This Month
Dutton moves to election footing after budget shift, NATO snub
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has told his party room to “be ready” for an election as early as September.
- Phillip Coorey
June
The final push on inflation will be the toughest: Chalmers
The final push to lower inflation to within the RBA’s target band will be the toughest, Jim Chalmers has warned.
- Phillip Coorey
‘Deeply offensive’: ATO boss slams robo-debt comparison
New Tax Commissioner Rob Heferen was forceful in his first appearance before Parliament, rejecting criticism of a Tax Office program to chase small debts.
- Tom McIlroy
May
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
This budget sees the return of government as saviour
Two decades ago, Australia was poised to shed the hard-done-by battler mindset. Now it is more entrenched than ever.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Gender and family advocates will have to wait a bit longer
The issue with announcing a rise in wages for childcare workers is that there is a multi-enterprise bargaining process underway.
- Sally Patten
Big four accountants could face partner limits in governance crackdown
The big four accounting firms could be forced to slash partner numbers and incorporate their consulting businesses under a crackdown on governance standards flagged as a possible response to the PwC tax leaks scandal.
- Updated
- Ronald Mizen and Edmund Tadros
April
PM flags tougher treatment of men who harm women
Bail law reform and tougher penalties for men who engage in violence against women are set to be considered at this week’s national cabinet meeting.
- Tom McIlroy
- Opinion
- Workplace culture
Taxpayers should be furious over public service’s ‘ghost’ offices
On a recent Friday in Canberra, a deflated public servant friend revealed that there were only three people at work on a floor space that can seat 30 to 40.
- Updated
- John Kehoe
Legitimate to question Higgins’ $2.4m compo: Liberals
The opposition says it is legitimate to question Brittany Higgins’ payout given Justice Michael Lee found there was no political cover-up of her rape.
- Phillip Coorey
Welfare boost unlikely as government strives for surplus
The government has all but ruled out further welfare increases, before receiving a pre-budget report from its advisory committee.
- Phillip Coorey
March
ATO has ‘stuffed’ robo-tax debt recovery effort: ombudsman
Moves to recoup $15 billion in historic taxation debts has sparked criticism from two independent watchdogs.
- Tom McIlroy
Firms led by women to get bigger slice of $70b federal spending
The government will work with companies on a voluntary basis to ensure more of the winning bids for state contracts fall to women-led companies.
- Julie Hare
Labor to pay super on paid parental leave
From July 1, 2025, new parents will have 12 per cent superannuation paid on the 20 weeks of government-funded paid parental leave.
- Hannah Wootton
February
Crossbench to weaponise Labor’s own plan to end pork barrelling
When MPs return to Canberra on Monday, Indi MP Helen Haines will introduce new legislation designed to stop a repeat of the Coalition’s sports rorts saga and commuter carpark scheme.
- Tom McIlroy
The number of public servants working from home has doubled
Many new employees say flexible conditions contributed to their decision to take a job.
- Tom Burton
January
- Exclusive
- Australian economy
Chalmers plans to modernise Future Fund
Although the Treasurer is a supporter of the Future Fund’s objectives, he wants to use its vacancies as an opportunity to refresh the nearly 18-year-old institution.
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- Big four consultants
Spotlight on consultants after big four billing rates leaked
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher declined to reveal which of the 413 firms on the management advisory panel were leaked the highly confidential data of their rivals.
- Ronald Mizen
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
- Exclusive
- Big four consultants
Spending on consultants at 10-year low: Gallagher
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says spending with the big four consulting firms along with Accenture and Scyne is down $240 million so far in 2023-24.
- Ronald Mizen
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Responsible economic management key to Albanese government’s agenda
There’s no shortage of challenges in the budget or the economy, but the mid-year budget update shows we are making encouraging progress.
- Jim Chalmers