Wage growth will strengthen, and soon
There's been a sound economic justification – the need to restore our industries' international price competitiveness - for our weak wage growth over the past three or four years.
The Economy
Is this the death of a decent day's work?
My working life began pushing a 2-stroke mower across the sprawling lawns of my suburban childhood home – a tricky business mustering enough force to pull the starter cord but, after that, a thoroughly satisfying process of methodically retracing one's steps at half-metre-spaced increments.
ATO seen as 'a bit of a joke': advisers turn sour
Doubts about the ATO's IT systems, and commitment to working with and valuing the tax profession continue.
Rate cuts forecast out for BTIM's Gor
Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe could oversee two years of stability in the cash rate, BT Investment Management's Vimal Gor says.
The next weapon in the tax battle with multinationals
The federal government's Tax Avoidance Taskforce will be given additional intelligence to hunt down US-based multinationals after America this week formally agreed to share detailed information about companies with Australian authorities.
Revealed: The truth about Sydney's smashed avo economics
Edgecliff is ground zero for Sydney's smashed avocado craze, while Summer Hill is the dividing line for availability.
The wealth bonanza ahead if we say 'yes'
The explosion of love and goodwill that would accompany the legalisation of same-sex marriage cannot come soon enough for the Australian economy.
Rates to rise but 'some time away': RBA
RBA governor Philip Lowe has identified low wage growth as one of the key risks to the Australian economy
The award for weak wages growth goes to ...
Since we've all got so excited about the weak growth in wages, let me ask you a personal question: How much do you know about how wages are set?
The top 10 tips to boost your household budget
In this week's episode of It All Adds Up the team shares their top finance tips.
Private equity giant's each-way bet on Aussie house prices
You don't buy a company with $7 billion or so of loans on the balance sheet if you think they're about to bite the dust. The deal suggests a view that Australia's economy is stronger than many outsiders recognise. But it's safe to hedge your bet.
Anaemic wage growth sends consumer mood to 16-month low
A measure of Australian consumer sentiment slipped to its lowest in more than a year in August as worries over family finances swamped increasing optimism about the economic outlook.
Business conditions best in a decade
Business conditions have reached their highest level in a decade while consumer confidence stagnates.
Australia a 'soft touch' for foreign bribery
Australia needs tougher laws to tackle foreign bribery and company directors should be held responsible for serious corporate crime, a federal inquiry has heard.
Job ads climb for fifth month to highest since 2011
Recent data points to jobs growth of 15,000 to 20,000 a month in the near term, ANZ's David Plank says.
Crisis in high school economics a threat to national wellbeing
Since 1992, the number of Year 12 students taking economics has declined by almost 70 per cent, from 40,000 to closer to 10,000.
Our IT systems aren't bound by commercial service standards, says ATO
The Australian Taxation Office said in its own report into the IT outage debacle that it is not bound by the same service standards as commercial organisations are when it comes to assessing its liability for repeated system crashes.
The six charts that prove why workers are feeling the pinch
Australians love to whinge about the cost of living. But they might finally have a point, writes Jessica Irvine.
Jobs being taken by robots? Where's your evidence
One problem to remember before we work ourselves into a complete tizz over the War on Wages.
RBA sees jobless rate edging lower, gradual wage growth
The RBA has cut its economic growth forecasts by half a percentage point for the rest of this year.
Some ethnic groups 'predisposed' to deal in cash: taskforce
Barring refugees awaiting decisions on their status from working increases the propensity for illegal cash economy activity, a government taskforce says.
The three things driving up electricity prices
Few subjects stir consumer passions like rising electricity bills. With power prices more than doubling after inflation over the past 10 years, that's hardly surprising.
Taskforce pushes for no more cash wages
Australians would no longer be able to receive wages in cash, and industries classified as being at "high risk" of illegally taking secret cash-in-hand payments including cafes and restaurants could be subject to a minimum rate of tax, which they could then claim a refund on if they can prove to the tax man that they should be paying a lower rate.
Building approvals jump 10.9 per cent in June
Approvals for the construction of new homes bounced 10.9 per cent in June, giving little indication the housing market is cooling.
RBA holds rates at record low 1.5%
The Reserve Bank has kept its cash rate on hold for the eleventh consecutive month, providing little indication of when it will allow rates to rise.
Home prices jump anew in July, testing regulators
Home prices in Australia's major cities rose strongly in July, putting a question mark over regulators' attempts to cool the market.
Labor's 'war on the rich' is firing blanks
Labor's policy in effect entrenches discretionary trusts as the vehicle of choice for the fortunate wealthy.
Australia's rates aren't as stimulatory as RBA thinks
For Australian central bank watchers, it seems no one is neutral on where neutral actually is.
Last charge of the rate-rise brigade
Do you realise the Reserve Bank board hasn't changed Australia's official interest rate from 1.5 per cent for almost a year? But that hasn't stopped people in the financial markets from speculating furiously about whether rates are about to go down – or go up.
The 10 jobs that claim the most tax deductions in Australia
Real estate agents and lawyers topped the league table, claiming $8634 and $7156 respectively.
Small Business
Meet the perennials: The ageless generation
The perennials are too busy starting businesses to worry about which generation they're part of.
Losing great staff? Good riddance
It might not be such a big deal after all.