China’s 6.9% GDP growth rate is not the hard landing feared

James Laurenceson (University of Technology Sydney) writes in The Conversation that economic data point to a Chinese economy that is following the same path towards high income status travelled earlier by neighbours such as Korea. And, while the resources price boom may be over, the rise of China’s middle class (expected to grow by 850 million by 2030) is still the best news that the Australian economy has.

Poor traffic modelling drives policy madness

Peter Newman (Curtin University) writes in The Conversation that traffic and congestion modelling demonstrates a lack of understanding about how cities work.

Mandatory sentencing leads to unjust, unfair outcomes – and it doesn’t make us safe

Hilde Tubex (University of Western Australia) writes in The Conversation that the public is largely misinformed about crime and justice matters. Most people think that crime rates are rising, although this is not the case. Responding to public pressure, politicians are attracted to mandatory sentencing laws, which lead to disproportional and anomalous outcomes - in particular, a system can’t be fair or just if the marginalised and vulnerable are the first to be affected by it. However, the most important principle objection against mandatory sentences is the strength of, and belief in, judicial discretion and independence.