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Friday, April 25, 2025

Dutton almost promised to fix bracket creep. Here's why he didn't

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By MILLIE MUROI, Economics Writer Taxes are a necessary evil – which is why neither side of politics is willing to sign themselves up to the...
Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Our democracy's not working well. Here are some ideas to fix it

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This limp, uninspiring election campaign is a sign our democracy isn’t working as well as it should. The voters’ preoccupation with the cost...
Monday, April 21, 2025

My Easter sermon: How we can Trump-proof our society

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Since it’s Easter, and we’ve got the day off – and politicians have gone to ground – it’s a good time for, if not religious observance, then...
Friday, April 18, 2025

Whether you eat alone is a good predictor of happiness

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By MILLIE MUROI, Economics Writer If you’re sharing a meal with someone this Easter, chances are you’re happier. In fact, it’s as strong an ...
Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Home truths: housing policies are mainly for show

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If you think this sounds twisted, it is. The best thing about the two sides’ various promises to help young people afford to buy their first...
Monday, April 14, 2025

This election is one of the worst I've seen

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How are you going with the election? Are you getting a lot out of the debate, seeing the big issues canvassed and making up your mind who’ll...

Hey Dutton: Good economic managers don't try to panic the punters

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A problem in economics is that you can’t use the economy to do experiments. But as economists realised some years ago, sometimes the economy...
Friday, April 11, 2025

Supermarkets: Be polite, say "excessive pricing" not "price gouging"

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 By MILLIE MUROI, Economics Writer They’re the villains that return in every episode of the cost-of-living fight. And despite the competitio...
Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Energy's a big part of living costs, but fixing it won't be cheap

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The voters’ insistence that the election campaign must be about the cost of living has been a godsend to both major parties. They can look a...
Monday, April 7, 2025

Trump's trade war is bad, but how bad is up to the rest of us

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At last, we know enough about President Donald Trump’s opening move on tariffs to start thinking about what it all means. By imposing tariff...
Friday, April 4, 2025

The fine print costing Australians a pay rise

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By MILLIE MUROI, Economics Writer Hidden in the job contracts of about one in five Australians are little clauses weighing down their chance...
Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Are you better off now? That's Dutton's trick question

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For most people, the simple answer to Peter Dutton’s repeated question – are you better off today than you were three years ago? – is “no, I...
Monday, March 31, 2025

Budget deficit perfection would be nice, but among the best is fine

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The independent economist and former Treasury officer Chris Richardson, the leader of Treasury-in-Exile and thus chief apostle of fiscal rec...
Friday, March 28, 2025

Budget to give the economy a push next financial year

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By MILLIE MUROI, Economics Writer If there’s only one thing you gleaned from the budget – and it is the new tax cuts – that’s exactly what t...