Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Far from being “rampant” inflation was tame in the first two months of this year. We know this because of big changes in the way the bureau prepares its data.
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
The best measure of living standards – real household disposable income per capita – has been going backwards for two years. It’s the biggest dive in living standards in half a century.
The Bureau of Statistics is considering scaling back the scope of Australia’s time-use survey in a way that will make it difficult to tell how much time we spend caring for children.
Six charts explain the Australian economy. Three of the most disturbing show living standards going backwards, productivity collapsing and household saving falling to a 15-year low.
In a speech to be delivered in Darwin, Chalmers says the government had been deliberate in its estimate in the budget. Now, “We’re in a significantly better position than we forecast.”
The new Personal Safety Survey shows eight million Australians have experienced some form of violence since the age of 15, but women are far more likely to be victims than men.
After separation, mothers who experienced domestic violence on average suffered a drop in income of 34%, compared with a 20% decrease for mothers who didn’t experience domestic violence.
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
India is now the third-largest birthplace of Australian residents behind Australia and England, while for the first time less than half of the population has identified as Christian.
Universal schemes aimed at classifying populations by ‘race’ or ‘ethnicity’ can force us into a game of competing for better positions within a racial hierarchy.
The concept of unemployment and an unemployment rate is fairly new, dating back to the end of the second world war. It’s increasingly unfit for purpose.
The share of the population in work has hit an all-time high as the share of the workforce underemployed has hit a 14-year low. The fresh low in unemployment will bring higher interest rates, and perhaps higher wages.
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Why raise rates now, for the first time in more than a decade? If the Reserve Bank isn’t careful, too many more rate hikes like this might help bring on a recession.