Latest
Albanese kills early election talk, plans two more budgets
The PM said the 2025 budget would be brought forward to March, setting the scene for the government serving the full three-year term, rather than holding a snap poll before Christmas.
- Updated
- Phillip Coorey
- Exclusive
- Political donations
Labor rakes in $5m of ‘hidden money’ from big companies
Payments from gambling giants like Sportsbet, Tabcorp and pokies outfit Endeavour accounted for a chunk of Labor’s pay-for-access packages sold to companies.
- Ronald Mizen
Crossbench backs financial rewards for whistleblowers
Advocates say whistleblowers need stronger protections and better incentives to come forward, and big US-style rewards may be the key.
- Ronald Mizen
Peter Dutton’s tax dance, and nine other great reads
Welcome to the weekend. To start off your day, we’ve curated 10 great reads to enjoy.
Car-yard clash: Dutton takes aim at ‘ute tax’ on Dunkley trail
Cost-of-living politics overshadows the byelection race, which comes as the Treasury boss admits talk over the stage three tax reversal began in early December.
- Andrew Tillett
February
Dutton’s tax dance sets up election battleground
As the opposition leader scrambles to pull the Coalition out of Labor’s tax trap, Peter Dutton has guaranteed the battle for middle income earners is not over.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Opinion
Why the PM looks confident for the first time in months
The Labor government is as buoyed by its tax and industrial relations policies as the business community is aghast at the impact. But who’s listening?
- Jennifer Hewett
- Opinion
- Opinion
Tax cuts reveal Albanese is brazen and cynical
After this, the suggestion that now is a good time to start a discussion about the development of a broad agenda for tax reform is naive.
- John Roskam
Palmer retains donor crown as conservatives outpace Climate 200
New political fundraising data shows billionaires Clive Palmer and Anthony Pratt were among the most generous donors.
- Andrew Tillett and Tom Rabe
Albanese’s tax cut gamble and what it means for the next election
This week on The Fin podcast, Phillip Coorey discusses the government’s gamble on the stage three tax cuts - and why it will dominate the political agenda.
January
- Analysis
- Anthony Albanese
Albanese ditches playbook in his hustle for a reset
Traditionally, politicians pipe down until after Australia Day. Here’s why the Prime Minister is doing just the opposite.
- Jacob Greber
PM vows full release of 2003 Iraq War cabinet documents
“Australians do deserve to know the basis upon which the decision was made to send Australia to war,” the prime minister says.
- Jacob Greber
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Cowardice and populism must not mark politics in 2024
This will be an election year in all but name. Anthony Albanese has to finally live up to the economic reform challenges
- The AFR View
- Opinion
- World markets
Our predictions for the year ahead
Financial Review writers share their predictions for the new year, from the odds of a second Trump presidency; the chances for peace in Gaza; and how many times the RBA will cut interest rates in 2024.
December 2023
Coalition enlivened by Albanese’s ‘mid-term blues’
Young voters, women over 40 and aspirational workers will set the political tone for the coming election battle, which begins now.
- Samantha Hutchinson and Jacob Greber
The teals play the long game with integrity
They know the best opportunity for reform may come after the next election – when the major parties could be forced to negotiate for power with crossbench.
- Ronald Mizen
After a brutal political year, there’s everything to play for
Peter Dutton is flying high and Anthony Albanese needs his mojo back after the Voice defeat. But, for both, the path to the next election looks perilous.
- Phillip Coorey
Voters feel everything is getting worse except China relationship
Cranky voters believe everything from wages to the economy, energy bills and the behaviour of politicians has deteriorated.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Dutton’s political tactics are no governing agenda
The problem for the country with the Coalition’s approach of opposing much and proposing little is that the political heat is not being put on Labor to genuinely revamp its policy approach in the new year.
- The AFR View
- Opinion
- Anthony Albanese
Labor is polls apart from Christmas last year
The government has lost every significant advantage it held this time last year.
- Phillip Coorey
Labor takes a hit on immigration, cost of living
November’s High Court ruling on the permanent detention of non-citizens appears to have cost Labor politically.
- Phillip Coorey
Labor loses lead, PM’s ratings slump: poll
Labor has lost its lead and would be pushed into minority government if an election were held today, according to The Australian Financial Review/Freshwater Strategy poll.
- Phillip Coorey
Queensland a fight on two fronts for Labor: Chalmers
Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the most senior federal MP from Queensland, says the Albanese government will need to win over Greens voters and fight “the old enemy” at the next federal election.
- Phillip Coorey
Labor luminaries farewell ‘cherished’ MP Peta Murphy
Anthony Albanese and Julia Gillard were among mourners at a funeral service for MP Peta Murphy, who died of cancer.
- Andrew Tillett
We’ll be back in election mode on the other side of Christmas
Three-year terms mean that the government, after just 20 months in power, will start pulling down the new policy shutters, with the opposition dialling everything up to 11.
- Phillip Coorey
