The John Hyde Archives
Historic archive of articles and newspaper columns written by former Australian politician John Hyde OAM.
1985
Foreign Investment
- When Governments meddle with commerce, it is to grant an unequal privilege over established vested interests.
Of Statesmanship and Architecture
- When politicians do not accept that there are constraints to their art, the state they built will be plagued by unemployment, inflation, poor economic growth, petty government tyranny and small country status overseas.
Universities
- Intellectual capital, primarily benefits whoever owns it like physical capital. It should be purchased even though it is not transferrable.
- "Free" education unfairly taxes the poor who rarely enjoy the benefits of it.
Restructuring the High Cost Industries
Industrial Relations Economics
- Restructuring means releasing resources from high cost activities to invest in low cost activities.
Keep the Czar far away from us.
Individual Rights Law Politics
- Liberty is freedom from the only legal organisation that is permitted to use force (The government)
Privatising
- Privatisation brings a greater portion of total capital stock under public control.
- Managers can no longer expect the public to underwrite inefficiency.
Missing out on devaluation
- Full indexation of the Australian dollar at this time of declining economic fortune would be disastrous.
Asian Shipping
- Australia's shipping industry is to be handmaiden to trade and the industry's over-tonnage will burden either the ship owners or shippers.
On the right to strike
Industrial Relations Monopoly Law
- There is a misuse of legal power to create monopolies.
Housing Policy
- Housing policies favour owners against renters. There is a considerable tax advantage to owning a home versus renting one.
Farm Costs
Protectionism Taxation Cronyism
- The National Farmers Federation (NFF) wants to the government to have relief for its members but it must be prepared to get the heavily protected dairy, tobacco and sugar industry off the backs of the taxpayers.
How much for the Poor
- A better case for subsidies for the poor is to rest on utility.
- There is no solution for the issue of moral hazard.
The Tax Summit
- The current tax system is inequitable. The best tax mechanisms should mirror government expenses.
Sir Joh's Industrial Laws
Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- There should be a recognised freedom of employment in society.
An International College
- Australia has a comparative advantage in the field of education. Allowing for a private college to be setup in Perth will not take away anything from the students.
Parliamentary Superannuation
- If the taxpayers want to get the best value for their money, the payments to government workers/politicians need to convey the right incentives.
Victorian Milk Price Arbitration 1
- Regulations place Victorian Milk Farmers in the worst competitive position in Australia.
Milk Price Arbitration 2
- If the Victorian Dairy Farmers do not deregulate fast enough, they will face competition from Dairy Farmers from other states.
When Elephants Mate
- Consensus should never be used to replace a clear legal framework that protects the rights of the individual.
The Underlying Economic Problem: John Brunner
- Either production must be increased substantially, or consumption must be decreased drastically.
New Zealand and Sri Lanka
- A democrat can, given the right circumstances, successfully implement long term economic goals.
Tax, Expenditure and the Summit
- When there is a demand for a tax cut, there is a need to advocate for a specific expenditure cut.
The Sage of a Pipe Line
Fiscal Policy Taxation Politics
- Taxpayers are slugged with the cost of infrastructure projects when the government decides to build a "monument". *Q
Helping the Poor
- Private choices (i.e. Single Parenthood) must be subject to influences which encourage the acceptance of individual responsibility.
The Ultimate Cost of Protection
Protectionism Politics Trade Economics
- Australia is paying a heavy social price for a closed economy. Only by reducing border protection is there a possibility of turning things around.
Farmer Militancy
- Farmers should not be bought off by policies that might be regarded as income tax favouritism and that everyone keeps their sights on the objective of an efficient free society.
The Crunch
Industrial Relations Economics Politics
- If Bob Hawke feels that he is too weak to defy vested interests, he will sow the seeds of economic decline for everybody.
Junior Employees - Special Orders
Individual Rights Industrial Relations
- Minimum wage prevents potential employees from negotiating with employers.
- The right to determine one's own labour is a basic human right.
Cutting the Deficit
- Any increase of public sector spending above the current level 44% GDP is not sustainable.
Maintaining Direction in Government
- The Liberal Party must work out what it stands for.
Industrial Policy
- Only a free market economy with strong positive and negative incentives can stimulate productivity.
Of Liberals, Conservatives and Dries
- The ideas are more important than which political party wins.
Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation
- It is important to privatise markets and there be alternative competitors for any former state firms.
On Maintaining Direction in Government
- The Liberal Party needs to be consistent in its ideas put forth.
A Mandate to Govern
- Changes which benefit the entire economy rather than just the few will only work if the vested interests understand that they tend to gain more than they lose.
The National Party and The Farmers
Politics Protectionism Trade Taxation
- Australia's trade barriers is costing Australian farmers on average $12,000 annually and is more than fuel taxes, capital gain tax and all other areas of rural complaints.
The Accord, Labour Market Regulation
Regulation Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- Only soft approaches that are based in individual liberty will work for labour deregulation.
Going for Growth or For Broke
- Foreign capital used for growth is no cause for concern. Only if it is used to finance current consumption.
Lange's Economy
- Mr David Lange is the man who steered the New Zealand economy to eventual recovery by using free market principles.
Occupational Regulation **
- A licence does not inform a buyer about who is the best service provider. The effect is to stop competition.
Neither Left nor Right nor Half Way In Between
- Labels confusion and creates acrimony where none need exist.
The WA TV Licences
- The root cause of Australia's economic decline is the subtle corruption of political authority.
Transparency II
Protectionism Politics Economics
- Industry specific councils are a menace which should not be given any standing when forming public policy.
The Australian Dollar
Currencies & Commodities Monetary Policy
- If the Australia dollar is unable to maintain stability internally (inflation) and externally (exchange rate), then Australians will demand payment in something else they can trust in.
What Is Wrong with The Liberals?
- John Howard wants to remove privilege and the Liberal Party has upset some of the most powerful interests in the land. The only way is forward.
The Wages Debate
- Most people resent the abuse of union power and fear that the unions will bring the country to its knees before giving up power.
- Legally binding awards and trade union monopoly powers which constraint people which they did not agree to are morally reprehensible.
About
John Hyde OAM is a former Australian politician. He was elected as the member for the Division of Moore in Western Australia for the Liberal Party.
John Hyde OAM is the author of Dry: In Defence of Economic Freedom.