How do you think the Australian government has managed lockdowns?
When it comes to critics of Australian Covid-19 lockdowns, they don’t come much more fierce than Professor Gigi Foster, School of Economics at the University of New South Wales.
Foster says Australians are sick of it, and the world is laughing:
“It became clear that the politicians have overplayed their hand. And that the people of Australia are becoming increasingly restless.”
We are sick of these lockdowns particularly with the international borders still closed. We’re seeing other countries around the world open up, and in fact make fun of us for having these lockdowns on the back of small, small numbers of cases.”
Professor gigi foster
Foster went as far as comparing Australia in some ways to Russia.
“But in this case I think what’s happened is the government has played that card over and over, and has really lost the trust of many people in the society. And we’re starting to see pockets of evidence that really reminds me of the way it used to be in Communist Russia. Where the government would say well this is what we need to do, and everybody would try and work around it and give the impression they were following the rules.”
When Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a cut to international flights by 50% – Foster says they’ve stretched it too far.
The biggest city in Australia has recorded 35 new cases of community transmission.
24 of the cases recorded in New South Wales overnight were isolating during their infectious period.
It comes as the nation’s Federal Government continues to battle state premiers and the painfully slow vaccine rollout.
Professor Foster has copped a huge amount of backlash for her strong views but says some statements have been taken out of context.
Foster believes her key message has always been the same – when it comes to people’s mental health, we’ve (Australia) failed.
“Whenever we have a policy implemented we should look at all costs, not just costs in relation to deaths or suffering in relation to one particular disease, in this case Covid. That’s always been my position. And I think that these domestic lockdowns in the face of international borders being closed is absolute madness.”
And when it comes to when Australia will return to an actual normal way of living, Foster predicted it won’t be until well into next year.
Analysts and investors are eagerly awaiting Elon Musk’s big reveal—a fully functional autonomous vehicle that could revolutionise ride-hailing.
Tesla’s stock has soared 52% since Musk first announced the event in April, reflecting high hopes for the launch of its much-anticipated robotaxi.
The vehicle, dubbed the “Cybercab,” is said to be a sleek, two-seater without a steering wheel or pedals—straight out of the future.
Tesla also teased a ride-hailing app that will summon these driverless cars to pick up riders at their chosen locations.
Not convincing
But not everyone is convinced—some analysts warn that while Musk’s vision is bold, the timeline for these innovations may not deliver immediate results.
Musk has a history of overpromising on autonomous tech, and this event might be more about grand ideas than tangible products.
Tesla first floated the robotaxi idea in 2016, with Musk hinting at a future where owners could lease their cars to others for extra income.
If the software keeps pace with Musk’s ambitions, the future of driverless Teslas might be closer than we think.
The core consumer price index (CPI) climbed 3.3% year-over-year in September, signalling continued inflationary pressure in the U.S.
Month-over-month, the increase was 0.3%, slightly higher than the expected 0.2%, raising concerns about the Federal Reserve’s ability to ease policy.
This latest inflation data narrows the Fed’s room to manoeuvre, making a significant rate cut at their next meeting less likely.
In other economic news, weekly U.S. unemployment claims have risen to 258,000.
Latest numbers
Ticker’s Ahron Young spoke with Steve Gopalan from SkandaFX about the latest numbers.
Steve Gopalan discusses the impact of rising unemployment claims, inflation, and geopolitical tensions on the market, including the potential effects of Israeli strikes on Iran and China’s policies.
He also addresses expectations for the Fed reserve rate cut and near-term risks affecting the Australian economy and talks about how traders are preparing for China’s Finance Minister news conference on fiscal policy.
The increase in claims is partly attributed to the impact of Hurricane Helene and furloughs at Boeing.
Economists are closely watching how these factors will play into broader economic trends.
With inflation rising and unemployment numbers fluctuating, the economic outlook remains uncertain.
Tehran is threatening to target oil-rich Gulf states and other U.S. allies if their territories are used in any attack on Iran, Arab officials reveal.
Israel has warned Tehran of severe consequences after a recent barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles hit the country. In response, Iran vows to strike Israel’s civilian infrastructure and any Arab state that aids in the assault.
Countries like Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have already expressed concerns to the Biden administration, saying they don’t want to be part of any offensive actions against Iran.
These Gulf states, traditionally under U.S. protection, fear Iran could target their vital oil facilities if the conflict escalates.
With U.S. troops stationed across the region, officials are on high alert as Tehran’s threats loom over an area packed with American military personnel.
Tensions between Israel and Iran continue to rise, with both sides exchanging warnings of devastating consequences.
The energy-rich Persian Gulf, known for its stability under U.S. protection, could now be at risk as the situation remains tense.
The eyes of the world are focused on the region, as threats of conflict keep mounting.