Turnbull is losing his chance to be a great PM

• COMMENT

The closer we get to the pointy end of the Coalition government's first term, the more Malcolm Turnbull seems to be shrinking to the size of his stunted predecessors.

Prisons trap our money along with crooks

Things may be gloomy in other countries, and even in parts of our own economy, but there's one aspect of Australian life where everything's on the up: we're enjoying a sustained prison boom.

Parties need money, business supplies it

According to the Labor Party's rising star, Senator Sam Dastyari, 10 big companies control our political process. You don't need to look far to find evidence of the power wielded by "the big end of town".

Banks are using us to hedge their bets

We only need a tiny part of the financial services industry – the rest is just speculation and it doesn't stand up to close scrutiny.

Ignore the gloom: the Australian economy isn't in bad shape

• COMMENT

Gloomy news from abroad is making people worried about the economy here, but the pessimism is unfounded. Here's why.

How to find happiness this Christmas

Think of Christmas as about giving rather than receiving and you're well on the way to being happier.

The evolving heart of modern marriage

I've never been impressed by those economists who think they can use their little pocket model of the economy to explain every aspect of life.

Budget update fails to map out a road to surplus

There is nothing in the mid-year budget update to be alarmed about, but nor does it suggest Malcolm Turnbull will do any better than his predecessors at getting the budget back to surplus.

Why we all fall for phishing schemes

As almost every economist will tell you, the market economy – the capitalist system, if you prefer – works in a way that's almost miraculous. All of us owe our present prosperity to it.

Retirement won't be easier any time soon

The trouble with interest rates is that they cut both ways - a cost to borrowers is income to savers, and vice versa.