Budget 2026: The government buckles on fossil fuel tax reform
In a federal budget that sought to restore intergenerational equity, particularly through reforms to tax concessions that have long favoured Australia’s wealthiest few, the Albanese government is facing criticism for ignoring a golden opportunity to balance the scales on energy and climate.
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15 May 2026
What does Pentagon chief Hegseth’s presence in China say about Trump’s military agenda?
Donald Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping is expected to focus heavily on military communications, Taiwan, nuclear tensions and crisis management as both sides seek to avoid dangerous escalation between the world’s two largest powers.
15 May 2026
Budget 2026: Will this budget really make housing fairer for more Australians? It’s a good start
This week's budget begins winding back tax concessions that heavily favoured property investors and wealth accumulation, while pairing those changes with new measures aimed at boosting housing supply and long-term budget sustainability.
15 May 2026
As Trump visits China, Beijing is reshaping the global technology race
Donald Trump’s visit to China comes as the country's new Five-Year Plan places technological self-reliance and frontier scientific innovation at the centre of its strategy for long-term economic and geopolitical competition.
15 May 2026
Israeli attacks on Gaza surged by 35 per cent since Iran ceasefire
Conflict monitors and health officials say Israeli attacks on Gaza increased sharply after the US-Israel bombing campaign against Iran slowed, despite an ongoing ceasefire.
15 May 2026
Stubborn inflation in Indonesia could undermine trust in the government
As healthcare, education and housing costs rise sharply across Indonesia, public frustration is increasingly colliding with political rhetoric that appears disconnected from everyday economic realities.
14 May 2026
Budget 2026: Responsible, reformist – but still too cautious
This is a responsible budget that responds sensibly to inflation and weak productivity, but it stops short of the deeper tax and climate reforms needed to reshape the economy.
14 May 2026
Budget 2026: Leadership means more than keeping campaign promises – Message from the Editor
The obsession with whether governments have broken campaign promises is shrinking political ambition and discouraging the kind of leadership needed to tackle Australia’s deep structural problems, P&I Editor Catriona Jackson writes.
14 May 2026
Budget 2026: The biggest tax reform agenda in a generation
The government’s Budget reforms on negative gearing and capital gains tax will not solve the housing crisis overnight, but they represent the most ambitious attempt this century to rebalance Australia’s tax system and address intergenerational inequality.
14 May 2026
Budget 2026: It pains me to say nice things about politicians, but this is a good budget
The federal budget takes long-avoided steps to curb housing tax concessions, rein in spending growth and reduce intergenerational unfairness – despite the political risks.
14 May 2026
Budget 2026: Clean energy spending grows but gas giants still avoid reform
The federal budget increases investment in emissions reduction, batteries and clean energy infrastructure, but leaves major fossil fuel tax concessions and gas industry profits largely untouched.
14 May 2026
The war on Iran will likely end in American retreat
The US and Israel expected a rapid collapse of the Iranian regime, but the war has instead exposed the limits of American power, the rising cost of modern warfare and Iran’s capacity to impose regional consequences.
14 May 2026
Symbolic empathy is no substitute for tackling homelessness
Fundraising sleepouts may raise awareness, but homelessness is fundamentally a systems failure driven by housing shortages, inadequate support services and political inaction.
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