The best and worst ways to live alongside your neighbours

16 July

A good home is about more than the building, the backyard or the location. The people living around you can have a major influence on how comfortable, secure and enjoyable your neighbourhood feels.   When neighbours communicate, show consideration...[Read More]

Trump threatens to shoot down signs of economic rebound

16 July

Just as businesses and consumers were beginning to grow more confident, a return to arms in the Middle East risks sending sentiment back to the doldrums. Business confidence climbed nine points in June, despite warnings the federal budget would...[Read More]

How first-time homebuyers can save $8,500 in taxes

16 July

First-time homebuyers are missing out on thousands of dollars by not using a little-known scheme that helps save them money for the deposit. The First Home Super Saver Scheme lets them take advantage of their superannuation account’s favourable...[Read More]

Energy rollercoaster: Australian bills to fall and rise

16 July

Solar panels, wind farms and cheaper batteries will help to cut Australian electricity bills in the coming years, even as the artificial intelligence boom pushes up the price of gas technology. But energy prices will rise after 2030, a study has...[Read More]

How to save money around the home amidst the rising interest rates

9 July

With interest rates rising almost everywhere, including Australia, people have begun tightening their purse strings as best they can.   However, decreasing spending to ensure your expenses match your reduced budget could mean barely any savings or...[Read More]

Inflation-fuelling supply shocks under RBA microscope

9 July

Expect to hear more from the Reserve Bank as it grapples with how to navigate a world punctuated by more frequent supply shocks due to heightened geopolitical tensions and climate change. With shocks like the Middle East oil crisis and Donald...[Read More]

Family affair: investor tax changes spawn new tactics

9 July

A 1950s red brick walk-up in southwest Brisbane is a window into how the federal budget is reshaping the property market. Marketed as “the ultimate set-up for multi-generational living”, the three-unit apartment block in Oxley has bucked the...[Read More]

Longest stretch of weak growth since 1990s forecast

9 July

Australia’s economy is set to grow below two per cent for the longest period since the early 1990s, exposing a malaise long masked by population growth, a report has warned. Rarely has the economics advisory group adopted such a downbeat...[Read More]

Weak housing market could imperil Australia’s economy

2 July

The Reserve Bank is worried Australia’s economy could be weakened by a housing market slowdown accelerated by the federal budget, a readout of its last interest rates meeting shows. The central bank’s monetary policy board voted unanimously to...[Read More]

Freefall: home prices notch biggest drop in years

2 July

Home prices have recorded the biggest monthly fall in almost four years as tax changes accelerate Australia’s housing downturn. Sydney’s median home price fell 1.2 per cent to $1,265,608 in June, leading a nationwide decline of 0.4 per cent,...[Read More]

Treasurer responds after budget attack by ex-RBA head

1 July

The treasurer has hit back at attacks to budget tax changes from a former Reserve Bank governor after the contentious laws passed parliament. Ex-RBA governor Philip Lowe said changes limiting negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount would...[Read More]

Pledge to fix ‘widow’s tax’ on investment properties

1 July

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has promised to fix laws imposing a so-called “widow’s tax” on investment properties, without providing details on how he will close the loophole. The issue, which relates to investors with jointly owned properties...[Read More]

Inflation lying in wait to strike another rate blow

25 June

Australia’s inflation pulse is strengthening despite easing prices at the fuel bowser, potentially adding to the case for another interest rate hike. A mixed consumer price report, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday, was...[Read More]

Your home: 7 ways to increase its value and enjoy it more

18 June

Your home is more than bricks, mortar, paint and flooring. It is the place where life happens. It is where families gather, memories are made, visitors are welcomed, and everyday routines unfold. For many people, their home is also one of their...[Read More]

RBA keeps rates on hold but leaves door open to hikes

18 June

Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock has not ruled out hiking interest rates again if inflation keeps rising, after the bank left rates on hold for the first time in 2026. Following three consecutive rate rises, the central bank’s monetary policy...[Read More]