This Month
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Public sector is strangling economy to death
Like a parasitic twin, the healthy economy is sucking the life out of the sick economy. Something has to give.
- Steven Hamilton
- Opinion
- Letters to the Editor
Labor lacking business nous
Readers’ letters on Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the state of the economy, Labor’s stance on Israel, the Melbourne arson attack and payroll tax.
Public sector jobs surge props up economy
Employment in the public sector is growing at double the pace of the private sector.
- John Kehoe
- Analysis
- Australian economy
Australia’s economic problems have been brewing for years
We are in the most prolonged downturn since the 1991 recession. It’s time for a treasurer to do something about it.
- John Kehoe
- Opinion
- The AFR View
The treasurer must ask what he can do for business
Jim Chalmers is asking business to dig Australia’s economy out of the hole. But he also needs to say what he is going to do to help businesses invest and lift the nation’s embarrassingly poor productivity.
- The AFR View
- Exclusive
- Australian economy
Australia is now an economic ‘problem child’: McKinsey
Business investment is at recession levels as the country’s productivity growth slumps to 30th out of 35 rich countries, says a new report.
- John Kehoe and Michael Read
Dutton axes third wind farm ahead of nuclear pitch
The opposition leader has pledged to scrap plans for a massive wind farm off the NSW central coast if elected.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Five reforms Chalmers must tackle to kickstart growth
Taking on big reforms may entail political risks, but the alternative is to continue on a path of genteel decline.
- David Alexander
You’re part of the growth problem, business leaders tell Chalmers
The bosses of BHP and Wesfarmers have called on Labor to overhaul the uncompetitive tax system and reverse changes to IR laws if it wants a private sector recovery.
- Michael Read, Carrie LaFrenz, Elouise Fowler and John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
No one has come out of CBA’s cash blunder looking good
The bank’s fee mess is an uncharacteristic stuff-up. But it’s also a missed opportunity to have proper debate about technology, economic growth and equity.
- James Thomson
- Exclusive
- Federal election
More power bill discounts likely in new cost of living package
The Albanese government is mulling a third round of power bill discounts to take to the next election.
- Phillip Coorey
- Analysis
- Federal election
Chalmers approves more spending – but only until the election
After three years of putting little emphasis on the private sector, Labor is now spruiking the value of a business-led recovery.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Australian economy
No amount of lipstick on this pig can hide the economic stagnation
The national accounts make grim reading and are indisputably worse than expected.
- Updated
- John Kehoe
CBA backs down on withdrawal fee after Chalmers leans on Comyn
Treasurer Jim Chalmers had called the $3 charge for branch withdrawals “unacceptable”. Australia’s largest bank reconsidered.
- James Eyers and John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Interest rates
The Reserve Bank is not smashing the jobs market
Claims the central bank is needlessly throwing vulnerable Australians out of work are not backed up by the statistics.
- John Kehoe
Record government spending props up GDP
Public servant pay rises, energy bill subsidies, discounted transport fares and infrastructure spending pushed government spending to a fresh record last quarter.
- Updated
- Michael Read
Labor slams CBA $3 fee as tax on people who use cash
Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones has attacked the bank’s move to force some customers to pay a $3 withdrawal fee for taking out cash over the counter.
- John Kehoe
- Exclusive
- Big four
Banking rift exposed in fight against levy for rural services
The government has rejected a proposal by banks to pause regional branch closures instead of a mooted $350 million levy, as a rift deepens between Commonwealth Bank of Australia chief executive Matt Comyn and other bankers over the plan.
- John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Labor has wasted its budgetary luck, and now it’s running out
The luckiest government Australia has seen did not take the opportunity to get the national budget better prepared for the long haul.
- Chris Richardson
Chalmers has spent $60b more than he has saved, damaging the budget
Veteran budget watcher Chris Richardson says Labor has announced $104 billion in new spending over four budget updates, but raised only $44 billion in extra revenue.
- Michael Read
