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Large to-do listPremium‘So much pressure’: Next PM’s economic challenges

Rising interest rates, inflation, skills shortages and trade snarls loom among the biggest challenges for Australia’s next Prime Minister, who economists say will have to get moving on the economy from day one.

Adrian Lowe

opinion
opinion
Pressure is onCommentsPremium
opinion
Australia’s next PM faces a big to-do list

Upon emerging from a six-week campaign bemoaned for its small target focus, the leader of the next government must urgently address the economic challenges facing business and households.

Adrian Lowe

Global shortagesCommentsSupply chain instability to ‘bounce back’ to Australia

The International Chamber of Commerce says governments must “double down” on the global trade agenda and avoid impulses towards onshoring, as supply chains disruptions continue to roil economies. 

Danielle Le Messurier

Shifting goalpostsPremiumHow the economy has changed during the campaign

Several key events during the Federal Election campaign have changed the face of the nation's economy.

Colin Brinsden

MoneyPremium‘Never seen anything like it’ price rise

Australians are set to be slapped with “unprecedented” rate rises from energy companies amid high cost of living pressures.

Daniela Pizzirani

‘Tight as a drum’PremiumThe dark side of WA’s ‘amazing’ 13-year unemployment low

For WA employers, having the nation’s tightest jobs market is creating a hiring headache, with some roles staying vacant for months and companies deciding against taking on new projects.

Rebecca Le May and Cheyanne Enciso

Going up ... and upPremiumSluggish wages growth, low unemployment crunch WA firms

WA’s near 14-year low unemployment rate is set to add pressure to businesses already battling the country’s highest inflation and lowest wages growth amid forecasts it could go even further.

Adrian Lowe

EquitiesPremiumASX dives after Wall Street bloodbath

The Australian sharemarket did little to recover after it shed billions of dollars on Thursday morning, with retail stocks in a tailspin.

Catie McLeod

Claiming itCommentsPremiumScoMo talks up low unemployment rates before flying to Perth

Scott Morrison is spruiking the unemployment rates of WA and the nation on the third last day of the election campaign - before jetting to Perth this evening in a last-ditch attempt to win over voters in WA.

Kimberley Caines

Election costingsLabor costings reveal $8.4b higher deficits than Coalition

Labor will spend $8.4 billion more than the Coalition on its election commitments, according to costings documents released today.

Lanai Scarr

UpdatedAustralia hits huge new 50-year record

Australia’s unemployment is at a level that hasn’t been seen in almost 50 years in a major development just two days before the election.

Ashleigh Gleeson

‘No spare capacity’CommentsPremiumWage growth to ‘accelerate’ as jobless rate hits 1974 low

Only 4000 more people were employed around Australia in April, as continued Omicron cases affect the number of people working reduced hours.

Adrian Lowe

EconomyPremiumRetailers enjoy buoyant sales in April

Retailers enjoyed a buoyant sales period during April compared to a year earlier, but ballooning inflation is eating into business operations.

Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics and Business Correspondent

Mad scramblePremiumThe biggest issue facing Aussie businesses

The PM called it the single biggest challenge facing Australia’s economy and it’s an issue that has many business owners across Australia sweating.

Duncan Murray

‘Can't go much further’PremiumReform urged as nation faces continued wage cuts

The biggest cut to real wages in more than two decades underscores the importance of reform to Australia’s industrial relations system and a focus on sustainable wages growth, economists say.

Adrian Lowe

Below inflationCommentsPremium‘Really ugly’: Biggest cut to real wages in two decades

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has used the largest decline in real wages in 22 years to underscore his attacks on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s economic credibility.

Adrian Lowe and Peter Law

Crisis talksAnother building giant on brink of collapse

Another major Aussie construction firm is on the brink of collapse with urgent crisis talks underway with key clients.

Duncan Murray

Cost of livingPremiumShock graph shows big cost-of-living issue

A shock graph shows a big cost-of-living issue for Australia has been confirmed, as businesses and unions today argued for different solutions.

Ashleigh Gleeson

Days of ThatcherCommentsPremiumUK inflation rates surges to a 40-year high of 9pc

UK inflation rose to its highest level since Margaret Thatcher was prime minister more than 40 years ago, adding to pressure for action from the government and central bank.

Andrew Atkinson

MoneyPremiumMoney habit women are better at than men

When it comes to personal finances, women trump men in this one area, according to new research by a major bank on Aussie habits.

Melissa Iaria

Big decisionWhy rate hike to 0.75pc next month is in play

A key piece of economic data looms as a key in the Reserve Bank’s decision on how much to raise official interest rates by next month, as economists tip a 0.4pc hike.

Adrian Lowe

CovidPremiumTroubling Australian Covid survey results

Australia’s new daily Covid-19 infection rates are hitting worldwide highs, yet the findings from a new survey on what we are doing to curb its spread are worrying.

Melissa Iaria

Hold fireCommentsPremiumMacquarie warns Australian industrial shares overvalued

The investment bank’s research analysts believe Australian resources stocks offer much better value given the threat of higher interest rates and inflation.

Sean Smith

Re-election pledgeCommentsPremiumMorrison Govt reveals plan to pay for election promises

The Coalition Government plans to cut about $1 billion in spending over the next four years by getting the public service to manage their operations to help repair the budget bottom line if re-elected.

Kimberley Caines and Peter Law