the... Read More

179. Boring with a sledgehammer

     Oliver Marc Hartwich | 14 Aug 2008 | The Australian

     The great sociologist Max Weber once defined politics as ‘the art of a strong and slow boring through hard boards, requiring... Read More