Politics

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton delivers his budget reply speech on Thursday night.

Federal budget

Dutton pledges to slash permanent migration to 140,000 a year

In his budget reply speech, the opposition leader intensified a political fight over housing and congestion by vowing to drive permanent migration below Labor’s target.

by David Crowe

Immigration

Labor’s deportation bill shelved in Senate stand-off

by Angus Thompson

The unemployment rate rose to 4.1 per cent in April.

Jobs

Unemployment increase reduces chance of higher interest rates

by Rachel Clun and Shane Wright

International students

Universities face bans for breaching foreign student caps

by Angus Thompson

Chemist Warehouse has grown into one of the largest retailers in the country and will list on the ASX through Sigma Healthcare.

Federal budget

Chemists to lose dollar-discount option as government bows to Pharmacy Guild pressure

by Natassia Chrysanthos

Opinion & Perspectives

Labor is trying to stuff its hospitals problem back in the bag. It’s too late

Mergers might be a good thing for Victoria’s cash-strapped hospitals, even if Jacinta Allan and the health minister won’t talk about their plans.

Annika Smethurst

State Political Editor

Peter Dutton is more than happy to help billionaires, except one

The Coalition, when in power, spent taxpayers’ money propping up billionaires’ operations, but now it’s Labor’s idea … and nuclear power critic Andrew Forrest stands to benefit.

David Crowe

Chief political correspondent

The trend is pointing in one direction – the job market is slowing

The evidence is smacking observers in the face. The job market is responding to the Reserve Bank’s 4.25 percentage points worth of rate rises.

Shane Wright

Senior economics correspondent

Federal

Immigration

Labor’s deportation bill shelved in Senate stand-off

The government pushed debate on the bill to the next parliamentary sitting in late June as Immigration Minister Andrew Giles faced off with the Coalition.