Hi all, A quick note to offer guidance on the new website. As well as the layout changes that make it easier to access content for new readers, it comes with a dramatically improved sign-up and resubscription process, greatly enhanced speed, and a much better mobile experience (since 95% of traffic is now phone!). The
At the last federal election, the Coalition faced its most devastating defeat ever, reduced to a shadow of its former self with a record low 43 lower house seats. Since then things have got worse, much worse. According to a recent analysis of the current crop of polling by Mark the Graph, the Coalition has
FIFA has long been known to be one of the most corrupt bodies in world sport. Put it together, and you have a clear picture of corruption. First, there was the farce of the peace prize. Next up, we’re all subjected to quarter-time breaks in air-conditioned stadiums for extra ads from which Donald Trump gets
ANZUS is dead. We need an entirely new continental defence strategy. The launch of a nuclear-capable long-range missile from a Chinese submarine in the South Pacific with just hours of notice has angered Australia and New Zealand, who labelled the test destabilising and concerning. The firing of the ballistic missile, fitted with a dummy warhead,
When Liberal Party founder Robert Menzies forged the Liberal Party during the Second World War, he placed a heavy emphasis on home ownership and a stake in society. At the time Menzies did a series of radio addresses to the Australian public, one of which ‘The Forgotten People’ would become legendary. In them he would
Bloxo only pops up occasionally these days, but he’s up and about today. HSBC has issued a warning that Australia’s housing market is about to enter a more widespread decline. Declining home prices predicted to extend beyond Sydney and Melbourne to other major cities. According to chief economist Paul Bloxham, recent price drops are simply
As part of the campaign strategy for the 1992 U.S Presidential Election, political consultant James Carville came up with a slogan that first defined the internal focus of the Clinton and later the broader public campaign for the presidency. “It’s the economy, stupid” Carville concluded that the focus of the American people was on the
Cotality with the great news. The combined capitals preliminary clearance rate found a floor over the past three weeks, holding in the high 40% range. Last week’s early result increased slightly to 49.8%, up from 49.2% the previous week, but remained below 50% for the third week in a row. Across the combined capital cities,
In the weeks since the Albanese government’s latest federal budget was unveiled, there has been a growing chorus of criticism over the government’s changes to the tax system. While some economists and commentators have welcomed the changes to the tax system as they relate to investment in existing property, as Leith covered here at Macrobusiness
If you needed any more elegant proof that the world has changed since Iran, look no further than this: China is poised to fire a nuclear-capable missile with a dummy warhead in the South Pacific in the next 24 hours, according to briefings by Chinese embassies to regional governments on Monday Foreign Minister Penny Wong was
Or, at least, out of fashion. TME. The outcasts that nobody wants Markets have an uncanny habit of punishing consensus. While investors continue chasing yesterday’s winners, positioning data reveal a surprisingly long list of sectors sitting near multi-year lows in ownership. These aren’t necessarily buys—but they’re where the fuel for future reversals may be building.
Hilariously, as a cold snap spikes East Coast gas prices and the Iran war delivers windfall profits, the gas industry has ramped its whinging to 100%. They’ve rolled out good ‘ol industry patsy Wood Mackenzie: Labor’s proposed domestic gas reservation scheme would flood Australia’s east coast market with excess gas supply in the short-term before
In June, the British government proposed mandatory changes on how content is discovered on YouTube and other online video platforms, which would give government unprecedented influence over what content makes it to the screens of viewers. Under the proposed plans there would be a “prominence regime” which could require platforms such as YouTube to give
According to Primara Research, I have never heard of the latest ABS Business Conditions data for June 2026 indicates that 1 in 7 Australian firms are now boosting prices in reaction to gasoline costs, up from 11% to 15%, 36% more enterprises than last month. It’s mining, construction, wholesale, transport: these are the input expenses
The ferrous complex is trying to hold $100. It may succeed for a few months with the aid of seasonal tailwinds. Iron ore inventory edged down on the week. Steel inventory jumped and is well above last year’s. MySteel indexes are adjusting down to CISA measures. Prospects for demand remain dim. Property is kaput. Policy
The AFR devoted a lengthy and laborious investigation to One Nation’s funding over the weekend. Perhaps part of the disbelief rumbling through Canberra stems from the knowledge that small-dollar, direct-to-voter fundraising like this isn’t how Australian political parties make their bread in 2026. When asked by AFR Weekend, the Labor Party declined to say how
In recent times the issue of migration has been catapulted to the forefront, with each of the now three major powers in Australian federal politics (as measured by primary vote) pledging further cuts to the intake which currently stands at 301,000. The Albanese government has effectively pledged a strategy of steady as she goes with
In the weeks since the Albanese government delivered it’s latest federal budget, whatever pretense of a free market that existed surrounding the issue of housing prices has been gradually evaporating. Where once there were claims that the impact of negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount were minimal, and that Australian housing was a
Elioth Gruner Frosty sunrise 1917 Art Gallery of New South Wales Gift of Howard Hinton 1927 Somewhere near here Albanese and Chalmers see reform and risk-taking as an antidote to populism – ABC Are the wheels falling off the AI investment boom? – ABC Predicted $27bn wartime windfall for Australian LNG exporters
OK, so where Korea goes, goes AI. TME with more. Memory Cracks The technical deterioration across the AI memory complex is becoming difficult to dismiss as stock-specific. From SK Hynix and SanDisk to Micron, Kioxia and Samsung, momentum is fading at the same time, with several leaders breaking key trendlines and short-term support. Whether this
DXY is holding resistance turned support. AUD was aided by JPY intervention. Oil and gold parted ways, suggesting the Warsh test is peaking. Base metals are oscillating. Mining charts remain hideous EM stocks are hanging in, casting doubt over the DXY rally. Junk is serene. The Treasury curve is still bear flattening as the Warsh
After a few good days and some more missiles, the Strait of Hormuz remains open. MS fro two days ago. Yesterday we saw 7 vessels exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Data from last weekend got revised upwards from a rate of 3 vessels per day to ~7-8 units/day. Inbound vessels are also trending at ~8-9
When it comes to gaslighting HQ, look no further than today’s rubbish. A comparison by the $384 million Amplitude using publicly available data seeks to dispel some of the myths of the “manufacturing versus big gas” rhetoric, and make the case why forcing producers to cross-subsidise the manufacturing industry is not a solution to the
As the path for housing price growth continues to deteriorate, with more cities slowly joining Melbourne and Sydney in the falling housing prices club, concerns are building on the potential impact on the economy. In the latest RBA Board Minutes they noted: “Conditions in the established housing market had softened and housing credit growth looked
I have now done my best to describe the extraordinary policy failures that have done nothing to improve VIC frontline services, with record suicide rates. The failure of the Rosy Batty panopticon: MARAM has replaced frontline workers’ judgement with a centralised information-sharing system. The failure of AHPRA regulation to hold medical bad actors to account. The use
Earlier this year, RedBridge asked voters if they agreed or disagreed with a vitally important question. “Almost anything is better than the way things are now, I just want to vote for change”. Across every single demographic breakdown except voting intention, there was net support for this perspective. Generation Gender Location Education Home ownership
