Results from a new national survey show Australians feel worse about many things than they did during COVID. Now governments need to use these data to do better.
- Honorary Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Melbourne
The way we deal with rising inflation is highly problematic.
If we want to avoid becoming a nation where the great divide is between those who own property and those who never will, we should jump at the chance for reform.
A new economic update shows it’s more important than ever to think carefully about what progress means.
Newspaper reports notwithstanding, Australia’s Measuring What Matters framework is going from strength to strength, becoming deeper embedded in government decision-making.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants to make the national wellbeing framework part of how governments make decisions, as others like Wales have done. But international experience suggests it won’t be easy.
The Albanese government’s first budget contains many measures that may contribute to wellbeing, but that’s not the same as being a wellbeing budget.
Australia’s treasury helped inspire NZ and other governments to adopt well-being budgets – now, years later, we look set to get one too. So what are the challenges ahead?
Economists have provided guidelines for what to do. The pandemic has expanded what’s possible.
Rarely do we think about what super is for, and even more rarely do we think about whether it is capable of achieving those aims.
Our tax system helped create Palmer.
Paying wages directly would be an Australian first, and far from ideal.
History suggests we can run sizable budget deficits while shrinking the budget debt burden. Mid last century our leaders weren’t afraid to say so.
The federal government could restore its commitment to creating full employment in Australia, using its spending power to make up for any shortfall in private jobs as it did during the post-war boom.
The institutions that once allowed us to pull ahead may soon be the reason we fall behind.
Analysis tweets from the debate between Treasurer Scott Morrison and Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen at the National Press Club
Just what does the government think you will do with the changes to tax, extra money or cuts in the federal budget?
The 1990s obsession with the current account looks silly with hindsight, perhaps akin to our current one with fiscal deficits and surpluses.
Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer told the ABC that “average income earners largely are the people who do get to take advantage of negative gearing.” Is that a fact?
Real estate is favourably taxed in Australia, and it will continue to bite the housing market unless there is serious reform.
The impact of 2015 budget measures delivered by the government pale into insignificance when compared with the external factors hurting the budget bottom line.
“Well, Jon, the Government’s about to bring in a 1.5% corporate, or company, tax cut from the 1st of July. That’s something that obviously we support, because (the) corporate tax rate at 30% is not competitive…
Tax is back in the spotlight with coalition MPs and the Australia Institute talking about getting rid of some of the exemptions to the GST. There has also been a lot of talk about whether or not corporate…
Treasurer Joe Hockey is experiencing difficult times. Deteriorating terms of trade and an uncooperative senate mean that he cannot deliver the surplus when he said he would and he cannot continue to cut…
Nietzsche’s much quoted line “God is dead” was not, as it is often presented, a statement of triumphant atheism but was a warning and a call to action. We had killed God with rationalism and science. With…
Contact Warwick for
- General
- Media request
- Speaking request
- Consulting / Advising
- Research collaboration
- Research supervision
- Location: Castlemaine, Victoria
- Website
- BlueSky: @warwicksmith.bsky.social
- LinkedIn: wjssmith
- X (formerly Twitter): @RecoEco
- Article Feed
- Joined
