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National affairs Tim Colebatch 5 May 2015 Victoria’s Labor treasurer might have echoed Tolstoy in his budget speech, writes Tim Colebatch, but the fine print doesn’t rise to the challenges facing the state
National affairs Tim Colebatch 4 May 2015 This week’s Victorian budget has passed up the opportunity to borrow at historically cheap rates to fund essential infrastructure, writes Tim Colebatch National affairs Shiro Armstrong 28 April 2015 The evidence shows that trade deals struck primarily for political reasons can cause significant economic damage, writes Shiro Armstrong National affairs Michael Gill 23 April 2015 Inflated expectations are the baggage of Australia’s recent resources boom, writes Michael Gill. They’re starting to look like a burden Essays & reportage Klaus Neumann 20 April 2015 Greece wants war reparations and loan repayments from Germany, writes Klaus Neumann. The idea isn’t as far-fetched as it might sound
Essays & reportage John Edwards 14 April 2015 Fixing the federal budget might not be as hard as we think, argues John Edwards. And the Intergenerational Review shows we have the breathing space to choose how to do it
National affairs Tim Colebatch 13 April 2015 The new rules sought by premier Colin Barnett would have cost the state $7 billion during the boom years, writes Tim Colebatch. Is this an attempt to make the current… National affairs John Quiggin 15 March 2015 This secretive agreement is less about free trade than about protecting American interests, writes John Quiggin. But there’s a glimmer of a chance it won’t proceed Books & arts Tom Westland 12 March 2015 Books | Feel like a tourist in the land of finance? Tom Westland reviews John Lanchester’s visitor’s guide National affairs Tim Colebatch 5 March 2015 A serious message has been swamped by politics in this latest attempt to model the next forty years, argues Tim Colebatch in Canberra
National affairs Peter Brent 26 February 2015 John Howard had an enormous stroke of luck, writes Peter Brent. To realise that is to recognise that imitating him is counterproductive
National affairs Michael Gill 23 February 2015 A new report highlights the dangers of a burgeoning finance sector, writes Michael Gill National affairs Michael Gill 13 February 2015 Better ways of dealing with the federal budget deficit would also boost growth, argues Michael Gill International Kerry Brown 3 February 2015 Although China and the United States can seem absorbed in themselves and one another, countries like Australia can still contribute to the conversation, writes Kerry Brown National affairs Tim Colebatch 22 January 2015 Australia’s job market has failed badly since the global financial crisis, writes Tim Colebatch
National affairs Michael Gill 17 December 2014 A focus on the fitness of the economy should replace the overheated debate about “fiscal balance,” writes Michael Gill
National affairs John Quiggin 11 December 2014 Nuclear power might be worth considering as a reserve option, says John Quiggin, but experience overseas shows Australia’s carbon savings must be made elsewhere National affairs Peter Brent 11 December 2014 Being in government is a chance to make the case that you’re a world-class economic manager, writes Peter Brent. Labor forgot that fact and will keep suffering the results National affairs Tim Colebatch 5 December 2014 The budget’s shortcomings don’t end with the fairness problem, writes Tim Colebatch International Kerry Brown 25 November 2014 When the going gets tough, it’s clear that Australia really doesn’t have a fully-developed policy towards China, writes Kerry Brown
National affairs Fergus Green 21 November 2014 As the dust settles after the US–China climate announcement and Australia’s G20 climate debacle, Fergus Green takes a closer look at the Abbott…
Books & arts Michael Gill 27 October 2014 Martin Wolf offers the best explanation of how the financial crisis came about and what it means for the future, writes Michael Gill International Norman Abjorensen 21 October 2014 Can the G20 hope to make measurable progress in the fight against corruption? Norman Abjorensen looks at the story so far Joel Keep 6 October 2014 A recent UN vote laid the groundwork for resolving sovereign-debt disputes impartially, reports Joel Keep in Buenos Aires. So why did Australia vote against it? National affairs Lesley Russell 26 September 2014 Lesley Russell looks at what the draft recommendations of the competition policy review mean for health policy and services
National affairs Dean Ashenden 24 September 2014 The federal government's competition review is disastrously wrong about education, writes Dean Ashenden
National affairs Peter Whiteford 5 August 2014 The post-budget debate reveals two fundamentally different worldviews, writes Peter Whiteford National affairs Andrew Leigh 31 July 2014 John Howard’s gun buyback scheme had more than one benefit, writes Andrew Leigh in this extract from his new book Books & arts Graeme Dobell 25 July 2014 A contest is under way, writes Graeme Dobell, but it will be more like a nineteenth-century battle than a twentieth-century clash Books & arts Tom Westland 23 July 2014 Has feckless Australia set itself up for a post-boom slump? Tom Westland reviews two new books that see the prospects quite differently