Featured Opinion
Pell contempt case shows courts must adapt to digital age
If the courts just continuing to punish the owners of the printing presses, their frustrations with modern communications technology will just undermine the administration of justice.
Editorial
Strategist saw through foreign policy myths in era of change
The late Neville Meaney’s warning not to let cultural loyalties cloud the pursuit of national interest remains of vital importance to determining Australia’s role in the world.
Columnist
Rooftop solar is a populist Frankenstein
The bright idea of turning roofs into mini-power stations has become a monster destabilising the grid.
Contributor
Too much disclosure is not in super members’ interests
The portfolio holdings disclosure required of superannuation funds under Your Future, Your Super is well intended, but poorly designed.
Contributor
A government that isn’t really in control of anything
The past two weeks of Parliament are not consistent with the Morrison government’s strategy of winning an election based on its excellent management of the pandemic.
Columnist
In Canberra, Daniel Andrews’ government is now a protected species
Scott Morrison’s refusal to criticise Victoria reflects his discipline as a political leader and strategy for winning the federal election, Aaron Patrick writes.
Senior correspondent
Frustration builds as 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.
Columnist
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
More From Today
- Opinion
- Investing
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Post-pandemic shortages create buying opportunities
Buying opportunities await for stocks who sell-off on the back of missed production targets and earnings disappointments due to temporary supply shocks.
- Kate Howitt
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Why it’s ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ for unis to cover costs
Universities around the world are in trouble and have a more insidious chronic ailment to deal with, often known as Baumol’s cost disease.
- Stephen Parker
- Opinion
- Ageing
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China’s declining birthrate won’t hurt its growth
Demographics have already stopped contributing to China’s economic growth. The labour force has been declining since 2012 and is now 40 million fewer than a decade ago.
- Bert Hofman
Yesterday
- Opinion
- Satire
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China’s soft power revolution makes Xi look positively fluffy
China’s leader wants a more loveable image for China in the world’s media columns. We are glad to help out.
- Rowan Dean
This Month
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
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Three in four insider traders get away with it
Insider trading is an insidious illegal activity that saps investor confidence in free and fair markets. A new study finds it is much worse than prosecutions would suggest.
- Tony Boyd
- Opinion
- China relations
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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
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
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Investors should Reject back-to-normal narrative
The Reject Shop’s profit downgrade is a warning to investors who believe we are through the fog of the pandemic.
- James Thomson
- Opinion
- Coronavirus pandemic
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If you’re not jabbed, you’re not coming to dinner
It’s only fair that vaccine dodgers are snubbed over their anti-social stance.
- Updated
- Kate Mulvey
- Opinion
- Monetary policy
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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
- Opinion
- Mergers & acquisitions
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How Airtasker ended up buying a movie star-backed former tech darling
Zaarly was once a genuine tech darling, a marketplace that caught the attention of big name investors and Hollywood stars. In May Airtasker bought it for just $3.4 million.
- Adir Shiffman
- Opinion
- Sharemarket
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Barclays has further to go in post-pandemic revival
Further reserves releases will lift profits and allow the prospect of higher capital returns from dividends and share repurchases.
- Greg Smith
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
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Wesfarmers CEO proves his worth
Just over three years since Rob Scott took the reins, his track record is best in class. Now all eyes are on how he uses the company’s pristine balance sheet.
- Tony Boyd
- Opinion
- Flat Chat
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Green means go for well-run unit blocks
How investing in sustainability can make perfect sense for your property portfolio.
- Jimmy Thomson
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
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As the region unites on China, cracks appear at home
When Labor blames the government for the mouse plague, almost everything is political fair game. Including bipartisanship on China.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- The AFR View
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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
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
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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
- Opinion
- Hearsay
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Cartel case offers lessons for ACCC on banks blockbuster
The cartel case involving ANZ, Deutsche Bank and Citi could be in big trouble after this week’s Country Care misfire.
- Michael Pelly
- Opinion
- Coronavirus pandemic
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Victorian lockdown could eliminate PM
Scott Morrison has ignored what’s gone on under Daniel Andrews, but the ludicrous narrative that the federal government is to blame for the fourth shutdown could harm the Prime Minister’s re-election chances.
- John Roskam
- Opinion
- Legal industry
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Law firm leaders failing? I don’t think so
The Clayton Utz chief executive partner takes issue with a recent column in The Australian Financial Review lamenting the leadership deficit in Australian law firms.
- Bruce Cooper
- Opinion
- Platinum Year
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‘White tie and tails Whitlam’ classes up the workers’ party
From the archives: as part of our Platinum 70 Year, we take a look back at AFR opinions on significant domestic and international events over the past seven decades.
- The AFR View