Today
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Has Labor no shame about the CFMEU’s behaviour?
Who else would get away with the construction union’s intimidation? Where is the attorney-general, the treasurer, or the new National Anti-Corruption Commission?
- The AFR View
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Gas critics are signing up for coal and candles
The climate movement needs to ask itself what is worse: gas in the new energy mix, or coal that lingers for longer.
- Craig Emerson
- Opinion
- Global economy
Why the world won’t respond to shocks as it did before
The world economy is fragmenting, with countries going in different directions. They will not react to frequent violent changes in the same ways.
- Mohamed El-Erian
- Opinion
- Energy transition
Critics wrong about our clean energy ‘superpower’ plan picking winners
We share concerns about arbitrary government intervention, but our carbon pricing model is designed to minimise those risks.
- Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims
Yesterday
Budget handouts put interest rate cuts further out of reach
Economists have warned handouts that bring down bills will not rein in underlying inflation, undermining the government’s message that its budget will help the Reserve Bank.
- Updated
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Australian economy
On his third budget, Chalmernomics has finally emerged
The Albanese-Chalmers government embodies a short-term and emotive response to wage stagnation, not a rational one.
- Stephen Anthony
- Opinion
- Federal budget
This is a bold opportunity to refocus Australia’s economy
The Future Made in Australia Act is not picking winners. It is about reshaping whole sectors around a mission of managing climate change.
- Mariana Mazzucato
The little-known budget figure you should care about
The figure, known as the ‘table of truth’, cuts through the spin and shows how the treasurer’s saving and spending decisions affect the bottom line.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Jim Chalmers rips up Paul Keating’s economic playbook
The treasurer is breaking from Labor’s previously claimed belief in the Hawke-Keating market-based economic model that helped deliver 30 years of prosperity.
- John Kehoe
This Month
Greens inflaming housing crisis
Readers’ letters on the Greens; Labor’s gas strategy; International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol; and Kerry Stokes putting an end to printed copies of The Australian Financial Review in WA.
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Tax inertia pushes budget towards a black hole
Redesigning the tax system against the principles of fairness, efficiency, sustainability and coherence would deliver us all with an economic dividend.
- Cherelle Murphy
Michele Bullock’s run of good news may be about to end
RBA governor Michele Bullock has proven a better communicator than her predecessor Philip Lowe. But her real test may still be yet to come.
- Ronald Mizen
- Opinion
- Public service
Why headcount matters when it comes to budgets
As any finance chief will attest, the number of bums on seats tells you most of what you need to know about an organisation’s underlying size and costs.
- Tom Burton
- Exclusive
- Interest rates
RBA board split in doubt as Libs dig in
The impasse between Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor means the new RBA interest rate setting board will not be up and running by its planned start date of July 1.
- Michael Read
This tree symbolises how Victoria became a financial basket case
After 300 years of withstanding the elements, the River Red Gum in Bulleen forced the North East Link to be redesigned as the cost of the project blows out by billions of dollars.
- Patrick Durkin
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
Gas policy betrays Labor voters
Readers’ letters on the government’s plan to back gas until 2050; a call to arms from Perth; why it’s time to leave the low-tax silo; and why King Charles should phone Xi Jinping.
WA taps Albanese for $200m critical minerals hub
WA has earmarked land near where Alcoa is closing its alumina refinery and a BHP nickel refinery is hanging by a thread for a critical minerals processing hub it wants the Albanese government to co-fund.
- Brad Thompson
- 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
Blackstone wants bigger Australia bet as brighter economy beckons
Jon Gray says the US private capital giant will look to increase its exposure to Australia ahead of what he expects will be an economic upswing.
- James Thomson