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Bulk billing pledge is Mediscare with an $8.5b price tag

The new spending, alongside $600 million to boost the supply of nurses and general practice doctors, will be added to the nation’s burgeoning debt...

latest 9

Financial Review

Phillip Coorey

My patient Shirley would benefit from more bulk billing. Here’s why she won’t

Labor is shining an 8.5 billion watt spotlight on general practices to divert attention from the elephant in the room that everyone in Australia...

latest 8

Financial Review

Nick Coatsworth

Time for a Bex and good lie down after RBA rate call

Amid the hyperbole and hysteria, I’m tempted to take governor Michele Bullock’s explanation of the finely balanced decision at face value.

latest 7

Financial Review

Stephen Miller

Dutton gives lazy ‘me too’ as Albo bets the house on ‘saving Medicare’

The Coalition has buckled to Labor pressure. But how both sides will finance their foolish bulk-billing magic pudding remains to be seen.

latest 9

Financial Review

Terry Barnes

Don’t believe the doomsayers – more rate cuts are on the way

The bond market is pricing in two to three rate cuts this year and history suggests it always tends to get it right.

latest 7

Financial Review

Angus Coote

Big super bolsters US ties amid Trump trade tensions

The pool of workers’ retirement savings benefits not only to the domestic economy, but the relationship with our most important trading partner,...

latest 6

Financial Review

David Whiteley

China’s expedition shows Australia must become a naval power

To safeguard our vital interests at sea, we must demonstrate self-reliance within our alliances, and develop and resource a comprehensive maritime...

latest 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Parker

Forget rate cuts. Fixing tax could make us much richer

Politicians continue to obsess over the ups and downs of interest rates and neglect the real stuff that could make us materially better off.

previous day 5

Financial Review

John Kehoe

The Trump-Putin deal could leave US allies in the dust

Donald Trump is willing – even eager – to have bilateral discussions on core issues of security with the America’s adversaries, while excluding...

previous day 4

Financial Review

Michael Shoebridge

Albanese’s Whyalla rescue plan is a gamble on Australia’s future

Wasting subsidies on industries with poor growth prospects is not the way to restore Australian prosperity.

previous day 1

Financial Review

The Afr View

Why Albanese is going for broke at Whyalla

The prime minister is intent on saving jobs and the South Australian steel industry with a joint government bailout of $2.4 billion. But his hopes...

previous day 1

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Dutton’s populist plans won’t cut your grocery bills

When politicians reach for the first ‘populist’ policy they can find to address voter concerns about rising prices, they’re doing a disservice to...

previous day 5

Financial Review

John Roskam

Scholz promised stability, but Germany got chaos instead

The deeper rot in German governance will require more fundamental reforms than any coalition is likely to deliver.

previous day 1

Financial Review

Oliver Hartwich

RBA rates call will fuel inflation and prolong cost-of-living crisis

The board has broken the sacred rule of modern central banking: do not pump prime the economy before an election, particularly when there will be a...

previous day 6

Financial Review

Warren Hogan

Complacent Australia is not ready for the harsh new world order

The looming election should be about how Australia can better compete on trade war-disrupted world markets amid threatening geopolitical conflict.

previous day 5

Financial Review

Michael Stutchbury

Killing ASX diversity rules should be start of governance reset

John Wylie’s new “first principles” rule book should be the starting point for the debate about what best practice corporate governance should now...

previous day 3

Financial Review

The Afr View

Whyalla deal shows the rising price of a future made in Australia

Australia is offering subsidies not just to keep old industries alive but for the future-facing minerals processing that would supply batteries and...

previous day 1

Financial Review

Michael Stutchbury

How Trump’s love affair with Putin endangers the world

It is difficult to avoid the impression that the new administration is working to undermine democracy not only at home but also in Europe.

thursday 10

Financial Review

Nicholas Kristof

I’m an ESG insider. Here’s the truth behind how it went off the rails

Advocacy for moral concerns should be left to those with the proper mandate and ESG professionals should practice what they preach about good...

thursday 10

Financial Review

Anonymous Contributor

Trumpet of Patriots a reminder that donation laws target Clive not teals

Those vowing to dismantle the laws in the event of a hung parliament should be careful what they wish for because the billionaire might just change...

thursday 1

Financial Review

Phillip Coorey

Why the RBA rate cut was a head-scratcher

There was a gap in logic between the decision and the explanation. That is why the new communications arrangements can’t come soon enough.

thursday 2

Financial Review

John Simon

Reserve Bank cut a turning point for commercial property markets

For the commercial property sector, the rate cut is more a marker of a fundamental shift to a stable, even cheaper, cost of debt.

thursday 1

Financial Review

Robert Harley

Labor is throwing money at quantum but drowning AI in regulation

The unanswered question is how can any country effectively regulate a fast-changing emergent technology and expect to be competitive in the global...

19.02.2025 1

Financial Review

Sandy Plunkett

Big super shouldn’t control our retirement

Meaningful change to the retirement income system should ensure that consumers have competitive and tailored retirement products and services to...

19.02.2025 5

Financial Review

The Afr View

Australia still betting on rare earths

The Albanese government hoped for a new resources boom in new critical minerals projects and processing. There’s been a hard reckoning since, but...

19.02.2025 1

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

RBA will be less willing on rate cuts next time

Michele Bullock admits the RBA board had a lively debate on the case for cutting rates or holding firm against sustained political and community...

19.02.2025 4

Financial Review

John Kehoe

This banker email shows Dutton is right on ESG going too far

A construction company received a 37-point compliance list before funding would be considered, in addition to the standard credit application.

19.02.2025 5

Financial Review

John Kehoe

Why Musk’s waste cutting is all about making money

The world’s richest man is taking a torch to the American state on behalf of Donald Trump, but also to remove impediments to his business interests.

19.02.2025 1

Financial Review

Edward Luce

Time for a first principles model of corporate governance

A more competitive framework for our public companies is totally achievable while preserving Australia’s core commitment to high governance...

19.02.2025 5

Financial Review

John Wylie

Europe needs to toughen up and shrug off Trump’s bullying

European leaders need to reduce their dangerous dependence on a new adversarial America.

18.02.2025 1

Financial Review

Gideon Rachman

How not to waste Gonski school funding

Additional federal money may unfortunately extend and expand inefficient and ineffective practices rather than lift the quality of teaching.

18.02.2025 10

Financial Review

Trisha Jha

Inflation will tell if RBA’s pre-election cut is the right call

We don’t doubt Bullock and the board have conducted themselves independently. Yet, the RBA’s credibility will finally depend on whether inflation...

18.02.2025 1

Financial Review

The Afr View

RBA opens a window for the PM, but will he take the chance?

Anthony Albanese may seek to capitalise on Tuesday’s rate cut with a March 29 election, but he could also decide that it is not enough to sway...

18.02.2025 2

Financial Review

Phillip Coorey

RBA rate cut more about politics than economics

After roughing up the central bank, Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers should take whatever sliver of bacon the RBA will give financially squeezed...

18.02.2025 1

Financial Review

Michael Stutchbury

Bullock and the board playing dice with Australia’s economy

The Australian public needs more than a good luck charm to finally tame inflation and our ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

18.02.2025 3

Financial Review

Richard Holden

After one cut, Bullock rules out more pre-election rate relief

Even the fiercely independent inflation fighter Michele Bullock knew she would follow predecessor Phil Lowe in becoming Political and Public Enemy...

18.02.2025 1

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett