Business

Business issues and decision making.

Twisting the language of tax for political gain

AustralianActuary Business ,

George Orwell wrote of the importance of language as a political tool. Language could be used to manipulate the way people think.

Today’s example of manipulative language comes from the world of superannuation tax. Apparently, using the language of the politically motivated, high income earners in Australia receive greater superannuation tax concessions than do low to middle income earners. Consequently, reform is needed to make the system fairer and levy a higher rate of tax on the superannuation contributions of the high income earners.

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Right risking an investment portfolio

AustralianActuary Business ,

Generally, reduced exposure to equities, in favour of bonds, will reduce the expected long-term return of an investment portfolio. However, the variation of short-term returns will also be reduced. This is a means of risk control, but an overall reduction in investment return, will result in higher cash contributions from the employer sponsor of a defined benefit (DB) pension plan. Is the trade-off worthwhile? How is the trade-off quantified?
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The future of publishing

AustralianActuary Business

It may be considered by some to be impertinent posting my first blog about the future of publishing. For some time the traditional means of publishing, the newspapers and to a lesser extent free to air television, have been worrying about the viability of what has been a well-established business model. Social media, an internet connection and blogging have led some to think that the future of publishing as we knew it, is bleak indeed.

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