October 2024
- Opinion
- Monetary policy
Why the RBA has a massive public education job to do
Inflation is high because of the stimulus that Canberra and the RBA poured on in the pandemic. But the public struggles to understand this.
- Michael Stutchbury
September 2024
I’ll tell it as it is on the economy: Chalmers
Jim Chalmers says his first duty is to level with voters, as he comes under fire for saying the RBA was smashing the economy with rate rises.
- Phillip Coorey and Michael Read
April 2024
- Exclusive
- Federal budget
PM’s Made in Australia plan a risk to taxpayers: former RBA boss
Bernie Fraser, the only person to serve as both RBA governor and Treasury secretary, has warned governments have a poor record of picking winners.
- Michael Read
February 2024
Pressure builds on Chalmers over his RBA veto stance
The proposal to remove the treasurer’s veto over the RBA appeared almost friendless following objections from Peter Costello, Ian Macfarlane and Bernie Fraser.
- Updated
- Michael Read
December 2023
- Analysis
- Australian economy
Why interest rate cuts are in sight
History shows that central banks often begin cutting rates before annual inflation falls back to target. Markets are now pricing in two cuts before the end of 2024.
- John Kehoe
August 2023
‘Major parties too scared’: Pocock joins GST debate push
Senate dealmaker David Pocock has joined mounting calls for Jim Chalmers to launch a sweeping review of the tax system that would consider lifting the GST.
- Michael Read and John Kehoe
July 2023
Dutton rules out two frontrunners for RBA governor
The Opposition will not support Steven Kennedy or Jenny Wilkinson to replace Philip Lowe as RBA governor.
- Phillip Coorey and Michael Read
June 2023
This RBA leadership contender isn’t worried about wage rises
Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy is less concerned about a wage-price spiral and could give more weighting to achieving low unemployment - closer to the desires of the Labor government and trade unions.
- Updated
- John Kehoe
May 2023
RBA heavy hitters battle over bank review
Former RBA director Warwick McKibbin hits back at ex-governor Ian Macfarlane’s criticism of the RBA review, saying the board structure’s been flawed for decades.
- John Kehoe
October 2022
Scrap ‘dodgy’ tax cuts to fund Labor spending: former RBA boss
Labor should do the honourable thing by scrapping the stage three tax cuts to pay for its ‘expensive’ spending says Bernie Fraser.
- John Kehoe and Tom McIlroy
June 2022
- Opinion
- Monetary policy
Why the RBA should avoid politically correct appointees
The treasurer should choose the best monetary policy decision makers, particularly when the future of inflation and the global economy is so uncertain.
- John Kehoe
September 2020
- Opinion
- RBA
Why the RBA is delaying much-needed stimulus
It doesn't want to launch an enormous government bond-purchasing program on the same day that Treasury announces massive budget deficits that require record bond issuance.
- Christopher Joye
- Exclusive
- Coronavirus pandemic
Budget to front end big infrastructure spend
The states are set to receive billions extra in infrastructure funding on the proviso they use it or lose it.
- Phillip Coorey and Matthew Cranston
May 2020
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Who's ME Bank for?
Why does union-backed Big Super invest in the bank with no dividends? The governance conflicts are glaring.
- The AFR View
January 2020
Push for more economists, fewer business people on the RBA board
Former RBA board members, politicians and economists are pushing for greater economic expertise on the central bank's nine-member board in preparation for potential quantitative easing.
- Matthew Cranston
May 2019
The RBA was right to hold, says Bernie Fraser
Former RBA governor Bernie Fraser said the bank's decision to keep interest rates on hold was no surprise and a 0.25 percentage point cut would have little effect on the economy.
- Matthew Cranston