This Month
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
- 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
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Labor striking right budget balance between relief, repair and reform
We know that if Peter Dutton and the Coalition were in charge, Australia would be in recession.
- Jim Chalmers
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Profit-bashing won’t help Australians become better off, CEOs warn
Politicians and regulators going after big business was one of the features of 2024. Has it gone too far, and if so, what can be done to restore the balance?
- James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald
- Exclusive
- Chanticleer CEO poll
‘Australia is falling behind’: 55 CEOs demand election action
Top chief executives say the next federal government must make the nation’s crippling regulatory burden and housing supply top priorities.
- Updated
- James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald
- Opinion
- Chanticleer CEO poll
CEOs reveal their asks for the coming election
With a federal vote due by mid-May at the latest, Australian business leaders highlight what they think the government and opposition should focus on to win.
- James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald
- Exclusive
- Private schools
Private school fees to rise at almost triple the rate of inflation
Prestigious schools have been gradually contacting parents over the past few weeks announcing new fee schedules for 2025.
- Julie Hare
- Exclusive
- Federal election
PM to scrap childcare activity test, fund centres in ‘deserts’
Anthony Albanese has unveiled the first big steps towards delivering universal and affordable childcare.
- Phillip Coorey
November
Albanese dangles childcare package in pitch to voters
Labor’s new childcare policy will not be legislated until after the election, making its delivery contingent on re-electing the government.
- Phillip Coorey
‘Let’s get together, double our income’: Money is the new dating trend
Love can conquer most things, but can it overcome financial differences? Australia’s singles aren’t so sure.
- Lucy Dean
Why rate cuts are at risk from Labor’s $3.5b cost of living relief
More handouts to secure votes in next year’s election will derail any chance of an early rate cut, investors warn.
- Updated
- Cecile Lefort
More households making ‘difficult’ decision to sell homes, RBA warns
Real estate agents say financial stress – and divorce – are prompting a surge in distressed listings, particularly in Victoria and parts of regional NSW.
- Michael Bleby
Labor’s golden boy pledges focus on economy
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas promised not to succumb to hubris after a second resounding byelection win in eight months.
- Simon Evans
‘We didn’t set the tolls’: Transurban pitches new pricing plan
Company boss Michelle Jablko says NSW can’t afford to build roads without private money and is looking at charging corridors according to congestion levels.
- Jenny Wiggins
October
- Opinion
- Inflation
‘Cheapflation’: Why your Big Mac has become expensive
Governments and business are blaming each other for a type of inflation that punishes consumers least able to afford the pain.
- Brooke Masters
Labor weighs ban on hidden fees on airline and concert tickets
Labor is preparing to ban businesses from making it difficult to cancel subscriptions, add hidden fees to online purchases, and raise prices at the checkout.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Australian economy
RBA’s take masks the risks posed by fragile consumers
The RBA’s latest financial stability review suggests businesses are holding up pretty well. But appearances can be deceiving.
- Cherelle Murphy
September
Fight or fold? Coles, Woolies face the angry shoppers they ‘fooled’
With its bombshell allegations this week the ACCC has given the big supermarkets two options, neither particularly palatable. Do they fight or do they fold?
- Patrick Durkin
Parents’ eye-watering education bills don’t end with school
Helping kids get started in life has arguably never been more expensive. Plan and save early, experts say. We’ve also found the most generous scholarships available.
- Michelle Bowes
Drop in spending gives Labor cost-of-living flexibility
Ahead of an election campaign expected to start as early as March, departments have been told the mid-year budget will focus on consumer issues.
- Ronald Mizen