If the Coalition is claiming to be the superior budget manager, these figures are a poor start. In fact, they underline an unwillingness to confront the real fiscal challenges ahead of us; the fact is we are spending far too much.
The net effect of a AAA downgrade – and this is the big story – is that interest rates would be higher for longer for governments, businesses and households if Australia’s credit rating is downgraded.
We would be better served by having a prime minister with a real nose for policy.
Personally, I’m a big fan of WFH. But even if the technology had been available, I can’t imagine working from home early in my working life. I needed to be around my colleagues, to work in teams, to seek feedback.
The sooner May 3 arrives the better, because at least then the politicians will have run out of time to dream up hare-brained expensive proposals.
Either way, Donald Trump’s decision to suspend his suite of reciprocal tariffs is very welcome news.
Jim Chalmers is a good retail politician but a bad economist. Angus Taylor is a superior economist yet not a natural politician. But the Opposition spokesman more than held his own.
Notwithstanding the suite of government programs on offer, the housing distress that far too many Australians experience won’t be disappearing soon.
While it’s true that countries cheat, fudge and manipulate – gosh, even the US does this – trade between countries offers win-win outcomes that improve global living standards.
It seems a very long time since the economic sense of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating dominated the political narrative.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/judith-sloan/page/3