Skip to navigationSkip to contentSkip to footerHelp using this website - Accessibility statement
Advertisement

Jennifer Hewett

Columnist

Jennifer Hewett is the National Affairs columnist. She writes a daily column on politics, business and the economy. Connect with Jennifer on Twitter. Email Jennifer at jennifer.hewett@afr.com

Jennifer Hewett

Yesterday

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Why Albanese is going all in on gas

The Labor government has infuriated climate activists by insisting that gas will play a crucial role in the energy transition for many decades to come. Big producers like Woodside will wait to see what that means.

This Month

The sun sets on hopes for BHP’s Nickel West Kalgoorlie smelter.

Albanese’s troubled critical minerals dream

The Albanese government has high hopes for much more downstream processing of critical minerals. But the numbers aren’t adding up. What can change that?

RBA governor Michele Bullock.

Why data-driven Bullock has her eye on the budget

RBA governor Michele Bullock says it’s too early to declare victory over inflation as she avoids the markets’ frenzied guessing game on interest rates.

Gina Cass-Gottlieb and Vanessa Hudson.

Qantas’ Hudson takes the chance to shed some Joyce baggage

Vanessa Hudson has finally accepted reality by making a deal with the competition watchdog over ghost flights.

Mike Henry is set to embark on a complex deal to by Anglo American.

BHP is betting self-interest trumps politics on Anglo American

Convincing South Africa’s government its $60 billion takeover bid for the mining multinational is politically palatable is part of BHP’s challenge in a particularly complex deal.

Advertisement
Jim Chalmers at the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Wednesday.

Chalmers’ recipe for friendly foreign investment ignores the basics

The treasurer has a grand new take on industrial policy, but there’s little evidence of the reforms that international investors seek.

April

More apartments are urgently needed, but supply isn’t keeping up with demand.

Why Australia can’t build enough new homes

The nation’s housing ambitions are way off target. That means the price of new homes and rentals will continue to climb, compounded by still high immigration numbers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the rally in Canberra on Sunday to call for action to end violence against women.

Albanese confronts domestic violence crisis

Women are angry, and the prime minister is dodging criticism even as he calls an emergency meeting of national cabinet on domestic violence.

  • Updated
Chinese electric cars like those made by BYD are gaining market share in Europe.

How China plans to win the global EV war

The US and European governments are increasingly alarmed at the potential for China’s EV ambitions to put their own car manufacturers at risk.

  • Updated
Woodside will hold its annual general meeting on Wednesday.

Goyder will face the music at Woodside AGM

Even if the chairman now looks certain to survive a substantial protest vote and be re-elected, it all adds up to a firm rebuff of the company’s decarbonisation plan.

Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers.

Chalmers confronts Australia’s budget dilemma

Despite the global tensions and the national gamble on the “Future Made in Australia”, the treasurer is about to hand down another surplus next month.

Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock’s mantra is that the path of interest rates will depend on the data.

Jobs numbers pose a sticky conundrum

The Albanese government can only publicly welcome the strength of the jobs market, but a receding horizon for rate cuts is always difficult for political leaders eyeing their election prospects.

Subs ahoy! Marles defends Labor’s record in defence

Richard Marles argues the Labor government has delivered dramatic reform in defence to project Australia into a much changed and more dangerous region. Is that right?

  • Updated
The Mount Holland lithium mine in Western Australia

Where Australia is getting it wrong on critical minerals

A new report argues that the government’s focus on domestic production and exports is failing to adequately help develop a secure network of supply chains with other countries.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Iran’s attack opens up a new world of risk

Iran’s drone and missile strike against Israel didn’t do much damage, but the potential response is unsettling the White House as well as global markets.

Advertisement
Albanese insists the “game has changed” in manufacturing as advances in technology mean Australia’s high cost of labour is less of a factor in production while transport costs can also be reduced.

Albanese makes manufacturing his future

Labor wants to promote a future made in Australia. He knows it will have political appeal. What about the economics?

The rental crisis is compounded by falls in residential construction.

Why renters face a perfect storm

Surging Australian rental prices compounded by record low vacancy rates and falling building approvals translate into a housing supply crisis.

ACCC chairwoman Gina Cass-Gottlieb.

Business relieved Gina Cass-Gottlieb didn’t win one key change

Jim Chalmers says a streamlined merger approvals process will deliver stronger, faster, simpler results. The ACCC gets more powers – just not as much as it wanted or business feared.

The imminent announcement of the supermarkets’ third-quarter results will focus on political pressure as much as sales figures.

Political brawls sweep the supermarket aisles

Supermarkets are once again an appealing target for politicians wanting to demonstrate their good intentions on helping consumers with cost-of-living pressures.

  • Updated

March

WA’s mining royalties, worth more than $11 billion last financial year, have transformed it into a remarkably wealthy state.

Why the GST fiasco won’t be fixed

Fights about the distribution of GST revenue aren’t just about the money – they also reflect the political death of major tax reform. It’s a policy fiasco.