Today
- Opinion
- Opinion
There’s a super-sized hole in the budget. Here’s why
The forecast bounce in the tax take on superannuation will not happen because we’ve massively overdone the concessions that take from poorer and give to richer Australians.
- 1 hr ago
- Chris Richardson
Yesterday
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Both sides are pushing buttons on migration, one is being more subtle
Migration long ago became a lazy method, adopted by both sides of politics, to generate growth in the absence of any reform or productivity agenda,
- Phillip Coorey
‘Super-sized hole’ in budget as Treasury revises tax take
Treasury has cut $11 billion from its four-year estimates of revenue from superannuation taxes, as “overly large tax concessions” keep benefiting the richest retirees.
- Hannah Wootton
Universities brace for foreign student cuts of up to 95pc
Both sides of politics say the reductions are needed to relieve housing pressure and both plans would deliver a huge shock to the $48b industry.
- Julie Hare
This Month
Coalition shifts goalposts on immigration cuts
During a National Press Club address, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the Coalition would cut both permanent migration and net overseas migration.
- Phillip Coorey and Tom McIlroy
- Opinion
- Bill Shorten
Bill Shorten’s NDIS spending claims can’t be trusted
A lack of respect for taxpayers explains the NDIS blowout. Perhaps it’s because almost half of adults pay no net income tax.
- John Kehoe
Labor’s budget ‘inflationary on every measure’: Costello
Future Fund chairman and former federal treasurer Peter Costello says Labor should pay off debt while Australia enjoys record iron ore, coal and gas prices.
- Gus McCubbing
- Exclusive
- Jim Chalmers
BCA quits big-spending welfare advisory board
The Business Council, representing top 100 CEOs, has left the government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee, arguing it put insufficient priority on workforce participation.
- Phillip Coorey
Coalition to bring back tax and spending limits: Taylor
The Coalition will reintroduce speed limits on tax and spending, and implement reform to encourage investment and aspiration.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Opinion
We need to prepare in good times for the next big shock. These are the good times
We are a long way from even a balanced budget. If we are going to have a fiscal war chest for the next big shock, we need to prepare now.
- Updated
- Jonathan Kearns
Voters like gas better than wind power but solar is still king
A slide in support for wind farms has allowed gas to become entrenched as the nation’s preferred energy source after solar, an AFR/Freshwater Strategy poll has found.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- AFR Freshwater poll
Punters are not convinced by Labor’s budget
The budget had two main political aims: to help further with the cost of living; and, in doing so, buy a pre-election interest rate cut. The punters are not convinced it will achieve either, polling finds.
- Phillip Coorey
Underwhelmed voters fear budget will lift rates
Almost 40 per cent of voters think last week’s big-spending federal budget increases the chances of another interest rate rise, and just one quarter believe they will be better off, the latest poll shows.
- Phillip Coorey
Dutton’s immigration cuts would cost ‘billions’: Chalmers
Peter Dutton’s plan to slash immigration to free up housing and ease population pressures would cost billions, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned, accusing the opposition of plucking numbers “out of the air”.
- Tom McIlroy
Budget relief comes on top of ‘decent’ wage rise: Chalmers
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has fought back against an employer push to use the budget’s cost-of-living relief to lower this year’s minimum wage increase.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Made in Australia is just copying US and China protectionism
Anthony Albanese has replicated the economic strategies of Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. The small mercy so far is no increased tariffs on imports.
- Alexander Downer
Labor’s big budget gamble, BHP’s defining week & where your payrise really went
This week on the Chanticleer podcast James & Anthony dissect the federal budget with a special guest, look at BHP’s titanic takeover battle and hash out the new battle over housing.
Dutton’s housing fix ‘will worsen supply’
One of Australia’s biggest property developers says slashing permanent migration as a way to fix acute housing shortages will only exacerbate the problem.
- Tom McIlroy, Michael Read and Nick Lenaghan
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Budget kicks off a populist election season
The housing crisis demonstrates how both major parties insist there are easy answers where none exist.
- The AFR View
Bosses say budget assistance justifies smaller minimum wage increase
Employers have invoked former union chief Bill Kelty to back a moderate pay rise, saying budget relief ensures low-paid workers’ disposable income will rise.
- David Marin-Guzman
