This Month
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Just maybe, the worm has started to turn on the cost of living
The short-lived census row has sharply reminded the government that it cannot take its eye off the economic ball now.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Raising the bar against mergers will rob everyone of benefits
Why clamp down on mergers with less than maximum benefits when the public would still gain from seeing them go through?
- Bran Black
August
Non-compete clauses under scrutiny in competition reform
Jim Chalmers says boosting dynamism in the economy and lowering barriers to labour mobility are key priorities for a national policy reset.
- Tom McIlroy
Shareholders wanted PEXA chief’s head
Several institutional shareholders aren’t displeased to see the end of the Glenn King era.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
April
Labor urged to restrict rather than ban non-compete clauses
Leading economists have urged the Albanese government to significantly restrict the use of non-compete clauses to revive Australia’s ailing productivity growth.
- Euan Black
Stephen Jones is (still) out of his depth
Stephen Jones aimed for “quick wins” on his legislative agenda. Instead, the government introduced a bill accidentally banning insurance commissions.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
Dance teachers and hairdressers threatened over non-competes: Leigh
Assistant minister for competition will consult on regulating non-compete clauses after finding young, low-paid workers are being threatened for switching jobs.
- David Marin-Guzman
Ban restraints on poaching staff: RBA board member
Workers should be allowed to solicit ex-colleagues to jump ship to competitors and staff should be paid while under non-compete clauses, a former judge has urged.
- David Marin-Guzman
March
New minimum tax laws could fast track reporting
Multinationals and some of Australia’s biggest businesses could be forced to beef up financial reporting if new a corporate minimum tax rate passes parliament before July 1.
- Tom McIlroy
- Exclusive
- AI
Labor minister says AI may be ‘humanity’s last invention’
Andrew Leigh’s concerns about the threat to people from computers adds to momentum to introduce restrictions on artificial intelligence.
- Aaron Patrick
Megacorps are the 21st century’s great threat
Labor minister and economist Andrew Leigh argues that companies as big, financially, as nations are a danger to consumers and their employees.
- Andrew Leigh
February
Atlassian paid $284m tax before ATO deal
Over the past six years Atlassian’s Australian entity paid $283.8 million of tax locally before reaching an agreement to pay more tax.
- Tess Bennett
Chalmers flags crackdown on ‘restraint clauses’
Almost one in three Australian workers is subject to a non-compete clause, the Australian Bureau of Statistics says.
- Michael Read
January
‘Airfares are halved when three competitors fly a route’
Competition minister Andrew Leigh has presented new analysis showing just how significantly airfares fall when more airlines are competing.
- John Kehoe and Ayesha de Kretser
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Albanese’s version of integrity comes with a means test
The prime minister gave copious reasons why Labor should honour the stage three tax cuts. Then he went and backflipped anyway.
- Phillip Coorey
Multinationals hit with 15pc minimum tax rate
Experts say Australia will reap almost none of the $326 billion extra global tax revenue expected to result from the deal, which will generate a significant compliance burden.
- Updated
- Michael Read
December 2023
Labor to consider new tax rules for donations
Recommendations from a major Productivity Commission report into philanthropy in Australia have left some in the charity sector asking for more government direction.
- Tom McIlroy
September 2023
Workers get fair share of pie, says PC as it busts wages myth
Labour’s share of income for 95pc of workers outside of mining and agriculture had declined by less than 1 percentage point over the past 27 years, it says.
- John Kehoe
‘It’s inexplicable’: AFR readers want answers on Qatar-Qantas decision
An overwhelming majority of readers believe the government has not given adequate answers on blocking Qatar’s application for more flights to Australia.
- Mark Di Stefano
August 2023
Chalmers moves to tidy up airline fracas
Treasurer Jim Chalmers indicated statements by junior ministerial colleague Andrew Leigh on Tuesday were incorrect, while Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has rowed back his earlier comments.
- Updated
- Ronald Mizen