Editor's Picks

A budget of suicidal heroism

Alan Kohler

Heavy slashes into health and social services, totalling 88 per cent of spending cuts in the next four years, are what this budget is all about. No government has ever risked so much on such deep welfare rationalisation.

Optimistic figures ignore Australia’s harsh reality

Callam Pickering

Growth forecasts outlined in the budget should be taken with a grain of salt. The prospect of a collapse in mining investment and an increasing reliance on exports are growing risks.

Australia can’t swallow any more lies

Robert Gottliebsen

After two sham elections, Chris Bowen is the first senior-ranking politician to properly acknowledge the nasty reality of how Australia's budgetary problem got so bad.

Shock therapy for welfare addiction

Rob Burgess

The Coalition’s welfare reforms are styled to decisively break reliance on government handouts, and will push families to rethink the shape of their own interdependency.

BHP focuses on growth assets

Stephen Bartholomeusz

Andrew Mackenzie is preparing to slim down BHP Billiton’s portfolio to focus on the businesses that boast the highest returns.

Frank Costa bows out

Alan Kohler

The success of Australia’s biggest fresh fruit and vegetable supplier rests on an inspiring tale of family, courage, gangsters and supermarket giants -- and soon the business will be up for sale.

Treasury puts a cork in sales talk

Stephen Bartholomeusz

Michael Clarke's determination to build Treasury's global brand aligns with strengthening US demand, while raising questions on whether the group's US presence is large enough to propel those ambitions.

Why it’s hard to tax superannuation pensions

Robert Gottliebsen

As Bill Shorten previously demonstrated, taxing super involves a complex administrative process. The Coalition has avoided making changes to the system, but there will be dangers if the issue is not resolved.

Has the housing downturn already begun?

Callam Pickering

The housing market's momentum is dwindling, and a number of domestic and foreign developments lining up to hit property prices should concern investors and owner-occupiers alike.

China’s rekindled love affair with Australia

Peter Cai

As China eases rules around outbound investment, savvy investors are turning back to Australia's resources sector in droves.

Most read

The budget hit to rental yields

Rob Burgess

Investors in the cheaper end of the property market are set to suffer a good dose of pain along with their tenants, whose spending power has been reduced by billions of dollars.

Most commented

Lies, damn lies and elections 

Alan Kohler

Broken promises are nothing new in politics but last year's election set a new bar. Hockey's first budget extends the nation's dismal dance of lies and disbelief.