Carer, student, youth support payments set to grow

11 December

More than one million Australians will soon receive a hip-pocket bump as their support payments increase. From January 1, payments for young people, students, carers and others will be indexed to keep up with inflation. Jobseekers, students,...[Read More]

‘Surprise’ budget windfalls drying up, economists warn

27 November

Australia is waving goodbye to budget surpluses and returning abruptly to deficit, facing a $49 billion deterioration in the bottom line as per forecasts from leading economists. The $15.8 billion surplus logged in the last financial year to...[Read More]

Thousands wiped off student debt in pre-Christmas gift

27 November

Millions of university graduates and students will soon wake up to an early Christmas present after the government wiped thousands of dollars off their debts. Laws to cap the indexation rate for the Higher Education Loan Program at either the rate...[Read More]

Social cohesion holds despite inflation, high migration

20 November

The vast majority Australians still view multiculturalism and immigration favourably despite growing concern about the number of new arrivals. Almost half of those surveyed in the 2024 Scanlon Mapping Social Cohesion report said migration into...[Read More]

Bonus to stick with army helps Australia to stay ready

6 November

Cash bonuses for serving personnel will do little to improve retention rates, a veterans’ welfare organisation warns. The Albanese government on Tuesday announced a $600 million package to keep people in the military, while releasing the 2024...[Read More]

Stage three tax cut spending spree yet to surface

17 October

Tax cuts don’t appear to be fuelling shopping sprees, with transaction data suggesting extra take-home pay is going towards staples and paying down debt. Footy finals were the only bright spot in an otherwise glum September for spending, with...[Read More]

Few plan to spend tax returns as economy stalls

12 July

Just one in 20 Australians plan to splurge on big-ticket items when their tax returns come through, with most opting to squirrel them away or pay down debt. Amid acute cost of living pressures and a string of interest rate rises, surveying by...[Read More]