Yesterday
Budget tips business investment to slow
The recovery in business investment is tipped to slow markedly in federal budget forecasts, as a cooling economy forces firms to reassess capital expenditure plans.
- John Kehoe and Michael Read
- Exclusive
- Federal budget
The budget is already adding to inflation
The federal budget has injected $22 billion of new policy spending over two years, which economists say will cause higher interest rates than necessary and delay any rate cuts.
- John Kehoe
Everything we know about the budget so far
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down Labor’s third budget on May 14. Here’s what we know about the proposed spending measures.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
What we expect in Tuesday’s federal budget
This week on The Fin podcast, political editor Phillip Coorey on what is likely to be announced in the federal budget and what it means for inflation and interest rates.
This Month
Families expected to stash extra cash from tax cuts
Retailers hoping income tax cuts will lift sales of non-essential goods are likely to be disappointed.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Critical minerals
Albanese’s troubled critical minerals dream
The Albanese government has high hopes for much more downstream processing of critical minerals. But the numbers aren’t adding up. What can change that?
- Jennifer Hewett
Chalmers locks in business tax breaks to help Made in Australia
The budget will contain tax breaks for investors to turbocharge the government’s Future Made in Australia Act, Jim Chalmers has confirmed.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Australia’s ‘dumb’ luck budget in one extraordinary chart
Treasurers have been extremely lucky to receive big tax revenue windfalls from the China-driven mining boom, but none have been as lucky as Jim Chalmers.
- John Kehoe
Critical minerals boost from $566m plan to fully map Australia
Deposits of critical minerals and rare earths badly needed for the development of renewable energy technologies will be mapped, Anthony Albanese says.
- Tom McIlroy
Rising government spending is hurting the RBA’s inflation fight
The Australian economy is still operating at an unsustainably strong level despite a string of weak economic growth figures, due in part to public sector spending.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Interest rates
Why data-driven Bullock has her eye on the budget
RBA governor Michele Bullock says it’s too early to declare victory over inflation as she avoids the markets’ frenzied guessing game on interest rates.
- Jennifer Hewett
Calls for power to break up Coles and Woolies split inquiry
The ACCC should get new legal powers to prosecute supermarkets found to be engaging in price gouging, a parliamentary inquiry has recommended.
- Tom McIlroy and Carrie LaFrenz
Albanese pledges $500m for drought relief as Queensland fight heats up
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are squaring off at Beef Week in Rockhampton as the political fight in central Queensland gathers pace.
- Phillip Coorey
Chalmers’ budget to fight inflation first, spend up big second
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says his budget next week will avoid a “scorched earth” approach to fight inflation, but spending will come in the out years.
- Ronald Mizen
Labor warned on overheating western Sydney road spend
Labor said on Monday that its spending in the population growth area was now more than $17.3 billion.
- Tom McIlroy
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
- Opinion
- China relations
It’s economically naive to cut China out of direct investment
There may be more “like-minded” investors out there for Australia’s resources sector, but will they be as competitive and efficient as China has proven to be?
- James Laurenceson
Big government spending to widen budget deficits
Next week’s federal budget will be expansionary, not contractionary as some economists have called for, and will do less to contain inflation and interest rate pressures than Jim Chalmers’ previous surplus budgets.
- John Kehoe
- Analysis
- Australian economy
‘Made in Australia’ risks higher interest rates and a poorer future
The old rules of economics still apply and the consequences of Albanese’s big gamble could be widely felt.
- John Kehoe
Cash splash as Boomers hit the jackpot
After decades of saving, older Australians are spending up. But the wave of cash is causing headaches for the inflation-fighting treasurer and RBA. Can the good times last?
- Jacob Greber
