Emergency or structural decline?
12:13pmStructural deficit claims do not excuse high government spending say the Nationals, neither should it lead to scrapping environmental protections say the Greens.
Headline videos
Ford decision
Car making 'not viable'
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12:56pm Ford Australia's president has told journalists car making is simply not viable in this country, forcing the vehicle giant to close manufacturing from 2016.
Peter Slipper trial
Slipper faces court
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1:58pm Former speaker Peter Slipper has appeared before ACT magistrate's court to enter a not guilty plea over charges of misusing Commonwealth Cabcharge vouchers.
2013 Budget
Carbon compo's downside
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Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon acknowledges years of tax cuts, spending and the carbon tax compensation have given us 'a structural problem and some very big challenges ahead'.
Opinion Polls
What chance a comeback?
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Pollster John Stirton discusses new Nielsen numbers that suggest the budget has helped PM Julia Gillard claw back some popularity lost to Tony Abbott.
2013 Budget
Abbott's super cuts attacked
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Tony Abbott's super changes in Thursday's budget reply have been branded as 'stupid' and 'crazy' by superannuation minister, Bill Shorten.
Dobell preselection
An innocent chat
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Craig Thomson says his preselection chat was above board, but the Coalition is calling for an investigation.
MP's leave application
'Lies' or 'overegged'?
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MP Michelle Rowland says Christopher Pyne has lied over her leave application, but the Coalition says Labor is concocting the furore.
2013 Budget
Too much surplus talk?
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Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon riled other Government MPs on Wednesday, accusing them of 'overstating the importance of returning to surplus'.
2013 Budget
Accounting for change
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With the Gillard government's last budget before the election just hours away, both parties talk up their economic and policy credentials and highlight cost of change.
The angles
Emergency or structural decline?
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12:13pm Structural deficit claims do not excuse high government spending say the Nationals, neither should it lead to scrapping environmental protections say the Greens.
Budget dynamics
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11:43am Did tax cuts under the Howard and Rudd governments cause structural deficits? MPs Joel Fitzgibbon & Josh Frydenberg discuss Treasury analysis.
Softly, softly
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No need for a sea-change on the Marriage Act says the Nationals' Fiona Nash, while both parties hose down pre-election tax reform.
Super scare campaign
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Labor is running a scare campaign on super changes, says Liberal MP Kelly O'Dwyer, underlining that a Coalition win at the upcoming election would be a mandate for change.
Overegged or Abbott's fault?
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Thursday's discussion with senators Waters and Joyce: tensions run high over the Rowland leave affair, Craig Thomson's alleged inducements and Barnaby in his own brawl.
Talking budget legacies
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MPs Joel Fitzgibbon and Joshua Frydenberg discuss the 2013 budget in studio: Howard and Costello, surplus paranoia, and ten year plans.
Details please
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The Coalition will not commit to NDIS and Gonski funding forecasts without more detail, while Labor says an Abbott government would be forced to cut massively.
Budget pressure builds
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With one day left before the government's last budget before the election, the Coalition is already challenging the numbers.
Waters & Joyce: Local government referendum
Fitzgibbon & Frydenberg: Broken promises of calibre
Leigh & Nash: Revenue write-down a double blow
O'Dwyer & Pratt: Coalition united on parental leave
Waters & Joyce: Go slow or rush job?
Fitzgibbon & Frydenberg: Levy not sustainable
O'Dwyer & Pratt: Bad budget headlines
Waters & Joyce: ANZAC identity
Fitzgibbon & Frydenberg: Emissions tax discredited
O'Dwyer & Perrett: Drawing the line
Waters & Joyce: Nutty or necessary?
Fitzgibbon & Frydenberg: Security concerns
The arguments
'Worst fears' on apprenticeships
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Apprenticeships figures are down in all professional sectors and government policy is to blame, says the Australian chamber of commerce & industry.
Newstart poor
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A new Salvation Army survey suggests unemployment benefits are no longer enough to stop people slipping into poverty.
A matter of conscience
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Greens MP Adam Bandt applauds Kevin Rudd's change of heart on same-sex marriage, calls for a Coalition conscience vote before the election.
Windsor on 'character flaws'
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Independent MP Tony Windsor has hit out at a 'character flaw' in opposition leader Tony Abbott while accusing rival Barnaby Joyce of 'offensive' comments.
Shorten savages budget reply
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Workplace relations and superannuation will be undermined under a Coalition government, says Labor's Bill Shorten in a withering attack on Tony Abbott's budget reply.
Cormann: Swan playing choose-your-own-budget
NGO Council: Foreign aid cuts an embarassment
AI group: go back to black
Expert warns NDIS may be rushed
Simon Sheikh on his tilt for the Senate
The analysis
Tax cut hangover
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Treasury says successive tax cuts under the Howard and Rudd governments may have destabilized the economy in the lead-up to the global financial crisis.
GST heading up?
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Will the pressure to hike the goods and services tax be irresistible for government after September's election? Tax expert Prof. John Freebairn argues for a tax rethink.
Ain't broke, could be fixed
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The Australian tax system isn't broken, but the path to necessary improvements is fraught with political danger, explains expert Dale Boccabella.
Rudd gives leaders a shake
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Former PM Kevin Rudd's change of heart on marriage is a communications quandary for both Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard, explain strategists O'Rourke and Cotterell.
Double dissolution a chance
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The Coalition could go to a double dissolution election early next year if the Senate blocks the carbon tax repeal, explains constitutional law expert Prof. George Williams.
Expert: Forecasting Treasurer Hockey's first budget
Counterspin: Bumpy budget waters
Deloitte: surplus forecasts a washout?
Mark Kenny: Labor botched budget lead-up
Peter Martin: Swan's parting gift?
The programs
Paid-parental spat
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TIM LESTER May 6: Liberal MP Alex Hawke grabs headlines with dissent over paid-parental leave. We interview him, as well as regulars Kelly O'Dwyer MP & Sen. Louise Pratt, and communications strategists O'Rourke & Cotterell.
Softer white paper
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TIM LESTER May 3: Julia Gillard launches the 2013 Defence White Paper with more conciliatory regional strategy, materiel commitments. Interviews: Sen. David Johnston, Prof. Paul Dibb, Michelle Grattan, John Garnaut.
'It's a good idea'
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TIM LESTER May 2: Coalition response to NDIS levy expected, ASIO in hot water over Korean spies and terror suspects. Interviews: Bill Shorten, Rob Oakeshott, Barnaby Joyce & Larissa Waters
NDIS levy announced
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TIM LESTER May 1st: Julia Gillard announces a 0.5% bump to the Medicare levy to fund Labor's NDIS scheme. Interviews: MPs Joel Fitzgibbon & Joshua Frydenberg, Graeme Innes, Prof. Louise Newman.
Cards on the table
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TIM LESTER Apr 30th: Tax backlash as PM says "all bets are off" on budget savings. Cross-party support for gay marriage referendum. Interviews: Craig Thomson, Stephen Koukoulas, Alex Greenwich, Fred Nile, ACCI.
Apr 25: Anzac tradition still strong
Apr 24: Matters economic
Apr 23: No quick fix
Apr 22: Winners and losers
Apr 19: COAG convenes on Gonski
Apr 18: Carbon conundrum as EU price fails
Apr 17: The new security landscape
Apr 16: Schools to reap University funding cuts
Apr 15: The polls, they aren't a changin'
Featured
Senator mad about pay rise
Victorian senator "gobsmacked" over $50,000 pay rise, will donate his to training grants.
GST heading up?
Will the pressure to hike the goods and services tax be irresistible for government after September 14?
Budget dynamics
Did tax cuts under the Howard and Rudd governments cause structural deficits? MPs Fitzgibbon & Frydenberg discuss.
Ain't broke, could be fixed
The tax system isn't broken, but has much room for improvement explains Dale Boccabella.
'Worst fears' on apprenticeships
Apprenticeships figures are down in all professional sectors and government policy is to blame, says ACCI.
Tax cut hangover
Treasury says successive tax cuts under the Howard and Rudd governments may have destabilized the economy.
Newstart poor
A new Salvation Army survey suggests unemployment benefits are no longer enough to stop people slipping into poverty.
A matter of conscience
Greens MP Adam Bandt applauds Kevin Rudd's change of heart on same-sex marriage, calls for a Coalition conscience vote before the election.
Softly, softly
No need for a sea-change on the Marriage Act says the Nationals' Fiona Nash, while both parties hose down pre-election tax reform.
Rudd gives leaders a shake
Former PM Kevin Rudd's change of heart on marriage is a communications quandary for both Abbott and Gillard.
What chance a comeback?
Pollster John Stirton discusses new Nielsen numbers that suggest the budget has helped PM Julia Gillard's popularity.
Super scare campaign
Labor is running a scare campaign on super changes, says Liberal MP Kelly O'Dwyer.
Double dissolution a chance
The Coalition could go to a double dissolution election early next year if the Senate blocks the repeal of the carbon tax.
Windsor on 'character flaws'
Independent MP Tony Windsor has hit out at a 'character flaw' in opposition leader Tony Abbott.
When Sam met Craig
Craig Thomson reveals Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari offered him the chance to run for party preselection.
Overegged or Abbott's fault?
Tensions run high over the Rowland leave affair, Craig Thomson's alleged inducements and Barnaby in his own brawl.
Rowland angry at Pyne's 'lies'
Coalition refused to grant Labor MP Michelle Rowland leave to care for her sick toddler and lied about the reasons why., she says.
Talking budget legacies
MPs Joel Fitzgibbon and Joshua Frydenberg discuss the 2013 budget in studio.
Where's the vision?
On budget night, Greens leader Christine Milne says the country needs vision and leadership not an economics lesson.
Swan defends 'tough budget'
Treasurer Wayne Swan joins the Fairfax Canberra team to discuss the budget.
At war with business?
Assistant treasurer David Bradbury accuses business of pushing for GST hike and individual contracts.
Choose-your-own-budget
The Coalition says Wayne Swan is cherry picking key numbers from Treasury to balance the budget.
GST hikes on horizon?
The return to surplus "paranoia" has been damaging, says economist Neville Norman.
Details please
The Coalition will not commit to NDIS and Gonski funding forecasts without more detail.
Surplus forecast a washout?
Even if the government forecasts a return to surplus in 2016-17, future economics conditions threaten its sustainability.
Aid embarassment
NGO council says the latest postponement of an increase to foreign aid is an embarassment for the PM.
Bumpy budget waters
Wayne Swan and Tony Abbott will be under pressure this week to show numbers, policy and narrative say strategists Annie O'Rourke and Jannette Cotterell.
IR 'lesson learned'
"Yesterday we scattered the ashes of Work Choices, and they'll never be gathered up again," says Eric Abetz.
No go on IR
Katter's Australia Party would not support the Coalition's new IR policy, says maverick unionist Dean Mighell.
Direct action a fig leaf
Climate change minister Greg Combet says the Coalition's Direct Action policy is a fig leaf that won't work and party members know it.
Joyce: vote will fail
Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says September's referendum on local government will fail even though he and the Coalition support the change.
About saving face
Labor's "broken promises" are an embarrassment, says Liberal MP, but is Tony Abbott's "high calibre" parental leave an insult to everyday working women?
Senate green light?
Simon Sheikh explains why community campaigning can make the ACT Senate turn Green.
$17b revenue down
The strong dollar and low terms of trade will no doubt keep business profits and tax revenues down for some time to come.
Anzac day in TK
In Afghanistan, David Wroe discusses the 9/11 generation, now marking Australia's last Anzac Day in Uruzgan province.
What's wrong with Anzac?
Commemorating Anzac Day should not come at the expense of historical understanding or Australia's other national stories.
PM must take risks
Julia Gillard must throw away the spin and open up to voters, says Mark Kenny, perhaps with same-sex marriage as a turning point.
Frustrated & angry
Universities are frustrated and angry with public funding cuts and will fight the Gonski package measures announced this week.
The bottom line
Government should not increase the economic burden on business to fulfil its policy promises, says BCA chief Jennifer Westacott.
Thatcher's legacy
Margaret Thatcher's belief 'that government was the problem, not the solution' paved the way for sweeping economic reform, including in Australia.
Time to act on China
Australia must reposition its relationship with China and the US to grapple with what ANU professor Hugh White says is one of the "biggest diplomatic challenges" the country's ever faced.
