Opinion
Productivity
NSW Treasury kicks off the new realism: Productivity won’t be speeding up
Economists don’t know as much about what causes productivity improvement as they ought to.
- by Ross Gittins
Latest
Opinion
Jobs
What a future: Climate chaos, a life of renting and a crappy job. I’m truly sorry
The older I get, the more I worry about the nightmare we oldies are leaving for our children and grandchildren. The obvious problem is climate change, but other difficulties are everywhere you look.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Interest rates
Another rise in interest rates? We’ve probably had enough already
Whatever decision the Reserve Bank board makes about rates tomorrow – at governor Philip Lowe’s second-last meeting – the stronger case is for no increase.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Renting
Why inflation is easing while rents are rising – and will keep going
The rental market is not so much in a “crisis”, it’s more playing catch-up.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Wellbeing
Wellbeing? Measure what matters, then start fixing it
They say what gets measured gets managed, but until what we know affects what our governments do, it’s just box-ticking.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Federal budget
Beating inflation shouldn’t just be left to higher interest rates
It’s time we had another think about a decision we made in the late 1970s to shift the primary responsibility for managing the macroeconomy from fiscal policy to monetary policy.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Commonwealth Games
COVID spending makes bread and circuses too costly for Andrews
If there isn’t a political price to be paid for the Commonwealth Games about-face at the next Victorian election, it really will prove Andrews’ invincibility.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Political donations
Don’t let the political duopoly block the little guys
On the face of it, reforming the rules governing political donations sounds good. But be careful what you wish for.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Monetary policy
Bullock is the safe choice for RBA governor, but is that what we need?
In Jim Chalmers’ decision to accept an internal candidate as the Reserve Bank governor, we see what may become the ultimate judgment about the Albanese government.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Inflation
Numbers fail to add up for central bankers in inflation fight
Central bankers believe their theory gives them understanding how the economy works, but less competition has cut the power of interest rates to reduce inflation.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Robo-debt royal commission
Robo-debt: Another cynical cycle in our dirty laundry politics
Our politicians have become very adept at holding their predecessors to account. But that has not improved standards of political behaviour.
- by Ross Gittins