Yesterday
Union growth is back under Labor after a decade of decline
The ACTU says a return to collective bargaining under the Albanese government has helped unions increase their membership to 13 per cent of the workforce.
- Opinion
- Leading Indicators
How Victoria became one of the rich world’s most indebted states
Victoria is the fourth-most indebted advanced economy state government outside the US. It may soon find there’s a fine line between nation-building and overbuilding.
This Month
- 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.
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.
Chalmers admits business must pull Australia out of growth slump
Jim Chalmers says record government spending is stopping the economy from shrinking, but economists say it is delaying rate cuts and crowding out the private sector.
- Updated
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
Private markets to boom amid AI and net zero transition
The sector has emerged as a cornerstone of investment strategies as investors chase outsized returns and diversify their portfolios beyond traditional assets.
- Analysis
- Interest rates
The PM no longer says Australians are better off. These charts show why
While some economic metrics have improved during the government’s first term, the one that really matters to voters – their purchasing power – has gone backwards.
- Exclusive
- Skills shortage
Tradies to join yoga instructors on core migration skills list
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the federal government was moving to address critical shortages, including in new home construction.
Retail sales hit 17-month high as tax cuts spawn consumer revival
Economists say a strong rise in retail spending in October could show the protracted household spending downturn is over, as tax cuts encourage shoppers to splurge.
Labor targets Meta, Apple, Amazon and Google with tough new rules
Global tech giants face tough new rules and hefty fines as the government moves to stop digital giants unfairly pushing their own products onto consumers.
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.
November
Vic, NSW splurge putting Australia’s credit rating at risk: Fitch
Fitch Ratings has warned that state level deficits have risen sharply and were becoming increasingly important in its assessment of Australia’s fiscal position.
Chalmers commits to ‘first class’ RBA appointees
Jim Chalmers has pledged to put first-rate appointees on the new RBA board, as economists urge him not to put any Labor-aligned figures on the committee.
Trump’s tariffs could cause deflation: Bullock
Australia could benefit from Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, if affected firms divert their products to Australia and prices fall.
RBA to undergo the biggest overhaul in decades after Labor-Greens deal
The RBA board will be split into separate committees for interest rate setting and governance after Labor struck a deal with the Greens and the Senate crossbench.
Labor wants to ram 36 bills through Senate today. This is the list
The government has dropped plans to rush through its electoral donations changes before the summer break, but could secure other big wins in a day of frenetic votes.
Coalition wants to dilute lending laws to pump up first home buyers
An opposition inquiry will call for an overhaul of how banks and the prudential regulator treat prospective first homebuyers.
Coalition’s nuclear power plants to add to off-budget spending boom
Experts called on both parties to stop funnelling taxpayer money into loss-making investments, with off-budget spending to reach $87 billion in the next four years.
Rise in underlying inflation to keep rates pressure on RBA
Trimmed mean inflation increased to 3.5 per cent in October from 3.2 per cent in September, even as headline inflation remained unchanged at 2.1 per cent.
- Updated
