Richard Holden Feed

Richard Holden

the cover of the 2022 budget papers

Josh Frydenberg's budget is an extraordinary turnaround - but leaves a $40 billion problem

30 Mar 2022

The 2022-23 budget is the result of a good plan, well executed. But whichever party next takes government must close the deficit gap – without resorting to austerity.

A hooded figure holds up a placard with "nice day for a revolution" during a protest

Vital Signs: what the neoliberalism-hating left should love about markets

11 Mar 2022

It’s time for a new brand of democratic liberalism that understands and harnesses power of markets for social and economic good.

A hairdresser blowdries the hair of a woman wearing a surgical mask in a hairdressing salon

Vital Signs: Australia's hairdressing-led economic recovery can't last

04 Mar 2022

Australia’s GDP was up 3.4 per cent last quarter of 2021, on the back of pent-up consumer spending. Other factors must drive future growth.

A calculator lies atop a five, 10, 20 and 50 dollar notes in Australian currency

Vital Signs: stealth tax rises are eating into your income – but we know the solution

25 Feb 2022

Adjusting tax brackets in line with inflation would ensure voters who wanted more government spending would also have to vote for more tax.

A female worker in a manufacturing plant with a graph superimposed

Vital Signs: Unemployment steady but needs to lower to lift wages

18 Feb 2022

A tighter labour market than in the past is now needed to drive real wages growth.

Tables and chairs stacked and wrapped in plastic outdoors

Vital Signs: small businesses need help through shadow lockdowns

11 Feb 2022

For many small businesses the past month has been the most difficult period of the pandemic. Australia needs a better plan to help more survive.

A hand is poised to add the final piece to a set of blocks resembling a house

What’s wrong with Australian mortgages? They’re fixed for shareholders, not home owners

04 Feb 2022

There’s no reason why Australian lenders couldn’t offer 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, as they do in the US.

Smoke hovers around an athletic starter's gun that has just been fired

Vital Signs: it’s too early for the RBA to pull the trigger on interest rates

28 Jan 2022

The case for the RBA increasing interest rates certainly exists. But it’s far less pressing than in the United States.

group of people playing bingo

Vital Signs: disclosure please, we shouldn't be playing bingo with COVID statistics

21 Jan 2022

Governments should tell us everything they know about infections, hospitalisations and deaths. So why aren’t they?

Person's hands dropping sample onto Rapid Antigen Test

The 3 problems with fines for not reporting positive COVID tests

14 Jan 2022

The NSW government’s announcement of a $1000 fine for failing to report a positive voluntary rapid antigen test will likely achieve the opposite of its intention.

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