Today
Labor to spend $11.3b on social housing
The new package to be detailed in the budget aims to enable states and territories to combat homelessness and repair social housing.
- 13 mins ago
- Phillip Coorey
Trade partners applaud gas certainty; trouble brews for Labor at home
Gas, not wishful thinking, is needed to get to net zero, says Anthony Albanese.
- Updated
- Phillip Coorey, Andrew Tillett and Jessica Sier
- Opinion
- Federal budget
GST and gas show a government that’s still out of tune
A huge GST handout to WA and a report that gives a free pass to the state’s gas industry show how far parochial toadying in the west will go.
- Laura Tingle
- Analysis
- Federal budget
The budget that could be make or break for Labor
Jim Chalmers is gearing up for his third and most important budget. If he spends too much and stokes inflation, he knows he’ll own the next rate increase.
- Updated
- Phillip Coorey
Michele Bullock’s run of good news may be about to end
RBA governor Michele Bullock has proven a better communicator than her predecessor Philip Lowe. But her real test may still be yet to come.
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- Interest rates
RBA board split in doubt as Libs dig in
The impasse between Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor means the new RBA interest rate setting board will not be up and running by its planned start date of July 1.
- Michael Read
Labor goes to war with Meta in far-reaching inquiry
Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg and X owner Elon Musk could be called on to face federal parliament, as part of a new inquiry into social media algorithms.
- Tom McIlroy
Yesterday
Budget tips business investment to slow
The recovery in business investment is tipped to slow markedly in federal budget forecasts, as a cooling economy forces firms to reassess capital expenditure plans.
- John Kehoe and Michael Read
- Exclusive
- Federal budget
The budget is already adding to inflation
The federal budget has injected $22 billion of new policy spending over two years, which economists say will cause higher interest rates than necessary and delay any rate cuts.
- John Kehoe
Everything we know about the budget so far
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down Labor’s third budget on May 14. Here’s what we know about the proposed spending measures.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
What we expect in Tuesday’s federal budget
This week on The Fin podcast, political editor Phillip Coorey on what is likely to be announced in the federal budget and what it means for inflation and interest rates.
This Month
Families expected to stash extra cash from tax cuts
Retailers hoping income tax cuts will lift sales of non-essential goods are likely to be disappointed.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Critical minerals
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?
- Jennifer Hewett
Chalmers locks in business tax breaks to help Made in Australia
The budget will contain tax breaks for investors to turbocharge the government’s Future Made in Australia Act, Jim Chalmers has confirmed.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Australia’s ‘dumb’ luck budget in one extraordinary chart
Treasurers have been extremely lucky to receive big tax revenue windfalls from the China-driven mining boom, but none have been as lucky as Jim Chalmers.
- John Kehoe
Critical minerals boost from $566m plan to fully map Australia
Deposits of critical minerals and rare earths badly needed for the development of renewable energy technologies will be mapped, Anthony Albanese says.
- Tom McIlroy
Rising government spending is hurting the RBA’s inflation fight
The Australian economy is still operating at an unsustainably strong level despite a string of weak economic growth figures, due in part to public sector spending.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Interest rates
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.
- Jennifer Hewett
Calls for power to break up Coles and Woolies split inquiry
The ACCC should get new legal powers to prosecute supermarkets found to be engaging in price gouging, a parliamentary inquiry has recommended.
- Tom McIlroy and Carrie LaFrenz
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
