Michael Keating

Previously Part 1 of this article assessed the impact on living standards from surging prices relative to wage growth, and rising interest rates. Yesterday, Part 2 considered what the new Labor Government can do to lift the rate of wage growth relative to prices. Today, Part 3 discusses how best to respond to the two principal drivers of the increased cost of living – fuel and energy costs and housing costs. (more…)

Yesterday Part 1 of this article assessed the impact on living standards from surging prices relative to wage growth, and rising interest rates. Today, Part 2 will consider what the new Labor Government can do to lift the rate of wage growth relative to prices, and tomorrow Part 3 will consider how best to respond to the two principal drivers of the increased cost of living – fuel and energy costs and housing costs. (more…)

A critical challenge facing the new Labor Government is its response to the upsurge in inflation and the threat to living standards. In Part 1 today this article discusses the dimensions of this challenge. Parts 2 and 3, tomorrow and the next day, will consider possible government responses. (more…)

As the Treasury Secretary, Steven Kennedy, made clear last week the future Budget outlook is exceptionally difficult. He noted the “pressures to raise more revenue over time” and saw no scope to lower taxes in future. (more…)

Australia has a problem of housing affordability, but it is mainly concentrated among the poorest young families. Labor’s housing policies are better directed to improving their equality of access, but neither of the major political parties’ policies are adequate to the task. (more…)

Proposals for policy reforms in this country are most often hamstrung by the lack of government revenue required to implement them. Unless this impediment is overcome, many very worthwhile proposals for reform will continue to be ignored. (more…)

There is a legislated process prescribing how government grants should be administered, but it clearly is not being followed and  we need an integrity commission to enforce it. (more…)

The key purpose of a government’s budget is to propose the spending on essential government services and how that spending will be financed. Judged by this standard, the latest Budget is completely inadequate and belies the claims of the Morrison Government to be competent economic managers. (more…)

The huge increase in dwelling prices was made possible by ultra-low interest rates. Now the prospective rise in interest rates is likely to have a much bigger impact on many borrowers future living standards than previously experienced, and the demand for rental accommodation is also likely to increase faster than in the past. (more…)

In the absence of Commonwealth leadership, our federation is not working well. That comes at a cost to good government, and is impeding service delivery and any future reform agenda. (more…)

The Grattan Institute’s proposed policy priorities deserve wide support. However, how to pay for them is not adequately addressed, and their implementation would require the incoming government to raise additional revenue. (more…)

It is to be feared that the forthcoming budget will be a mixture of spending bribes and unsustainable tax cuts. This is not what is needed to restore economic stability and the provision of essential government services. (more…)

Advances in technology have resulted in employment and wage dislocations that are polarising society and undermining trust in political institutions. (more…)

The Prime Minister and his department’s evasion of Freedom of Information regarding the minutes of the national cabinet should disturb all Australians. (more…)