Illustration by Simon Letch

Dutton wants to know if you’re better off now. It’s a trick question

The opposition leader’s question is so seductive to people who don’t follow politics and the economy,and don’t want to use their grey matter.

  • Ross Gittins

Latest

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton.

Albanese lays down challenge for Dutton over wages

Labor will urge the workplace regulator to order a real increase in pay for 2.6 million workers after the RBA chose to keep interest rates on hold.

  • David Crowe andMillie Muroi
RBA governor Michele Bullock said it was a consensus decision to keep rates on hold.

Job losses not RBA’s priority as bank keeps rates on hold

Asked about the impact of incoming US tariffs,RBA governor Michele Bullock said inflation remained the bank’s main focus as it held interest rates steady at 4.1 per cent.

  • Shane Wright andMillie Muroi
Fed chairman Jerome Powell has been reluctant to speculate about how Donald Trump’s policies might affect the central bank’s decisions.

The Trump fire is burning on Wall Street

The American people are losing confidence in Donald Trump,sending shockwaves through Wall Street. And that’s before “Liberation Day”.

  • Stephen Bartholomeusz
Anthony Albanese and income gains during the first term of his government.

The real winners and losers from Albanese’s handouts

Cost-of-living pressures have dominated the Albanese government’s term. New analysis shows who it has tried to dull the pain for.

  • Shane Wright
Nationals leader David Littleproud during a doorstop interview in the press gallery at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 24 March 2025.

Nationals leader promises lower power prices within years

The Coalition had avoided making the vow after Labor was burned by its 2022 promise to drop power prices by $275.

  • Olivia Ireland andMike Foley
Advertisement
budget

Budget to reveal tax burden at its lowest since pandemic

Jim Chalmers will use his budget speech to assure Australians they will see a turnaround in living standards as wages increase at a faster rate than inflation.

  • David Crowe andShane Wright
The ACCC found the price of food,including cheese,milk and eggs,had increased far more than wages since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Checkout pain:Australia’s supermarkets among most profitable in the world

Shoppers’ complaints that they are being burnt at the nation’s checkouts has been vindicated by a damning report by the consumer watchdog.

  • Shane Wright,Jessica Yun andMillie Muroi
NAB chief executive Andrew Irvine said Donald Trump’s commitment to fuelling growth in the world’s largest economy would potentially boost inflation.

NAB boss worried ‘tariff madness’ could put future rate cuts at risk

CEOs from two major Australian banks have warned that an escalation of Donald Trump’s trade war would harm global economic growth and drive up inflation.

  • Clancy Yeates
a

I’m training for a marathon. It’s about as fun (and pain-free) as fixing the economy

I never understood how runners got so into their sport. But it might be key to getting the economy into the fast lane.

  • Millie Muroi