The Sydney Morning Herald logo

Budget

Advertisement
Illustration by Simon Letch

Our future prosperity is bright. We’ve hidden an ace up our sleeve

Doomster economists predicting that our standard of living won’t improve much for decades are overlooking Australia’s superpower.

  • Ross Gittins

Latest

Treasurer Jim Chalmers speaking after the final day of the economic roundtable.

Chalmers revs up road user tax as he cites quick wins from roundtable

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has revealed plans to slap EV drivers with road-user charges within months – and dozens of other reforms that might come from the roundtable.

  • Paul Sakkal, Shane Wright, Millie Muroi and Nick Newling
Getting a few extra dollars in your pocket doesn’t have to involve major, life-changing decisions.

Nine ways you can be richer by this time next year

As another year rolls around, it’s a good time to consider how small changes can make a big impact on your wealth this time next year.

  • Nina Hendy
Former NSW Treasury secretary Percy Allan in 2011.

We owe more than we realise to our best econocrats

Public servants such as former NSW Treasury secretary Percy Allan, who died last month, play a vital role in advancing voters’ interests behind the scenes.

  • Ross Gittins
After years of living beyond my means, my life is now dictated by a series of numbers in an Excel spreadsheet.

How I learnt to love budgeting without hating myself

Why spend $10 on public transport when I can walk home in just over two hours? Who needs Uber Eats when there is a single sweet potato for us to share?

  • Thomas Mitchell
Index image for Josh Gordon/Craig Butt income inequality analysis article.

Is Melbourne as egalitarian as we think? How your suburb compares

Melbourne’s egalitarian suburban roots are being undermined by rising income inequality and soaring house prices. How does your suburb compare?

  • Josh Gordon and Craig Butt
Advertisement
The middle class, once synonymous with stability and prosperity, is grappling with the stark reality of a shrinking existence.

Is this the end of Australia’s middle class?

Australia, once hailed as the land of opportunity, is witnessing an uncomfortable societal shift. Is that such a bad thing?

  • Victoria Devine
Former Treasurer Joe Hockey speaking at the Institute for Economic Affairs in London, Monday, October 23, 2023.

Joe Hockey says entitled politicians are a cancer on the community

The former treasurer returned to the London think tank where he gave his infamous End of the Age of Entitlement speech, to declare that the problem had worsened a decade on.

  • Latika Bourke
Everyone dreams of a surprise lottery win, but without careful planning you could end up losing it all.

Lotto win or surprise inheritance? What to do if you get a sudden windfall

Everyone dreams of waking up with a million unexpectedly in your bank account, but without careful planning you could end up losing it all.

  • Grace Bacon
Education Minister Tony Buti said this was a chance to have a fresh look at the way universities were performing.

‘Smart arse’: Budget scrutiny opens with heated exchange on education funding

Education Minister Tony Buti has retracted comments calling Nationals MLA Mia Davies a “smart arse” following discussions surrounding funding for a regional college.

  • Holly Thompson