South Africa’s National Treasury now proposes to reduce salaries. On the face of it this seems sensible. But the fundamental issue is the structure of the public service.
A textbook conundrum: stoke an economy or pay down debt?
Alan Porritt/AAP
It’s economics 101: to pay down debt, you must restrict spending or raise taxes. To stoke an economy, you’ve got to do the opposite. So which way will this government go?
Queensland’s debt: is it sky high, or under control? An economist shows what you need to know to judge for yourself.
AAP/Dan Peled
How much debt is Queensland really in? How much of that debt can past Labor governments bear responsibility for, and has the current Liberal National government cut or added to it? And how does Queensland’s…
Austerity advocates, including the UK’s George Osborne, have used previous research to justify focusing on debt reduction, but a new paper says medium and long-term growth isn’t necessarily impacted.
EPA/Stefan Rousseau
High levels of government debt won’t hurt economic growth in the medium and long-term, according to a new paper released by the International Monetary Fund. The research findings contradict earlier arguments…
Australia’s debt level is currently pegged at A$300 billion, but should the debt belt be tightened or dropped altogether?
John Pryke/AAP
The Australian Parliament is deadlocked on a bid by the government to increase the debt ceiling from A$300 billion to A$500 billion. The Greens have flagged a willingness to drop the ceiling entirely…
Servicing the current level of public gross debt is not a problem for Australia.
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There continues to be a great debate around Australia’s fiscal position. Yet, budget deficits are, in fact, a natural outcome of the business cycle. In a policy brief, co-authored by myself and colleagues…
How does Australia’s economy stack up when compared globally?
“We have among the lowest of budget deficits and debt to GDP of any other major economies in the developed world… If it’s so bad, Mr Abbott, why have we been given by the three ratings agencies a AAA credit…
What is the “optimal” level of public debt? Persistent deficits do not automatically lead to a situation where the government resembles a household under mortgage stress.
The debate about long-term public finance and the role of government is one that is most definitely needed. However, there are two aspects to this debate that are often conflated. First, there is the issue…
While the blame game for the deficit continues, the economy remains vulnerable to future turbulence.
AAP/ Alan Porritt
Labor has said all options are on the table to address Australia’s structural deficit and falling tax revenues, following disclosure this week of a $12 billion revenue shortfall, just weeks from the federal…
While the Coalition has criticised Australia’s public debt levels, it is the country’s private debt that is the big issue.
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Liberal MP Andrew Robb has criticised the rise in public debt under the current Gillard government in a recent ABC radio interview. During the interview, Robb claimed growth in public debt was excessive…