Registration of small businesses will be streamlined as part of the government’s package for the sector, which will be a centrepiece of Tuesday’s budget.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey pose for photos as they discuss their second budget.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Joe Hockey sounded almost pleading, in his appeal after the Reserve Bank announced an interest rate cut of 0.25 of a percentage point, taking the cash rate to 2%, a new record low.
Treasurer Joe Hockey has a difficult job ahead in selling his second budget.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
A shiver might have gone down Joe Hockey’s spine when he read a report that some colleagues were angry he’d missed Monday’s meeting of cabinet’s expenditure review committee.
The Australian newspaper reported that the Federal Treasurer has refused to back down on a proposed $4 billion cut to schools and hospital funding – a move that will anger the states.
AAP Image/Lukas Coch
The government’s attempt to engage the States on one hand while whipping them with the other does not augur well for tackling growing health and education costs – or for lasting federal reform.
Dr Karl has been criticised for fronting adverts for a government report he turned out not to agree with. But despite his lapse in judgement, he hasn’t seriously breached his journalistic ethics.
Has treasurer Joe Hockey already made up his mind about the more controversial tax suggestions in the recent Re:think discussion paper?
AAP/Lukas Coch
It’s no secret that Peter Costello doesn’t give a high mark to the Abbott government, and every now and then he uses his column in News Corp papers to call it out.
University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Stephen Parker and Michelle Grattan discuss the week in politics, including why Western Australia is wild about a possible cut in its share of GST revenue.
Treasurer Joe Hockey is sympathetic to Western Australia’s GST wishes.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Of all the states, Western Australia is the one that traditionally has had the most individual and, let’s face it, bolshie, identity. When it has a grievance, the west can raise hell for a federal government of either hue.
It is hard see Joe Hockey’s claim not being marked down if he wrote it in response to a question in a first year university economics exam.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
Anyone who believes we really do need more economic reform might well despair at the inability of the government to effectively prosecute it and the business community to successfully advocate it. No wonder…
Google remains at the centre of international debates over corporate tax practices, but its power should not be underestimated.
Trey Ratcliff/Flickr
Big reforms in taxation and competition policy are on the table for the Abbott government, but has it spent too much political capital to get any of them across the line?
The Abbott government is running out of time to try to come up with new ideas and refresh its reason for being.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
When it comes to producing a comprehensive, far-reaching policy regime – a coherent vision for Australia’s society and economy and how to turn it into reality – the government is only getting started.
Treasurer Joe Hockey says fairness is in the eye of the beholder.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
In launching its national “conversation” about tax reform, the Abbott government is caught between the policy imperative of “leading” and the political requirement of “listening”.
Treasurer Joe Hockey said that Australia’s heavy reliance on income taxes ‘may be unsustainable’.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
The government’s long awaited tax discussion paper says Australia has a relatively low tax burden compared to other developed countries but its system faces “challenges from a changing world”.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey need to align their budget narrative.
Lukas Coch/AAP
The Coalition has had a substantial lift in the latest Newspoll, now trailing Labor in two-party terms 49-51% compared with 45-55% a fortnight ago. This is its best two-party result since September. The…
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has had yet another bad week.
AAP/Nikki Short
The Abbott government has followed one step forward by a couple back. After an improved performance became the media story of last week, it’s been slipping and sliding all over the place.