This Month
Sydney power restaurant hosts another Rinehart dinner
Australia’s richest resident gathered political and non-political friends at the Blue Angel.
- Mark Di Stefano
May
Raise bank levy and force AusPost deals, branch closure probe says
The government should build a new publicly owned bank to service regional towns and increase the major bank levy, a Senate inquiry has found.
- Updated
- Lucas Baird
Bank users face extra $370m in fees to keep rural branches open
The costings come as a Senate probe into the impact of branch closures on regional communities prepares to report on Friday.
- Updated
- Lucas Baird
April
D’Ambrosio gas claim debunked after outburst against Labor’s King
In another Victorian clash over gas with the Albanese government, Lily D’Ambrosio accused Madeleine King of behaving like “a Coalition minister”.
- Jacob Greber and Gus McCubbing
February
PM says Aussie nickel will prevail, Nats demand climate policy relief
Anthony Albanese says Australian nickel miners will ultimately have a competitive advantage over environmentally-unfriendly Indonesian competitors.
- Phillip Coorey, Tom Rabe and Brad Thompson
October 2023
Qantas moons the Senate
The airline considers itself an arm of government when it wants protectionist policy settings but a private company when any transparency is required of it.
- Joe Aston
September 2023
Fire at Genex Power battery project in Qld a ‘rare occurrence’
Genex Power chief executive Craig Francis says too early to tell cause of fire at 50-megawatt Bouldercombe battery project near Rockhampton.
- Updated
- Mark Ludlow
Bankers battle against regional branch mandate
Commonwealth Bank boss Matt Comyn said it was unsustainable to invest in the regional network as the use of physical cash declined.
- Lucas Baird and James Eyers
August 2023
- Analysis
- Commonwealth Games
PwC scandal casts secrecy shadow over Commonwealth Games inquiry
Witnesses before an inquiry into Victoria cancelling the Commonwealth Games were quick to explain why they had to remain silent.
- Patrick Durkin
EY stands by Games advice, refuses to say how much it was paid
EY consultants have told a federal inquiry they stand by the work that put the cost of the 2026 Commonwealth Games at $2.6 billion, before the Andrews government cancelled the event citing a cost blowout up to $7 billion.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
Clock ticking on carbon ‘tariff’ battle, say vulnerable manufacturers
A government review of the safeguard mechanism carbon reduction targets is due in 2026-27, which could hasten action.
- Jacob Greber
Farmers can’t afford net zero, says Rinehart
Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, said governments should help the agriculture sector with the cost of electrifying all their farm equipment.
- Mark Ludlow
Andrews should explain his ‘casual disregard’ over Games
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is under growing pressure to give evidence to two parliamentary inquiries into the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games.
- Gus McCubbing
July 2023
- Opinion
- Productivity Commission
New productivity boss’ gilded life as a Labor econocrat
Chris Barrett’s elevation as the new chairman of the government’s key economic think tank, the Productivity Commission, follows decades of politically aided progress.
- Aaron Patrick
January 2023
The Coalition climate warriors hold fire
Peter Dutton and other prominent conservatives seemed to have declared a truce over climate policy after their disastrous election performance.
- Aaron Patrick
July 2022
Amanda Stoker’s wild imagination
Post-parliamentary careers are often a thing of wonder given the general lack of discernible skills human beings need to operate in civil society.
- Michael Roddan
June 2022
- Opinion
- Rear Window
Vapers’ facelift: new pitch, same sponsors
Six weeks into a new government and the tobacco and vaping lobby has a new plan – which looks a lot like all of its old plans.
- Neil Chenoweth
Unmasking Glencore’s Swiss coal profits
John Canavan’s legal war turns focus on the Swiss miner’s staggeringly profitable Baar marketing arm.
- Neil Chenoweth
Canavan’s back story with Glencore
It’s hard to express total support for a company trying to extract $13 million from your younger brother. But Matt managed it.
- Neil Chenoweth
May 2022
Canavan hardens climate stance despite Liberal drubbing
Renegade Nationals senator Matt Canavan has hardened his stance against net zero emissions by 2050.
- Phillip Coorey
