Treasurer's faith in theory is touching

Tim Colebatch Why can't we believe the budget forecasts? Why were they so wrong over the past decade? Does Wayne Swan decide the forecasts, as the Liberals imply, or does Treasury?

The forecasts don't lie - but that doesn't mean you can trust them

Tim Colebatch Why can't we believe the budget forecasts? Why were they so wrong over the past decade? Does Wayne Swan decide the forecasts, as the Liberals want us to think, or does Treasury?

Comments 20

Drop puts concessions on hold

Tim Colebatch The budget has taken back the small tax cut promised for 2015 to compensate us for the shift to an emissions trading scheme saying carbon prices will be so low it will not be needed.

Budget 2013

More pain than gain as repair job starts

Tim Colebatch This is like no other pre-election budget.

Boost for the unemployed

Tim Colebatch About 150,000 tipped to benefit when budget increases amount they can earn without losing benefits.

Comments 2

Budget to ease strain on dole and sole parent wage earners

Tim Colebatch, David Wroe, Daniel Flitton About 150,000 Australians who are unemployed or sole parents are tipped to benefit when Tuesday's budget increases the amount they can earn without losing benefits.

Comments 109

Economics

Millionaires snub taxman

Tim Colebatch If you earn enough money, paying tax can be optional. Tax Office data reveals that 70 Australians with incomes of more than $1 million each in 2010-11 paid no income tax whatever.

Comments 307

Economy

Soft landing tipped, despite end of mining boom and fewer jobs

Tim Colebatch Australia is likely to make a soft landing as the mining investment boom ends, with a long period of low interest rates prompting consumer spending and home building to fill the gap, according to...

Garnaut warns RBA may have to cap dollar

Tim Colebatch Ross Garnaut, one of the authors of the float of the Australian dollar 30 years ago, warns that the Reserve Bank might have to consider intervening to push the currency down to minimise the recession...

Economy

Garnaut urges RBA move on dollar, rates

Tim Colebatch Ross Garnaut warns that the Reserve Bank might have to consider intervening to push it down the dollar.

Tim Colebatch

Some fear the mining boom will turn to bust

Tim Colebatch Between 2005 and 2012, Australia began a mining boom that took over our economy. By 2012, mining investment generated half the economy's growth.

Victoria lags in building recovery

Simon Johanson and Tim Colebatch Any future recovery in the building industry will be gradual and uneven, an economist says.

Tim Colebatch

Too early to rejoice over jobs

Tim Colebatch The unexpectedly strong growth in jobs could be the start of a recovery after two years of weak growth. Or it could be a false signal.

Victoria slides into recession with SA, Tasmania

Tim Colebatch Victoria has slumped into recession, along with South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT, as the Australia's two-speed economy has sent much of the country into reverse.

Austerity

Spending cuts slow economy

Tim Colebatch Austerity measures by governments desperate to reduce deficits are slowing the economy.

Australian dollar dearest of top economies

Tim Colebatch Australia has the third most expensive currency in the world, and the most expensive of the world's 20 largest economies, IMF estimates reveal.

Comments 267

Tim Colebatch

He doesn't cry wolf but he spots the bull

Tim Colebatch Martin Wolf has not got every call right in the global financial crisis, but it's hard to think of a significant one he's got wrong.

Tim Colebatch

There's no two ways about it - we're richer, and poorer

Tim Colebatch Yesterday's release of the nation's quarterly financial accounts brought two competing interpretations. And both of them are correct.

Comments 4

Tim Colebatch

The trials of the buoy next door

Tim Colebatch Indonesia is growing at 6 to 7 per cent a year, and is now the sixth-largest source of global economic growth.