Latest
Melbourne outbreak takes a dangerous turn with mystery mutant cases
New research suggests the appearance of the delta variant in Melbourne could result in a doubling of hospitalisation rates.
- Tom Burton
School closures come at a high price for children
Closing Victoria’s schools is not a zero-sum activity, with the negative impacts likely to flow on to academic performance and psychological health.
- Julie Hare
Five books that reveal Australians’ awkward relationship with China
The expulsion of Michael Smith and Bill Birtles has left Antipodeans blind about life on the streets of the Asian nation, as the authors’ tomes demonstrate.
- Aaron Patrick
China just one of many trade problems
The high dollar, rising costs and a lack of business-friendly reforms are hampering the ability to find new markets, say Australian exporters.
- Jacob Greber
- Exclusive
- Coronavirus pandemic
In Victoria’s lockdowns, it pays to be a public servant
Victorian public servants were paid $669 million more and non-public servants had a pay cut of $3.54 billion during last year’s COVID-19 closures.
- Aaron Patrick
ESG investing isn’t just about cutting fossil fuels
Decarbonising a portfolio requires a more sophisticated approach to deliver the same ‘look and feel’ with similar risk.
- Updated
- Ben Potter
Opinion & Analysis
History shows energy transition is for the good
Australia needs to reframe the whole debate about heading into a low-carbon future from culture warfare to something rational and positive.
Editorial
Why China needs a free Taiwan
Without its historic pockets of liberalism and autonomy, China would not have had the reforms to deliver it from poverty and political suffocation.
Contributor
Australia’s blind spot is putting its pandemic performance at risk
Malta has seaside villas while Vietnam uses military installations, but experts say Australia’s Howard Springs is among the world’s best quarantine facilities. So why not build more?
Health editor
Why this economic recovery is different
Incredibly, during the COVID-19 recession, household incomes rose and business profits increased, leaving consumers and companies well placed to drive the next phase of the economic recovery.
Economics editor
Yesterday
- Opinion
- The AFR View
History shows energy transition is for the good
Australia needs to reframe the whole debate about heading into a low-carbon future from culture warfare to something rational and positive.
- The AFR View
- Opinion
- China relations
Why China needs a free Taiwan
Without its historic pockets of liberalism and autonomy, China would not have had the reforms to deliver it from poverty and political suffocation.
- J. Bradford DeLong
- Analysis
- Coronavirus pandemic
Australia’s blind spot is putting its pandemic performance at risk
Malta has seaside villas while Vietnam uses military installations, but experts say Australia’s Howard Springs is among the world’s best quarantine facilities. So why not build more?
- Jill Margo
- Analysis
- Australian economy
Why this economic recovery is different
Incredibly, during the COVID-19 recession, household incomes rose and business profits increased, leaving consumers and companies well placed to drive the next phase of the economic recovery.
- John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Life in Lockdown
Frustration builds as locked-down Melbourne kept in the dark
Melbourne’s lockdown muscle memory has kicked in quickly this time around, but there’s a growing sense of frustration about what the city is trying to achieve.
- James Thomson
- Opinion
- Monetary policy
RBA’s ‘flexible’ QE may be coming
When the RBA unveils its highly anticipated monetary policy decision next month, governor Philip Lowe may be wise to give himself flexibility.
- Updated
- John Kehoe
This Month
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Speed up, take ownership, and hit vaccine target
Vaccination has been slowed for lack of a national plan, a target, and a face to front up the effort. All of them are needed to bring public urgency.
- The AFR View
Australia’s education advantage evaporating as borders stay shut
Australia’s position as a global leader in international education is withering as students await certainty on borders.
- Julie Hare
Biden v Putin showdown over JBS ransomware attack
Queensland cattlemen want cyber criminals behind the attack on JBS Foods brought to justice as Joe Biden prepares to tackle Vladimir Putin over the incident.
- Brad Thompson
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
The problem with PIMCO’s ‘inflation head-fake’ call
Inflation talk is everywhere and that in itself could help push up the risk of an inflation shock.
- James Thomson
- Analysis
- Coronavirus pandemic
Victoria’s track and trace shows that speed matters
While experts argue over how infectious the latest variant is, the Victorian response to its outbreak is light years ahead of last year.
- Tom Burton
Stamp duty and renovations driving recovery
Spending on stamp duty and home renovations accounted for 0.9 percentage points of the 1.1 per cent increase in GDP over the past year.
- Michael Read
- Exclusive
- National security
Kabul spy station exit an ‘admission of defeat’
The likely closure of the ASIS station in Kabul could create a perception Australia only participated in the 20-year Afghan war to please the US government.
- Aaron Patrick
I feel your pain, Tudge tells unis, but no help on offer
Alan Tudge will offer university leaders his sympathy but not much else when he addresses a major conference.
- Julie Hare
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Melbourne business needs to know road out
Melbourne business owners are being kept in the dark about the state government’s road out of lockdown. They deserve more.
- James Thomson
Pubs giant devises payday scheme for locked-down casuals
What’s the next saddest thing to a pub without beer? A pub with no staff or customers.
- Tom Burton
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Future growth needs open borders and supply-side reform
The so-called shock absorbers rolled out to hold the economy together have turned out to be more like a trampoline. But we can’t ignore the looming headwinds.
- The AFR View
- Analysis
- Australian economy
Bullish business is investing – and it’s not just tradies buying utes
Businesses with stimulus-fuelled balance sheets are responding to strong consumer demand and federal government tax incentives to buy plant, equipment and vehicles.
- John Kehoe
Tesla eyes $1b-plus of Australian minerals
Tesla’s chairman says Australia has the minerals to power the renewable energy age and challenged all involved to seize the extraordinary opportunity to become a renewable superpower.
- Jacob Greber
