Labor’s pre-election budget provides well-targeted cost of living relief within the bounds of responsibility, but the restoration of living standards is some way off. As widely anticipated Labor’s budget contained no surprises, except for the small income tax cuts. Apart from these, all the other major new policy proposals had been announced prior to the Continue reading »
Economy
The Chancellor could have turned this crisis into an opportunity for a radical shakeup of Britain's relationship with Europe and the world, but instead reverted to economic orthodoxy, argues Simon Nixon
The uncomfortable truth about Starmer and Reeves's economic project is it is grim for living standards, public services and recipients of welfare, and should be opposed by all, argues his former senior adviser Simon Fletcher
There is nothing "responsible" about forcing hundreds of thousands of people into poverty, while putting even more strain on those public servants who will have to pick up the pieces, argues Adam Bienkov
The critical issue in the May 2025 election is likely to be about the rising costs of living, with competing views about whether the Labor Party is responsible for them and which of the major parties is most likely to address them. There is a rational basis for the widespread feeling that standards of living Continue reading »
Why does a government release a highly critical report on the conduct of Woolworths and Coles on the Friday before a budget that will lead straight into an election campaign? Short answer: not for any worthy reason. One worthy reason could have been to show Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers really wanted to do Continue reading »
The Rockliff Government’s financial mess in Tasmania has been well explained by economist Saul Eslake, independent MLC Ruth Forrest, and others paying attention. It is now canvassing the sale of government assets in a desperate attempt to copy the errors of other governments rather than address causes. State governments have an obvious financial constraint governed Continue reading »
Unless the Labour party reconnects with its founding economic mission, they will merely lay the ground for a Nigel Farage Government, argues Neal Lawson
A series of significant changes on workplace rights and the right to strike have been slipped out by ministers
The passing of the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three-Day Guarantee) Bill 2025 marks a major shift in Australia’s early childhood education and care system. For the first time, tens of thousands of children who were previously excluded from early learning will have access to at least three days of subsidised care each week (72 Continue reading »