Given the rate at which Aussie papers have been comparing MP John Howard to Bertie, it’s only fair to turn the tables.

With portents of doom and gloom emanating from Éire, this piece from the Telegraph
could almost be a glimpse of Ireland’s future. For Howard, read Bertie. For Sydney’s western suburbs, read Dublin’s M50 ring-fence and beyond.

Universal quote:

“It’s not just affecting young people like us, but older people as well,” he said. “We have older people in our street who are really struggling with the mortgage. They’re suffering because of all the rubbish from the politicians. When we bought three years ago, there was no drama, we could pay the mortgage. But if we sold our house now, we’d lose $30,000 to $40,000 – and the repayments have gone right up.”