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.
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The ABS is exploring whether and how to ask questions on gender, sexual orientation, and variations of sex characteristics.
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.
The Reserve Bank’s statement indicates there aren’t too many rate rises left. History suggests those hikes could come to an end by early spring.
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.
Australia’s economy grew unusually strongly in the year to June, when interest rate increases were yet to bite.
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.
New figures show economic growth edged closer back towards normal in the months to March, but the gains went to profits rather than wages.
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.
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.
Inflation is well outside the Reserve Bank’s target band and higher than it has been for two decades.
Of the news on prices, wages, interest rates and unemployment, only the unemployment update looks set to be positive for the Coalition.
You might be surprised to know that many unemployed Australians are not on unemployment benefits. And then came COVID – which saw a big shift in how many people were able and willing to claim.
Away from the states bouncing out of lockdown, spending growth was weak. The next figures, to be released after the election, might show the economy turning down.
Looking beyond the latest quarterly GDP figures, the truth is we’re getting better off more slowly than before.
When low-wage workers lose jobs the average wage goes up. There’s a better measure, but we’re not using it.
Despite the ABS itself saying that collecting data on LGBTIQ+ communities is of ‘national importance’, these questions have been left off the census again — for no good reason.
Top contributors
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Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
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Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra
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Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
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Professorial Fellow and Deputy Director (Research), HILDA Survey, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Economics, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Economics, UNSW Sydney
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Peter Whiteford is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
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Visiting Senior Fellow in History, UNSW Sydney
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Professor of Economics, University of Canberra
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Professor of Economics and Public Policy, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University
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Emeritus Professor, Department of Political Economy, University of Sydney
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Adjunct professor, Flinders University
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Associate Professor, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, Curtin University
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Associate Professor, Centre for Social Research and Methods, Director, Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), Australian National University
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Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
