CPD Executive Director, guest panellist on The Drum
Miriam Lyons (CPD), Kerry Chikarovski (Liberal Party) and Kathryn Murphy (The Age), hosted by Steve Cannane
Miriam was able to use the platform to raise the new CPD report launched that day, Farming Smarter, Not Harder, opening a discussion of the need for Australia to enable good agricultural practice to take advantage of rising populations, food demand and prices, particularly in Asia.
On other issues, Miriam agreed with Andew Wilkie that poker machine reform measures could prove a useful “Trojan horse”. The spokesman from Clubs ACT revealed his poker hand in saying that no club should be financially disadvantaged by legislation to reduce the impact on problem gamblers – although NSW statistics indicate that such users account for 40% of revenue in that state. Meanwhile, a hunger protest by refugees on Nauru suggests that the current policy is having at least some negative repercussions… Miriam pointed out the “thin” evidence base behind the decision to treat asylum seekers badly in order to deter future refugees from boarding boats, and argued for more robust research. Tony Windsor had urged government and coalition to address the need for savings, by reviewing legislation benefiting ‘middle class’ people. This led to a discussion of the value or otherwise of independent MPs in a hung parliament.