It's what they wanted, but it hurts

• COMMENT

Low wage growth is what the Coalition wanted. Within weeks of being sworn in as employment minister in 2013 Eric Abetz warned "weak-kneed employers" not to cave in to unreasonable demands.

RBA's hands tied as wage growth hits new record low

Private-sector wage growth has slid to record low of just 1.8 per cent, throwing into doubt budget projections and confounding the Reserve Bank, which would prefer not to have to cut interest rates again and run the risk of reigniting house prices.

Carbon tax relief only fleeting as high prices force energy rethink

Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg has conceded that scrapping the carbon tax had given consumers only a "brief respite" from rising electricity prices, forcing those with the means to invest in self-generation such as roof-top solar.

Calm down on housing affordability, says Reserve

Declining rates of home ownership aren't necessarily a bad thing, according to the Reserve Bank.

Full-time jobs plunge as unemployment rate ticks down to 5.7%

Full-time employment collapsed to its weakest point in 16 months in January after two months of gains were reversed, leaving Australia with 56,100 fewer full-time workers than in January 2015.

Fraser review rejects 'independence' quotas for industry super funds

A long-awaited review into the governance of industry super funds by former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser has found no grounds for legislation that would force boards to have a minimum number of "independent" directors.

Why have our ministers got it in for the unemployed?

• COMMENT

Using the disabled as a human shield to defend cuts to others is as dumb as it gets. Propagating fake news is worse.

Memo Scott Morrison: there ain't no jam jars

• COMMENT

What's this about a "locked box"?

There's a way out of our economic problems, it's not embracing Cory

• COMMENT

So keen has Malcolm Turnbull become to appease his party's right wing that he is actually governing badly.