This Month
Labor’s $3.6b pre-election pay boost for childcare workers
The government will fund a 15 per cent, $3.6 billion pay rise for child care workers over the next two years on the proviso their employers agree to limit fee increases until after the election.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Future Made in Australia is already running off the rails
The Albanese government has fallen into the trap of trying to achieve political wins at high economic cost. And nobody is stopping them.
- John Kehoe
- Exclusive
- Property development
Home building faces Productivity Commission probe
The new inquiry comes amid housing industry doubts that the Albanese government will achieve its goal of 1.2 million homes to be built over the next five years.
- John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Philanthropy
Philanthropy needs reform to be more inclusive and effective
Philanthropy is not just for the 1 per cent. To maximise the impact of giving, all registered charities should qualify for tax-deductible status.
- John Hartman
- Exclusive
- Productivity
Chalmers makes Productivity Commission less productive
The government’s independent economic adviser has only one active inquiry, which former officials say is extremely low by historical standards.
- John Kehoe
- Opinion
- Opinion
Productivity Commission shines light on economic costs just as Whitlam wanted
Before riding in on a white horse to stage an ‘ESG takeover’, critics should take more than a cursory glance at the work the commission actually does.
- Danielle Wood and Alex Robson
July
Why industry policies are no longer a ‘hidden’ trade war
The Productivity Commission’s deputy chairman has added to warnings that the federal government’s signature Made in Australia policy could fuel protectionism.
- James Hall
- Opinion
- Income tax
The land of the fair go is taxing social mobility
Australia’s antiquated over-reliance on income taxes means that if you do manage to succeed, then that success is taxed heavily.
- Richard Holden
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Productivity Commission pours cold water on care spending
Jim Chalmers’ misclassification of the care economy as a driver of productivity simply underlines why Labor needs a genuine reform agenda.
- The AFR View
- Exclusive
- Aged care
‘Care economy’ won’t boost productivity: Wood
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has described spending on aged care and the NDIS as “investments”, but Danielle Wood is far less optimistic on the sector’s productivity outlook.
- Tom McIlroy and Michael Read
AI predicts own supremacy, orders itself dozens of McNuggets
Former British prime minister Tony Blair’s think tank found AI could save a fifth of public servants’ time, but it turned the analysis over to OpenAI’s tools.
- Nick Bonyhady
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Middle Australia is indeed the lucky country
A suite of new data sources has enabled the Productivity Commission to revise its measure of economic mobility. The result surprised everyone.
- Tom Burton
Two-thirds of Australia’s ‘Xennials’ earn more than their parents
Australians have an easier time moving up the income ladder than workers in Scandinavia, the US, France and the UK, new research shows.
- Tom McIlroy
‘I shot Bambi’: Women leaders on their toughest decisions
Often the toughest decisions are those that affect other people. Here winners of the Women in Leadership awards share their hardest calls.
- Updated
- Sally Patten
Pharmacies face an ‘Uber’ moment – whether they like it or not
Stephen King, who led a Health Department review into the sector, says antiquated ownership restrictions should be abolished before they do more damage.
- Carrie LaFrenz
Small firms fight push to force data-breach reporting
Before critical cabinet considerations of major privacy reforms, small business groups say now is not the right time to add further compliance costs.
- Tom Burton
June
‘You smile too much’: the early career advice Danielle Wood ignored
Be brave and have fun, is what Australia’s leading women would say to their younger selves.
- Lucy Dean
- Overall Winner
- Women in Leadership
The ‘magic and mundane’ leadership style of Danielle Wood
The chairwoman of the Productivity Commission was selected as the overall winner for her contributions to economic policy and a preparedness to take an unpopular position in key national debates.
- Sally Patten
- Opinion
- Letters to the Editor
Let’s not settle the nuclear question before debating it
Readers call for more debate and details about nuclear power; canvass the popularity of leaders; consider productivity in the construction industry; and call for more Chooks in the chook pen.
- Analysis
- Productivity
Sam Kennard’s pub shows what’s wrong with Australia
The Kennards Self Storage owner’s struggle to build a craft pub is an example of the nation’s economic problems.
- Aaron Patrick
