Morrison flags further action if housing market fails to cool

The Turnbull government is prepared to further intervene in the housing market, Treasurer Scott Morrison says, if the federal budget's housing package fails to calm rising house prices.

Morrison says housing 'scalpel' already working

Treasurer Scott Morrison has seized on a new report that shows house prices in Sydney and Melbourne are slowing to claim regulatory measures to easy Australia's housing affordability crisis are working.

Budget reporting change sparks debt spree concerns

Leading economists have expressed unease about a budget reporting change.

Bowen says Labor looking at similar 'good debt' change

Labor leader Bill Shorten says the federal government is moving the budget goal posts because it has failed to get debt under control, lashing its plan to divide the federal budget into "good" and "bad" debt.

PM intervenes in gas market to tackle surging prices

Malcolm Turnbull will promise cheaper gas by slapping tough new export restrictions on suppliers.

New budget rules allow Treasurer to boost spending on big projects

Treasurer is preparing the ground for a big new spend on infrastructure in the May budget.

Labor sounds alarm as interest rates fall despite crackdown

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Most interest-only and investor loans from the big four banks are cheaper than a year ago despite a series of rate hikes and a regulator crackdown aimed at cooling the housing market.

North Korea highlights 1250 US marines in Darwin to warn of nuclear war

State newspaper singles out deployment of 1250 marines to claim America is preparing for nuclear war.

'Highly unusual': Turnbull government releases China extradition statement after pressure

The federal government appears to have been forced to released details of a high-level ministerial meeting with a top Chinese official, putting out the information three days after the meeting took place in Sydney and only once Chinese media published the communique from the meeting.