This Month
Old campaigner Howard makes a Curtin call
John Howard is lending his considerable political heft to the Liberals campaign to win back the WA seat of Curtin from teal Kate Chaney.
Hawke and Keating were wrong. There is a strong case for tariffs
The Hawke-Keating-Howard era got rid of tariffs. But in their place, they brought in a range of imposts that never existed before, or at least not to the same degree.
Why John Howard thinks teals are done in WA
Western Australia’s affinity for gas could cost teal Kate Chaney her seat of Curtin, former prime minister John Howard says.
March
Dutton doesn’t like Canberra, PM doesn’t like the Greens
Peter Dutton has caused outrage in the national capital by saying he would live in Sydney if elected, while Anthony Albanese became tongue-tied about Greens support.
Inside four RBA decisions that shook up elections
From controversial rate hikes to politically sensitive cuts, the central bank has often found itself at the heart of the campaign narrative.
Why Albanese is confident of winning – partly thanks to Trump
The government quietly hopes the Trump effect will boost its chances, but the focus of the election campaign will be resolutely on domestic cost-of-living pressures.
WA Labor softens criticism over North West Shelf delay
The decision on whether the huge Woodside-run gas venture can run for another 40 years could end up being made by a minority government.
February
‘Prosperity first’ to get us out of economic stagnation
Whoever wins the next election, if a decision comes before you, employ one criterion: will this make Australia more or less prosperous?
January
CPI pushes the rate cut door wide open
RBA is overachieving on inflation and should “break on through to the other side” to reduce the policy rate in February.
Opposition savings from housing, green energy funds in doubt
Senator Jane Hume says the Coalition will interrogate Labor’s billions of dollars tied up in funds for housing, clean energy and manufacturing, but admits they may be difficult to unwind.
How independent can government-funded think tanks be?
The only real solution for Australia’s think tank dilemma is to seek private funding to promote good policy ideas
Labor’s over the election barrel on Bruce Highway
It is fiscal integrity, more than political integrity, that is the concern as Labor embarks on what could be the start of an election spending spree.
End the age of entitlement to taxpayer-funded political ads
Australia needs to get on top of the entitlement mentality to get the budget back in shape. A good place to start would be to stop paying for political ads out of the budget.
The pressure tactics that turned CSL from ‘minnow’ to powerhouse
Previously unreported documents show US trade negotiators tried to bust CSL’s Australian monopoly. Brian McNamee says it spurred the company to global success.
Transparency lacking in WA media and politics
Readers’ letters on conflicts of interest between Seven West Media and Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, the Howard government bugging East Timor, the alienation of young men and ADHD treatments.
Howard backs free trade and fossil fuels in Trump era
Trade experts doubt a 20-year free trade agreement between Australia and the US will influence Donald Trump’s decision on tariffs.
Howard defends bugging; 5 explorers ride gold boom; Russia out of gas
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
East Timor bugging ‘in national interest’: Howard
The former prime minister has reflected on controversy and success at an event marking the release of cabinet documents from 2004.
December 2024
Political figures turn out for Kevin Andrews’ state funeral
Former prime minister Tony Abbott read the eulogy for the long-tim conservative Liberal MP at a service attended by politicians from both sides.
Anthony Albanese has a hat but does he have a rabbit?
For a government elected almost three years ago, the decline in Labor’s fortunes has been steep, and proportional to cost-of-living pressures that have driven out incumbents around the globe.