It seems clear that the era of ESG and corporate wokeism is closing.
Continue readingMonth: February 2023
The Coriolis Force and decisions in yacht racing
The Coriolis Force, or effect, causes southern hemisphere sailors to prefer to sail on the opposite tack to their northern hemisphere counterparts. But which way is best, and why?
Continue readingDon’t lose sleep over a trade deficit. Don’t get too excited by a trade surplus.
International trade is one of those topics of political economy that many people misunderstand. It’s like inflation, in that regard. The balance of trade, that is the value of exports less imports, is a commonly quoted and discussed national statistic.
Continue readingAnd in fashion news, we turn to stress testing financial institutions
Does anyone else get the feeling that regulators and supervisors of financial institutions such as insurers, banks and pension funds merely follow the fashion?
Continue readingClueless Central
The Australian central bank governor says he doesn’t know how high interest rates will have to go to get rampant inflation under control. That may be the first thing he has said that I believe.
Continue readingAnnuities on the march
The corporate defined benefit pension plan of the past is a rare beast in Australia these days. Most large employers have been winding these plans down for decades and there are not many left.
Continue readingAre HR departments necessary?
Ask Google to respond to that query and it returns, in short, Yes.
Any number of articles will appear as to why it is a good idea to have an HR department. Reasons against an HR department are fewer and harder to find. Until now.
Continue readingI’ve got another plan, this time it will work
Less than a fortnight after releasing his first plan, Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has announced another plan.
Continue readingActuaries, doctors, demographers, politicians, drug approval agencies – are you curious about this?
It’s a bit odd, don’t you think? Australia vs World experience. Why would higher rates of covid19 vaccination in Australia coincide with higher rates of mortality? Curious.
Continue readingWhat’s in a name?
Shakespeare wrote some pithy lines in the 17th century about names. You’ll find those lines in Romeo and Juliet. In essence he contended that calling a rose something else would not make it smell any less sweet.
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Australian Actuary 