Analysis
Population
Chalmers wakes the baby debate the country needs
Jim Chalmers is not planning a fertility police squad in next week’s budget, but his comments on the birth rate go to an issue the world needs to debate.
- by Shane Wright
Latest
Opinion
Federal budget
If Chalmers gets the budget wrong, interest rate rises may kill his government
For Treasurer Jim Chalmers, this budget is existential. Bad decisions could increase unemployment or provoke more interest rate rises. Both would be political nails in the government’s coffin.
- by Shane Wright
Exclusive
Federal budget
Australia, let’s have more babies, says Jim Chalmers
Australians are having fewer children with the fertility rate tumbling. The treasurer says people should think about having more kids.
- by Shane Wright and David Crowe
Households bank on tax cuts and anti-inflation budget plans
Tax cuts, worth on average $1888, and a further round of cost-of-living measures will be at the heart of Jim Chalmers’ third budget.
- by Shane Wright
Updated
Interest rates
RBA inflation outlook ups pressure on Chalmers ahead of budget
The Reserve Bank revealed it expects price pressures to grow through the rest of the year, which may require another lift in official interest rates.
- by Rachel Clun and Shane Wright
Analysis
Interest rates
Reserve Bank delivers a hospital pass of problems to Chalmers
Jim Chalmers, a Brisbane Broncos fanatic, will wonder what hit him after the Reserve Bank signalled higher interest rates for longer.
- by Shane Wright
No scorched earth: Chalmers promises budget spending as economy slows
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is poised to deliver a second successive budget surplus, but deficits in coming years to support the economy.
- by Shane Wright
‘Lifters, not leaners’: Analysing 123 years of Australia’s budget speeches
We’ve used artificial intelligence to analyse one million words from 124 budget speeches from 40 treasurers since 1901. Here’s what we found.
- by Shane Wright, Matt Malishev and The Visual Stories Team
An extra $25 billion not enough to guarantee more budget surpluses
Jim Chalmers will deliver his third budget on May 14. Extra tax, which has bolstered the past two budgets, won’t be enough to offset extra spending.
- by Shane Wright
Exclusive
Inflation
Businesses struggle as cash-strapped customers dump spending plans
The cost-of-living crisis that is hitting consumers is now being felt by small and medium-sized businesses as shoppers try to make savings.
- by Shane Wright
Home buyers’ inflation pain almost double the official rate
When the ABS factored interest rates into its cost-of-living index, working people paying off mortgages endured the worst inflation.
- by Shane Wright