Casual Ravings

Australia Is Going To Lose To Switzerland

If it hasn’t already.

Chris Wilkins, living in Zug, Switzerland sheds some light on the enigma that is Swiss corporate tax and why the Australian Treasurer’s latest tax hike on the mining industry means the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Australians will ultimately lose out to a tough tax competitor.

C’mon Clegg – Hung Parliaments are Great

Hung Parliaments work great in Switzerland. And, in fact, the constitutuion demands the Swiss Parliament is perpetually hung.

Recently in the media following the UK election there has been much talk about how the Liberal Democrats might spoil the party for the Tories and Labour. Within the commentary is the suggestion that the Lib Dems are going to threaten the very foundation of Westminster Democracy by forcing a government to govern with less than 50 per cent of the seats within Parliament. How dare they?

Europe is Arguing – Good for Democracy

When the Presidents of EU argue, democracy is working just fine.

The EU has a floating, rotating presidency. Which tends to drive the USA Foreign Secretary nuts and many political journalists crazy, usually condemning EU as not working and having far too many bun fights. But I would challenge such people to come and live in Switzerland for at least six months. Then they will see that this is merely a sign that democracy is working just fine and, in fact, evolving to a higher plain.

Swiss Too Neutral To Care About Minarets

On 29th November 2009 fifty seven per cent of Swiss voted in favour of a referendum to ban the building of minarets. This was greeted with the expected howls of racism around the world and accusations that Switzerland is no longer neutral and tolerant. But in fact this is not the case at all. Swiss [...]