This Month
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Can our prosperity survive a year of political madness?
Public policy is now swinging in the populist wind. And it’s hard to imagine the election of a government that can rationally take back control of it all.
- Michael Stutchbury
‘Nerds gone wild’: Inside PwC’s last party before it all blew up
It is the days-long party now described as the last hurrah before the storm of the tax leaks. Within six months, the scandal would change the firm forever.
- Edmund Tadros
- Opinion
- Australian economy
RBA returns serve on inflation
The RBA’s take down of government spending is reverberating loudly in Canberra and can only undermine Labor’s key argument that its fiscal policy complements monetary policy.
- Jennifer Hewett
Rising costs hit Mirvac margins, new homes
Property developer Mirvac blamed the steep rise in labour and material costs for halving its profit margins on some residential projects, triggering a 13 per cent fall in operating earnings this year.
- Michael Read and Nick Lenaghan
Labor’s $3.6b pre-election pay boost for childcare workers
The government will fund a 15 per cent, $3.6 billion pay rise for child care workers over the next two years on the proviso their employers agree to limit fee increases until after the election.
- Phillip Coorey
- Updated
- Interest rates
Chalmers’ rebates not helping inflation, RBA warns
Federal and state government energy bill subsidies will not help get inflation under control, and big-spending public sector budgets are making it worse, the bank says.
- Updated
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Future Made in Australia is already running off the rails
The Albanese government has fallen into the trap of trying to achieve political wins at high economic cost. And nobody is stopping them.
- John Kehoe
Chalmers disputes RBA; Rex sale looms; Why Harris chose Walz
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Rex bailout likely but not necessary, administrator says
Administrators say Rex could remain sustainable without a bailout; Australians warned not to travel to Bangladesh amid ‘civil unrest’; How the Games day 11 unfolded. Follow live updates.
- Updated
- Natasha Rudra and Lucy Slade
- Opinion
- RBA
RBA warns rate cuts are a no-go this year
Why interest rates won’t come down this year after all. They might even go up.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Exclusive
- Productivity Commission
Chalmers makes Productivity Commission less productive
The government’s independent economic adviser has only one active inquiry, which former officials say is extremely low by historical standards.
- John Kehoe
- Exclusive
- Mergers & acquisitions
CBA tapped to bank Nauru and block Beijing in Pacific
When Bendigo & Adelaide Bank announced it would stop servicing the island to “reduce complexity”, the federal government took notice and turned to CBA.
- Lucas Baird
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Election timing no longer swings on an elusive rate cut
The government is at the mercy of the Reserve Bank. But the central bank is also subject to forces beyond its control.
- Laura Tingle
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Like Howard, Albanese knows two heirs apparent are better than one
Labor’s leadership succession plan seems less obvious than it did six months ago.
- Phillip Coorey
Greens prepared to be flexible on housing demands
The Greens say their demands to curb the CGT exemptions and negative gearing deductions are not a condition of their support for housing bills in the Senate
- Phillip Coorey
July
- Opinion
- The AFR View
August reprieve but no interest rate relief yet
Inflation remains sticky, well-above the 2 per cent to 3 per cent target band, and has basically moved sideways.
- The AFR View
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Inflation helps government dodge interest rate bullet
The June quarter figures were not good, but they also weren’t as bad as feared. That is likely to give the Reserve Bank breathing space to keep interest rates on hold next week.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Opinion
- Superannuation
Why the $3m super tax has turned into a mess
It may seem hard to argue against making people with high superannuation balances pay more tax, but implementing it is a dog’s breakfast.
- John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Inflation
Inflation stays sticky, but it won’t force RBA rate rise
The consumer price figures were not as bad as feared, but inflation remains persistent and higher-for-longer interest rates will be required.
- John Kehoe
ANZ can finally get under the hood of Suncorp Bank
ANZ chief Shayne Elliott said the $4.9 billion deal, which formally completed on Wednesday, will allow it to “compete more effectively across the Australian market”.
- James Eyers
