Politics and policy

The 2026 budget is tipped to be the most critical, and interesting, for years. And the stakes could not be higher for the nation or for the treasurer.

The leadup to the budget is always heavily curated. But the Middle East crisis has thrown a serious spanner in the works for Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Once again, the startup sector is pushing back hard against mooted tax changes it says would hit founders and employees paid in equity.

AI’s biggest productivity gains may come not from moonshots, but from helping small businesses save time, cut waste and compete.

The government has unveiled a $10 billion fuel support package as Treasurer Jim Chalmers dismisses spending warnings from the Reserve Bank.

Australia deserves a fair return from gas, but PRRT reform would do more than a blunt export tax to protect supply and investment.

All eyes are on next Tuesday’s federal budget. But if the Middle East war drags on, Jim Chalmers may have to go back to the drawing board.

Sanae Takaichi leaves Canberra with short-term assurances over energy supply. But her visit may have significant implications in a dangerous region.

Fewer than half of Australians now trust our public institutions, according to new DemosAU polling that shows politics and media under pressure.

Australians increasingly do not trust their institutions. The Reserve Bank is bucking that trend.

The gaming giant has rejected government plans to curb R&D tax breaks for gambling and tobacco companies.

The housing industry wants more skilled migrants to ease a 141,000-worker construction shortage. But the red-hot politics of immigration stands in the way.

Labor’s Budget rhetoric has pivoted from productivity to resilience as inflation rises and the government does its very best to dodge the blame.

The US President has long chafed against foreign efforts to regulate the American tech sector, which is deeply intertwined with his administration.