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Federal budget
Deficit to hit $161 billion; NDIS to get 80,000 new home care packages; Net zero emissions reached ‘preferably’ by 2050
Mental health, disability funding and job training schemes have already emerged as winners from the 2021 federal budget.
Latest live posts
LoadingA five-minute rundown of the federal budget
A summary of what you should know about this year’s federal budget.
Federal budget: The winners and losers
The government has splashed cash on aged care, childcare rebates and infrastructure, but we could all lose out in the long term.
Spending splurge to create 250,000 jobs in two years, more money for aged care and mental health
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is spending $74.6 billion in two years to create more than 250,000 jobs using income tax cuts, business tax breaks and a mammoth outlay on social services.
Analysis
Federal budget
No game-changer: A gender audit of the federal budget
How does the budget rate when viewed through a gender lens?
Women get $3.4b for jobs and to tackle domestic violence, sexual harassment
The new spending measures include $1.9 billion earmarked for economic security, $1.1 billion for safety initiatives tackling violence and harassment and $352 million for health and wellbeing.
Analysis
Childcare
Coalition eager to prove it works for women too
The inclusion of a formal women’s budget statement in Tuesday’s pack of papers in itself speaks volumes about the pressure the government has come under over the treatment of women.
Opinion
Federal budget
Josh Frydenberg is rolling in the red, and mighty proud of it
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, delivering a budget of record deficit and debt, seeks to turn adversity to advantage.
Tony Wright
Associate editor and special writer
Mothers say time for childcare help is now
Donna O’Neill has seen many of her female colleagues’ careers held back because the high cost of child care. She wants that to change.
Analysis
Federal budget
Marriage of convenience comes with some hidden hazards
The pandemic has given the government licence to spend big, to dream large, and to do it in a way that the country needs. And licence to do it in good time for its re-election campaign.
Updated
Coronavirus pandemic
Victorian COVID-19 case ‘absolutely’ picked up in Adelaide quarantine hotel
A man who has become Victoria’s first local coronavirus case in 73 days likely caught the virus while isolating in South Australia, prompting calls for a national review of hotel quarantine.
Opinion
India
We found the limits of hotel quarantine. It’s time we fixed it
For many months, experts have been sounding the alarm on the problem of poorly ventilated hotels.
Aisha Dow
Health Editor, The Age
Opinion
Parenting
Parents need to learn to love their kids taking risks
The parental protective impulse is a powerful one - but is it always the best choice for our children?
Doug Hendrie
Pretty please: How a bias against ugly plants could spell their doom
A prejudice among botanists for the study of pretty plants with bold colours leaves the wallflowers at risk of being left behind in research and in conservation.
Opinion
Phones
What is an iPhone? Apple’s Epic Games stoush will not be its last fight over the App Store
Is Apple abusing a monopoly over how over a billion iPhone owners download their apps? The question seems to be one that serves mainly to lead to more questions.
James Titcomb
Editor's Picks
Opinion
Interest rates
The world is partying hard on free money, but beware the hangover
Peter Hartcher
Political and international editor
Just in
FEDERAL BUDGET 2021
Explainer
How does the federal budget work – and how is it different from yours?
What is a federal budget trying to do? How does the government decide where to spend its money? And where did rituals such as ‘the lock-up’ come from?
‘It’s not real’: Victoria questions government’s infrastructure promises
Mr Merlino said federal announcements were not not fully-fledged because they are not properly budgeted for by the Commonwealth.
Local
Coroner investigates baby Isabella’s unexplained death
A mother has demanded answers after it was revealed her child repeatedly vomited and appeared unwell over a 22-hour period before medical help was sought.
Updated
Tragedy
‘Too late’: Friend of boy killed as bin tipped into garbage trunk tried to alert driver
South Australia Police say one of the boys started “banging on the door” of the cabin when the bin containing his two friends started to tip.
Updated
Melbourne emergency
Georgian national jumps ship, rescued in Port Phillip Bay
A 31-year-old Georgian national was found by the air wing clinging to a navigational marker 5km out from the dock.
‘All bets are off’: Fire weather trumps forestry, prescribed burning
Extreme weather during the Black Summer bushfires overwhelmed other factors such as fuel loads, raising questions about the role of forestry management and prescribed burning, fire researchers say.
Yarra councillor attacked near South Yarra club
A Yarra City councillor was injured last month outside a South Yarra nightclub, in a violent altercation that is now under investigation by Victoria Police.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
COVID vaccine success fans hopes of mRNA shot for cancer
Over the past decade Drew Weissman and Katalin Kariko have been working on a variety of vaccines. The pandemic accelerated the trials of their technology.
Zero COVID deaths in England for second time since pandemic began
New research suggests Britain’s world-leading vaccine rollout slashes the risk of dying from COVID-19 by up to 97 per cent.
Politics
NDIS on track with forecast budget despite PM’s claim of cost blowouts
Scott Morrison warned the NDIS faced cost blowouts without new integrity measures, but the scheme is on track with Productivity Commission forecasts.
Business
‘Round pegs into square holes’: Stockbrokers still failing mandatory compliance test
Almost one third of participants who sat the mandatory compliance exam have failed but this figure is expected to be much higher among stockbrokers.
World
Breaking
Mass shooting
Putin orders gun control review after students killed in Russian school shooting
The governor of the Tatarstan republic said that four boys and three girls in the eighth grade have died in the shooting, as Vladimir Putin orders a gun control review.
Opinion
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Property bydomain
Why Australia's $30b home construction boom won't last
The take-up of HomeBuilder grants was four times more than what the government expected, but budget papers lay bare the challenge that lies ahead.
What’s missing for housing in this year’s federal budget
Analysis: There’s extra help to save a home deposit or to get into the market with a low deposit, but a big spending recovery Budget offered a chance to do more.
Life & Culture
The horrific scene that nearly broke Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins
Capturing the brutal story of The Underground Railroad for a new TV series took its toll. One moment proved so challenging, Jenkins simply walked off set.
Sport
World No.1 Barty declares she’s not the one to beat in France
Ashleigh Barty has been quick to downplay her chances for another Roland Garros title, despite enjoying a sizzling season on clay in her return to the tour.
Hamstrung Stringer faces contract wait
Injured Essendon star Jake Stringer is without a contract for next season and rival clubs have been put on notice of his potential availability.
Updated
AFL 2021
‘Another poor decision’: Rioli to face court, may be sacked
Willie Rioli will front a Darwin court on Wednesday charged with “possessing a schedule 2 dangerous drug in a quantity less than trafficable (under 50 grams) in a public place”.
Olympic heavyweight Huni to get just 15 per cent of cut in Gallen fight
Justis Huni knows a win over Paul Gallen could do as much for his profile as an Olympic medal. Which is why Gallen will take almost all the financial spoils.
Snap Shot: COVID delays Rance’s football comeback ... for now
This week in Snap Shot: Alex Rance delays local football return; Roos stalk the halls of power; and why challenging decisions is old hat.
Olyroos hoping to unearth hidden gems from Europe
Young Socceroos coach Gary van Egmond says he hasn’t seen a more talented crop of players since the “golden generation” of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Researchers say bamboo bats could replace willow
In a development that could send shudders through the game, researchers say bamboo bats lighter, stronger and offer a larger “sweet spot” than traditional willow.
Have Your Say
The troubling stats behind Carlton’s fadeouts
Carlton’s capitulation to the Western Bulldogs on Sunday was the 18th time during David Teague’s tenure that the Blues have conceded five or more unanswered goals.
