Is an extra 40cm the secret to happiness in the bedroom? This economics expert doesn't think so
It's not often that the book you're reading illuminates perfectly the strange reality of housing being played out in the nation's suburbs.
But there I was, working my way through Abundance, the latest must - read in economics by American journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, which has become a clarion call aimed at the world's progressives, when just that happened.
Abundance effectively argues that all the rules they helped create to protect the environment, prevent pollution, ensure people had quality housing and generally improve our standard of living have turned into a quagmire of red tape that is leaving people worse off.
Everything from the efforts to decarbonise the world to ensuring people have affordable homes is being stymied by the left's bureaucratic success, or so say Klein and Thompson. And so pervasive is this book that about half of the federal cabinet has a dog-eared copy on their bed stands.
With the key themes of the book still swirling in my head as I began to catch up on the news of the day, I was struck by a story by my colleague, Daniella White, about the bunfight over a multi-storey housing development in the northern Melbourne suburb of Greensborough.
The story opened with the words: 'Apartments falling short of minimum space requirements' have been approved by the Victorian state government to help meet its housing targets.
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Naturally, I found myself wondering what these minimum space requirements are. About 30 minutes later, after going down the rabbit hole that is state planning regulation, I discovered something quite discomforting.
Under current regulations, the main bedroom in any new build has to measure at least 3 metres by 3.4 metres, while other bedrooms must be at least 3 metres by 3 metres.
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Courier-Mail
4 hours ago
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Australia's Iran fallout warning despite uneasy truce
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Dr Moritz said the government's quick decision was concerning and drew comparisons to the events of 2003, where Australia joined the US war in Iraq under false claims it possessed weapons of mass destruction. Though she hoped a ceasefire would hold, Dr Moritz warned the conflict would have long-term ramifications. US international partners have begun to more closely examine whether American interests align with their own as President Donald Trump emerges as a foreign policy disruptor. The conflict could incentivise Arab states to pursue nuclear weapons and lead Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and rebuild its nuclear program. Dr Moritz said Iran could become more repressive and conservative because it might lose some support, using the events as an excuse to violently repress opposition groups. Anyone within the regime who supported diplomatic engagement with the West would be sidelined too. This could impact Australian-Iranian communities, many of whom hoped the conflict could help de-stabilise the Iranian autocracy and pave the way for a new, democratic government. Persian Australian Community Association member Nader Ranjbar said the regime's continuation could lead to his "worst fear". "That somehow they get away from this mess and the first thing they do is start killing Iranian people," he told AAP. Mr Trump attacked both nations for breaching the ceasefire in the early stages, saying "they don't know what the f*** they are doing" on live television. The prime minister was unperturbed by the language. "President Trump made some pretty clear statements. I don't think it needs any further reflection," Mr Albanese said on Wednesday. "We want to see peace in the region, we want to see a ceasefire, we want to see de-escalation, and that is consistent with the very clear comments of President Trump." In the early hours of the day, 119 Australians and family members left Tel Aviv on a government-assisted flight. There are still about 3000 Australians in Iran who have registered with the government for help to leave, and more than 1000 in Israel. The latest conflict erupted on June 13, when Israel fired missiles at Iran in a bid to blow up military assets, arguing it was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons. The battle took a turn on the weekend when the US launched a bombing raid on three underground nuclear facilities in Iran. Conflict between Iran and Israel will have consequences for Australia, even if a ceasefire holds, an expert warns. While the federal government has repeatedly called for diplomacy and peace, it differed from other US allies by supporting America's decision to join Israel's offensive and strike Iran. Concerns had been raised if the action was legal, making Australia's position on the strikes "worrying", regardless of whether a ceasefire held, analyst Jessie Moritz told AAP. "Given that the intelligence that Israel was operating under was not confirmed even by the US, that really raised the question of whether this was a legal war and whether this was breaking an international norm," the Australian National University Arab and Islamic studies lecturer said. "Breaking international norms is a huge problem because it allows our enemies to break that norm with us." The Labor government initially took a more neutral stance but backed the US bombings after the coalition came out in support first. Dr Moritz said the government's quick decision was concerning and drew comparisons to the events of 2003, where Australia joined the US war in Iraq under false claims it possessed weapons of mass destruction. Though she hoped a ceasefire would hold, Dr Moritz warned the conflict would have long-term ramifications. US international partners have begun to more closely examine whether American interests align with their own as President Donald Trump emerges as a foreign policy disruptor. The conflict could incentivise Arab states to pursue nuclear weapons and lead Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and rebuild its nuclear program. Dr Moritz said Iran could become more repressive and conservative because it might lose some support, using the events as an excuse to violently repress opposition groups. Anyone within the regime who supported diplomatic engagement with the West would be sidelined too. This could impact Australian-Iranian communities, many of whom hoped the conflict could help de-stabilise the Iranian autocracy and pave the way for a new, democratic government. Persian Australian Community Association member Nader Ranjbar said the regime's continuation could lead to his "worst fear". "That somehow they get away from this mess and the first thing they do is start killing Iranian people," he told AAP. Mr Trump attacked both nations for breaching the ceasefire in the early stages, saying "they don't know what the f*** they are doing" on live television. The prime minister was unperturbed by the language. "President Trump made some pretty clear statements. I don't think it needs any further reflection," Mr Albanese said on Wednesday. "We want to see peace in the region, we want to see a ceasefire, we want to see de-escalation, and that is consistent with the very clear comments of President Trump." In the early hours of the day, 119 Australians and family members left Tel Aviv on a government-assisted flight. There are still about 3000 Australians in Iran who have registered with the government for help to leave, and more than 1000 in Israel. The latest conflict erupted on June 13, when Israel fired missiles at Iran in a bid to blow up military assets, arguing it was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons. The battle took a turn on the weekend when the US launched a bombing raid on three underground nuclear facilities in Iran. Conflict between Iran and Israel will have consequences for Australia, even if a ceasefire holds, an expert warns. While the federal government has repeatedly called for diplomacy and peace, it differed from other US allies by supporting America's decision to join Israel's offensive and strike Iran. Concerns had been raised if the action was legal, making Australia's position on the strikes "worrying", regardless of whether a ceasefire held, analyst Jessie Moritz told AAP. "Given that the intelligence that Israel was operating under was not confirmed even by the US, that really raised the question of whether this was a legal war and whether this was breaking an international norm," the Australian National University Arab and Islamic studies lecturer said. "Breaking international norms is a huge problem because it allows our enemies to break that norm with us." The Labor government initially took a more neutral stance but backed the US bombings after the coalition came out in support first. Dr Moritz said the government's quick decision was concerning and drew comparisons to the events of 2003, where Australia joined the US war in Iraq under false claims it possessed weapons of mass destruction. Though she hoped a ceasefire would hold, Dr Moritz warned the conflict would have long-term ramifications. US international partners have begun to more closely examine whether American interests align with their own as President Donald Trump emerges as a foreign policy disruptor. The conflict could incentivise Arab states to pursue nuclear weapons and lead Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and rebuild its nuclear program. Dr Moritz said Iran could become more repressive and conservative because it might lose some support, using the events as an excuse to violently repress opposition groups. Anyone within the regime who supported diplomatic engagement with the West would be sidelined too. This could impact Australian-Iranian communities, many of whom hoped the conflict could help de-stabilise the Iranian autocracy and pave the way for a new, democratic government. Persian Australian Community Association member Nader Ranjbar said the regime's continuation could lead to his "worst fear". "That somehow they get away from this mess and the first thing they do is start killing Iranian people," he told AAP. Mr Trump attacked both nations for breaching the ceasefire in the early stages, saying "they don't know what the f*** they are doing" on live television. The prime minister was unperturbed by the language. "President Trump made some pretty clear statements. I don't think it needs any further reflection," Mr Albanese said on Wednesday. "We want to see peace in the region, we want to see a ceasefire, we want to see de-escalation, and that is consistent with the very clear comments of President Trump." In the early hours of the day, 119 Australians and family members left Tel Aviv on a government-assisted flight. There are still about 3000 Australians in Iran who have registered with the government for help to leave, and more than 1000 in Israel. The latest conflict erupted on June 13, when Israel fired missiles at Iran in a bid to blow up military assets, arguing it was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons. The battle took a turn on the weekend when the US launched a bombing raid on three underground nuclear facilities in Iran.
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Pope urges all sides in Iran-Israel war to talk peace
Pope Leo XIV urged the warring sides in the Israel-Iran war to "reject the logic of bullying and revenge" and choose a path of dialogue and diplomacy to reach peace as he expressed solidarity with all Christians in the Middle East. Speaking at his weekly Wednesday general audience, the American pontiff said he was following "with attention and hope" recent developments in the war. He cited the biblical exhortation: "A nation shall not raise the sword against another nation." A ceasefire is holding in the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, which involved Israel targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites and the US intervening by dropping bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. "Let us listen to this voice that comes from on high," Leo said. "Heal the lacerations caused by the bloody actions of recent days, reject all logic of bullying and revenge, and resolutely take the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace." The Chicago-born Leo also expressed solidarity with the victims of Sunday's attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, and urged the international community to keep supporting Syrian reconciliation. Syria's interior ministry has said a sleeper cell belonging to the Islamic State group was behind the attack at the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus, which killed at least 25 people. "To the Christians in the Middle East, I am near you. All the church is close to you," he said. "This tragic event is a reminder of the profound fragility that still marks Syria after years of conflict and instability, and therefore it is crucial that the international community doesn't look away from this country, but continues to offer it support through gestures of solidarity and with a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation." Pope Leo XIV urged the warring sides in the Israel-Iran war to "reject the logic of bullying and revenge" and choose a path of dialogue and diplomacy to reach peace as he expressed solidarity with all Christians in the Middle East. Speaking at his weekly Wednesday general audience, the American pontiff said he was following "with attention and hope" recent developments in the war. He cited the biblical exhortation: "A nation shall not raise the sword against another nation." A ceasefire is holding in the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, which involved Israel targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites and the US intervening by dropping bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. "Let us listen to this voice that comes from on high," Leo said. "Heal the lacerations caused by the bloody actions of recent days, reject all logic of bullying and revenge, and resolutely take the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace." The Chicago-born Leo also expressed solidarity with the victims of Sunday's attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, and urged the international community to keep supporting Syrian reconciliation. Syria's interior ministry has said a sleeper cell belonging to the Islamic State group was behind the attack at the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus, which killed at least 25 people. "To the Christians in the Middle East, I am near you. All the church is close to you," he said. "This tragic event is a reminder of the profound fragility that still marks Syria after years of conflict and instability, and therefore it is crucial that the international community doesn't look away from this country, but continues to offer it support through gestures of solidarity and with a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation." Pope Leo XIV urged the warring sides in the Israel-Iran war to "reject the logic of bullying and revenge" and choose a path of dialogue and diplomacy to reach peace as he expressed solidarity with all Christians in the Middle East. Speaking at his weekly Wednesday general audience, the American pontiff said he was following "with attention and hope" recent developments in the war. He cited the biblical exhortation: "A nation shall not raise the sword against another nation." A ceasefire is holding in the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, which involved Israel targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites and the US intervening by dropping bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. "Let us listen to this voice that comes from on high," Leo said. "Heal the lacerations caused by the bloody actions of recent days, reject all logic of bullying and revenge, and resolutely take the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace." The Chicago-born Leo also expressed solidarity with the victims of Sunday's attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, and urged the international community to keep supporting Syrian reconciliation. Syria's interior ministry has said a sleeper cell belonging to the Islamic State group was behind the attack at the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus, which killed at least 25 people. "To the Christians in the Middle East, I am near you. All the church is close to you," he said. "This tragic event is a reminder of the profound fragility that still marks Syria after years of conflict and instability, and therefore it is crucial that the international community doesn't look away from this country, but continues to offer it support through gestures of solidarity and with a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation." Pope Leo XIV urged the warring sides in the Israel-Iran war to "reject the logic of bullying and revenge" and choose a path of dialogue and diplomacy to reach peace as he expressed solidarity with all Christians in the Middle East. Speaking at his weekly Wednesday general audience, the American pontiff said he was following "with attention and hope" recent developments in the war. He cited the biblical exhortation: "A nation shall not raise the sword against another nation." A ceasefire is holding in the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, which involved Israel targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites and the US intervening by dropping bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. "Let us listen to this voice that comes from on high," Leo said. "Heal the lacerations caused by the bloody actions of recent days, reject all logic of bullying and revenge, and resolutely take the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace." The Chicago-born Leo also expressed solidarity with the victims of Sunday's attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, and urged the international community to keep supporting Syrian reconciliation. Syria's interior ministry has said a sleeper cell belonging to the Islamic State group was behind the attack at the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus, which killed at least 25 people. "To the Christians in the Middle East, I am near you. All the church is close to you," he said. "This tragic event is a reminder of the profound fragility that still marks Syria after years of conflict and instability, and therefore it is crucial that the international community doesn't look away from this country, but continues to offer it support through gestures of solidarity and with a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation."
