This Month
Rich Lister charged in park asbestos contamination
Arnold Vitocco’s family company owns chocolate chain Max Brenner and is credited with building Liverpool in Sydney’s west. He is now charged with environmental crimes.
- Rohan Sullivan
Pub baron welcomes deal to save Sydney’s New Year’s Eve
Pub baron Craig Laundy says commonsense has prevailed to end a rail strike threat to Sydney’s annual harbour fireworks worth $280 million to the economy.
- Neve Brissenden and Luke Costin
‘Ready to burn’: Australians urged to avoid Boxing Day travel
Firefighters are battling blazes across the country and millions of people are being warned to stay alert as the risk of Christmas-week bushfires intensifies.
- Holly Hales, Kaitlyn Offer and Will Ton
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.
- Holly Hales
Australian fighter pilot to be extradited over China training claim
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said he considered all evidence before him before deciding father of six Daniel Duggan should face court in the United States.
- Luke Costin and Jacob Shteyman
Victoria opposition leader ‘to face leadership spill’ this week
John Pesutto’s bid to head off a challenge by calling a special party room meeting to resolve the Moira Deeming crisis may have backfired.
- Gus McCubbing
Race to control giant bushfire after it triples in size
The blaze in Victoria’s Grampians National Park has razed 34,000 hectares and continues to grow.
- Holly Hales and Aaron Bunch
Labor to have a swing at Hinkler after Pitt calls it quits
The unpopularity of federal Labor in Queensland makes it unlikely it will pick up Keith Pitt’s seat of Hinkler, around Bundaberg.
- Phillip Coorey
Hate laws ‘patchwork’ needs urgent reform: antisemitism envoy
Jillian Segal, Australia’s first envoy to combat antisemitism, says better consistency is needed between federal, state and territory laws, pledging to push for changes in 2025.
- Tom McIlroy
Sydney’s New Year fireworks may be axed over train strike
NSW’s police commissioner says she fears for the safety of people who will gather on Sydney Harbour if they can’t use the rail network because of industrial action.
- Luke Costin
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Political class must heed lessons of Trump’s comeback
Will our leaders heed the warning that the best defence against populism is to take the hard decisions needed to restore the prosperity most Australians seek?
- The AFR View
- Opinion
- Federal election
Labor has left it too late for an early election this time
This year, the polls, the economy and the budget have all got worse for the government, and it has run out of room to go to voters before the end of its term.
- Laura Tingle
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.
- Phillip Coorey
Ageing Australia to lean on millions more migrants: Treasury
The population is forecast to hit 31 million in a decade, as younger migrants pay for the increasing number of older people in aged care and the health system.
- John Kehoe
Australia spends $190m on Solomons policing
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Solomon Islands counterpart Jeremiah Manele announced the agreement on Friday.
- Tom McIlroy
- Graphic Content
- Photos of the Week
In Pictures: Best of 2024
The best photos of 2024 by staff and casual photographers at The Australian Financial Review, and memorable moments.
The podcast all of federal parliament is obsessed with
Australia’s political leaders have ambitious reading and streaming plans for the summer break, but one audio program is winning bipartisan support.
- Tom McIlroy
- Opinion
- Antisemitism
Churches sowed the seeds of antisemitism but have lost control of field in post-Christian age
The shift in Christian teaching can have a limited effect when the worst prejudices come from the radical, secular left.
- Benjamin Elton
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Dutton not match fit after dodging the pack, or so Labor hopes
When the opposition leader has made a foray into policy detail, he’s found himself on the sticky paper.
- Phillip Coorey
Racism and antisemitism ‘pervasive’ at universities: report
The Australian Human Rights Commission says Jewish students believe universities are incapable or unwilling to address their safety concerns.
- Tom McIlroy
Booze and ciggies tax down $12.5b as bootlegging, illegal tobacco boom
Soaring taxes have driven a fall in consumption but also a shift towards contraband.
- Phillip Coorey
Backdoor overseas student caps will ‘damage Australia’s reputation’
Under Labor’s new plan, visa applications for overseas students would be put on a go-slow once their intended university hits 80 per cent of its proposed cap.
- Ronald Mizen
Labor accused of payback against think tank for its criticism of China
A government review wants to rein in public funding for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which has been highly critical of China and keeps an office in Washington.
- Tom McIlroy and Emma Connors
‘Give us a chance’: More visas not enough to fix skills crisis
According to a recently launched coalition of business groups, unions and community organisations, more than 620,000 permanent migrants work below their skill levels and qualifications.
- Ronald Mizen