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Victorian government to shrink for first time in 15 years
Victorian budget deficit rises, but surplus predictions brought forward; Biden warns Netanyahu to pursue ceasefire, not invasion. Follow updates here.
- 45 mins ago
- Maxim Shanahan
Albanese to raise ‘unacceptable’ chopper incident with Chinese premier
Stabilisation of ties between Canberra and Beijing suffered a setback after a Chinese fighter jet released flares near a navy helicopter.
- 1 hr ago
- Andrew Tillett
Size of Victorian government to be cut for first time in 15 years
Tight control over salaries and operating expenses will result in reduced average expenditure of 2.2 per cent over forward estimates.
- Tom Burton
Victorian debt to hit $188b as Labor shirks budget cuts
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is counting on a growing economy and an interest rate cut this year to curb the state’s $188 billion debt and a daily interest bill set to hit $26 million with a no-frills budget.
- Gus McCubbing and Patrick Durkin
Victorian budget winners and losers
There are no new taxes or levies for the first time in several years – although the state’s waste and fire levies are increasing – but the budget avoids many tough decisions save for a slowdown in infrastructure spending.
- Patrick Durkin
ANZ reveals $2b buyback; Macquarie bets on AI; Bonza backers’ plot
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Opinion & Analysis
Albanese enters the bull ring
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are in Rockhampton for Beef Week. One suspects Labor will need to look elsewhere in Queensland to wins seats at the next election.
Political editor
Governor and treasurer share blame for sticky inflation
Michele Bullock and Jim Chalmers had fair warning about the need for decisive action.
Economist
Look to South America to see Made in Australia in practice
The Albanese government’s Peronist-like policies won’t add to growth and investment, despite the prime minister and treasurer’s rhetoric.
Columnist
There is so much to be done on violence against women
Maintaining the momentum of this week’s announcements after decades of neglect is the biggest issue facing the anti-violence movement.
Columnist
More From Today
- Analysis
- Political leadership
Albanese enters the bull ring
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are in Rockhampton for Beef Week. One suspects Labor will need to look elsewhere in Queensland to wins seats at the next election.
- 14 mins ago
- Phillip Coorey
Everything we know about the budget, so far
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down Labor’s third budget on May 14. Here are all the spending measures we know about so far.
- Tom McIlroy
- Exclusive
- Renewables
‘A big risk’: Voters wary of nuclear replacing coal-fired power
Voters in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley have raised the spectres of Chernobyl and Fukushima when asked about Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s plan to build large-scale reactors in their community.
- Tom McIlroy
Yesterday
Albanese pledges $500m for drought relief as Qld fight hots up
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are squaring off at Beef Week in Rockhampton as the political fight in central Queensland gathers pace.
- Phillip Coorey
Chalmers’ budget to fight inflation first, spend up big second
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says his budget next week will avoid a “scorched earth” approach to fight inflation, but spending will come in the out years.
- Ronald Mizen
Navy helicopter near miss in latest Chinese confrontation
Australian personnel had to take evasive action when their helicopter was confronted by a Chinese fighter jet.
- Andrew Tillett
Labor warned on overheating western Sydney road spend
Labor said on Monday that its spending in the population growth area was now more than $17.3 billion.
- Tom McIlroy
Chinese do better than others in student visa crackdown
Nearly every Chinese student who applies for a visa to study at an Australian university gets approved. It’s a different story for others.
- Julie Hare
Labor steps up fight to stop dirty money from buying homes
Proposed anti-money laundering rules will rope in real estate agents and lawyers, amid concerns Australia could become a destination for dirty cash.
- Campbell Kwan
Social cohesion ‘fraying’, Albanese admits amid anti-Israel backlash
Anthony Albanese defended his efforts to keep the community together but would not be drawn on a looming UN vote on Palestinian statehood.
- Andrew Tillett
The students to get Labor’s new ‘prac payment’, and who misses out
Too strict means-testing would make the federal government’s newly announced prac payment for university and TAFE students out of reach.
- Julie Hare
FWC, government face pressure to step in over submarines pay stoush
The Albanese government insists that an industrial dispute at submarine builder ASC in Adelaide won’t affect the navy’s ability to deploy the ageing Collins-class submarines.
- Andrew Tillett
Minister was warned about radicalised teen before police shooting
A 16-year-old school boy shot dead by police in Perth over the weekend after a stabbing incident was part of a state-run deradicalisation program.
- Tom Rabe
Big four accountants could face partner limits in governance crackdown
The big four accounting firms could be forced to slash partner numbers and incorporate their consulting businesses under a crackdown on governance standards flagged as a possible response to the PwC tax leaks scandal.
- Updated
- Ronald Mizen and Edmund Tadros
Victoria open to tax breaks to boost home building
Premier Jacinta Allan says her Labor government is open to pulling every lever available to boost housing supply, after developers called for taxation tweaks to boost investment.
- Gus McCubbing
Qantas’ $120m settlement; Westpac pays dividend; Optus gets new CEO
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Israel warns Palestinians to evacuate Rafah ahead of possible attacks
Eastern Rafah residents told to evacuate; Chalmers warns against slash-and-burn approach to spending; Qantas settlement a quick win for consumers; murdered Australian surfers identified in Mexico. How the day unfolded.
- Tom Burton
The taxman has a warning for property investors this year
As many as nine out of 10 landlords make mistakes or illegitimately claim extra rental deductions as part of their annual tax return.
- Tom McIlroy
Deeming cliff looms for 850k aged pensioners, welfare recipients
With inflation running high and cost-of-living pressures continuing to plague households, the government is being pressured to extend the freeze, or at least phase in, a higher deeming rate in the budget.
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- WA budget
Fast and unpopular: Why running WA economy’s like driving for Red Bull
Treasurer Rita Saffioti says Western Australia is the Red Bull Formula 1 team of the states, as she prepares to hand down her first budget.
- Tom Rabe
