Business
The economy
Opinion
Federal budget
Stop kidding: the 2024 tax cut will be economically irresponsible
The tax cut, supported by both the federal government and Labor, is now “unfunded”. We’ll be borrowing money to give ourselves a tax cut.
- by Ross Gittins
Latest
Four out of five first home buyers locked out of most of Sydney and Melbourne
Three in four properties in Sydney and half in Melbourne are only affordable for the highest earning 20 per cent of first home buyers.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Opinion
Global economy
Supply chain chaos: What it will take to make the world’s ships run on time
The pressure on the global supply chain continues to build, and no other option remains for moving most of the world’s goods.
- by James Stavridis
Opinion
Federal budget
Don’t let any politician convince you your taxes will be going down
Whenever an election approaches, we can expect the bulldust count to soar on claims about the prospects for the economy and, particularly, about how well the budget’s being managed.
- by Ross Gittins
Australia could face steeper borrowing costs if too slow on climate
Australia runs the risk of much steeper borrowing costs if financial markets view the country as too slow in cutting carbon emissions, Reserve Bank board member Ian Harper has warned.
- by Swati Pandey
Opinion
Trade wars
A fresh trade war is brewing as China flexes its muscles
Australia has been on the receiving end of China using the threat of denying access to its markets as leverage. Now it’s Lithuania’s turn - and the EU is angry.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
‘Bitter pill to swallow’: Omicron is a horrible dilemma for China
Omicron should be the end of the road for China’s zero-Covid policy. But Beijing will almost certainly dig in its heels first, and this has wide ramifications for the global economy.
- by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Opinion
Debt collection
Robo-revenue raising too tempting for greedy governments
Robo-debt showed us how governments can unlawfully use technology to shake down vulnerable people for money they don’t have. But that doesn’t mean they won’t try it again.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Carbon pricing
Oh, stop it! It’s not a carbon tax and never was
Unlike other countries, Australia under the Coalition has a “safeguard mechanism” to control emissions – and a Labor government would rev it up. But what is it?
- by Jessica Irvine
Surge in wealth transfers: Australians giving away billions
The first in-depth study of wealth transfers and their effect on the economy finds $120 billion was transferred in gifts and inheritances in 2018. The money was mostly given to family and friends.
- by Noel Towell
Opinion
Wage growth
Panicking financial markets could stuff up another global recovery
With prices rising surprisingly rapidly this year in the US and Britain – we’re witnessing a battle between financial markets, who fear inflation, and central banks.
- by Ross Gittins