Economy
Budget focuses on power bills, tax cuts and healthcare
26 March
FEDERAL BUDGET AT A GLANCE * Budget deficit of $27.6 billion this financial year * Commonwealth gross debt to rise to $940 billion (33.7 per cent of GDP) in 2024/25 before cracking $1 trillion the year after * Net debt to rise to $556 billion in...[Read More]
āUnfair, unrealisticā: young Aussies bear budget burden
26 March
Australian workers will be increasingly relied upon to prop up ballooning federal government spending, despite tax cuts handing back two years of bracket creep. The āmodestā cuts announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers in the federal budget will...[Read More]
Tax changes ruled out as treasurer launches food fight
22 January
The treasurer has poured cold water on any new taxes, saying Labor is focused on targeted cost of living relief. Asked whether Labor would bring any new taxes to the upcoming federal election, Jim Chalmers said, āno, our focus is on the tax...[Read More]
Short trips, cheaper grub: tight budgets change travel
1 January
Booking hotels and tickets well in advance has long defined Australian travellers but as household budgets come under stress, last-minute trips and spontaneity are becoming more popular. Amid high prices for groceries, housing and other essentials,...[Read More]
āSurpriseā budget windfalls drying up, economists warn
27 November
Australia is waving goodbye to budget surpluses and returning abruptly to deficit, facing a $49 billion deterioration in the bottom line as per forecasts from leading economists. The $15.8 billion surplus logged in the last financial year to...[Read More]
Stage three tax cut spending spree yet to surface
17 October
Tax cuts donāt appear to be fuelling shopping sprees, with transaction data suggesting extra take-home pay is going towards staples and paying down debt. Footy finals were the only bright spot in an otherwise glum September for spending, with...[Read More]
From Tony’s Desk – To sell or not to sell????
6 August
For those of you who enjoy your sport, I hope youāve been relishing the Olympics. Amid the headlines about our athleteā great achievements the current market volatility is also getting a few headlines. To address this, Iād like to...[Read More]
Few plan to spend tax returns as economy stalls
12 July
Just one in 20 Australians plan to splurge on big-ticket items when their tax returns come through, with most opting to squirrel them away or pay down debt. Amid acute cost of living pressures and a string of interest rate rises, surveying by...[Read More]