Labor’s foreign policy no longer matches the world it faces
In the second on our Rethinking Foreign Policy series Kym Davey says Labor’s foreign policy platform is out of step with current realities – clinging to US alliance settings while ignoring its own commitment to self-reliance and the opportunities of the Asia-Pacific.
Recent articles in Economy
21 April 2026
Why has populism's influence increased politically
Claims that rising inequality is driving populism overlook the evidence – stagnant wages and falling living standards are the more likely cause.
20 April 2026
Women are reshaping the workforce – but power hasn’t followed
Women are increasingly dominant across education and the workforce, but leadership, workplace structures and social attitudes have failed to keep pace.
18 April 2026
Another interest rate rise will tip Australia into a recession we don’t have to have
A sharp fall in confidence and rising fuel prices point to a potential downturn, but traditional policy responses risk making the situation worse.
16 April 2026
‘A very dark picture’: IMF warns Trump’s Iran war could unleash global recession
The war on Iran is disrupting energy supplies, fuelling inflation and raising the risk of a global downturn, with the poorest countries set to suffer most.
15 April 2026
Stagflation risk puts tax reform back on the table
This budget will be especially challenging. Given the risks of stagflation, fiscal policy needs to be tightened. But in a cost-of-living crisis the main burden should fall on those who are relatively well off and that requires tax reform.
15 April 2026
By avoiding means testing, the government is giving handouts to the rich
Australia’s highly targeted tax and transfer system is being eroded by a shift toward universal benefits – redirecting support away from those who need it most.
14 April 2026
A costly rewrite of R&D – with no price tag
Proposed changes to Australia’s R&D tax system would expand eligibility beyond genuine research, concentrate benefits among a narrow group of firms, and proceed without clear costings.
13 April 2026
When the world changes, economic policy must too
A new geopolitical shock is exposing the limits of economic orthodoxy, echoing past crises where sticking to old rules only deepened the damage.
11 April 2026
Cost of living? We should be more concerned about something else
While cost-of-living pressures dominate headlines, deeper shifts are reshaping Australian politics – with Labor consolidating the centre and the Coalition struggling to respond.
11 April 2026
Australia is giving away billions in gas profits
Australia’s failure to properly tax gas exports is costing billions in public revenue, even as other countries capture windfall profits for national benefit.
9 April 2026
Unwinding the capital gains tax folly
Tax concessions on property and capital gains have driven housing inequality and distorted the market, and fixing them requires structural reform – not Budget tinkering.
8 April 2026
When will housing completions in Australia overtake population growth?
Australia’s housing pressures reflect years of mismatched policy – with falling supply colliding with surging migration and labour market shocks.
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