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MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 12:00
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The Albanese government’s 5% deposit scheme has encouraged many Australian first-home buyers to enter the market. Introduced in October 2025, the First Home Buyer Guarantee program allows eligible buyers to purchase a home with a 5% deposit, with the federal government guaranteeing the remaining 15%. This means buyers avoid paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI), which The post First home buyers are in the RBA’s sights appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 11:30
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As the full scope of the decline of the Coalition continues to become apparent, elements of the Labor base are revelling in the ongoing political demolition of their longtime rivals. According to the latest polling from RedBridge, the Coalition is polling just 19% for their primary vote, compared with 26% for One Nation. While it’s The post Anthony Albanese shouldn’t throw stones appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
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MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 11:30
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The ferrous jaws are closing, though we still need a price nearer to $90 for iron ore for steel enterprises to make sense. With a mild cyclone season so far, price pressure is likely to continue into CNY, which runs from February 16 to February 22. Typically, there is some kind of bounce afterwards before The post Green steel abandons Australia appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 11:00
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The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has slashed the official cash rate (OCR) by half (2.25%) since mid-2024: These rate cuts by the Reserve Bank have reduced mortgage borrowing costs dramatically, as illustrated below by Justin Fabo from Antipodean Macro: Normally, such a sharp reduction in interest rates would stimulate activity, leading to a rebound The post Reserve Bank grapples with surging unemployment appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
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Renew Economy
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 10:54
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The post Coal’s hidden campaign: The shocking spend on astroturfing in the 2025 Australian election appeared first on Renew Economy. |
Your Democracy
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 10:43
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The World Economic Forum claims to represent global cooperation, but its structure, silences and hierarchies tell a different story about who sets the agenda – and who is expected to listen.
Davos and the myth of a global conversation
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MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 10:30
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One of the worst fads of the energy transition has been the push from various state authorities to get households off gas and onto electricity. Tony Wood at the corrupt Grattan Institute began it. Various gullible and noxious pollies, especially in VIC, embraced it as a great distraction from Wood’s former employer and Grattan sponsor, The post Grattan delivers energy billpocalypse appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 10:00
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Victorians have experienced acute Stockholm Syndrome with respect to the state Labor government. Victoria’s nine-month lockdown during the Covid-19 outbreak was among the longest and most severe in the world. The state government’s incompetence in handling hotel quarantine and enforcement contributed to this situation. Victoria’s infrastructure projects have experienced massive cost overruns, and the government |
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MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 09:30
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DXY isn’t going away as Trump cancelled a Friday meeting with Tehran. Australian dollar fell but remains strong. CNY is supportive. JPY is about to become a problem again. Gold trying. Iranian oil lift. AI metals are in free fall. Miners don’t care. Jim Cramer is now recommending RIO. Look out below. EM toppy. Junk The post Australian dollar takes a holiday to Europe appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
Your Democracy
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 09:25
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Australia’s migration law allows entry to be refused on character grounds including genocide, war crimes and incitement. How that discretion is exercised speaks directly to Australia’s commitment to international law.
Allegations, immunity, and a test of character
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MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 09:00
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Another uneasy night on risk markets with concerns mounting over the Iranian situation as talks collapse while Wall Street took another tumble on tech stock volatility. The USD came back against some of the majors, particularly Yen while a fall in commodities like copper and gold saw the Australian dollar lose ground to revert below The post Macro Morning appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 08:00
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Following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) decision to lift the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 bps on Tuesday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers was quick to place the blame on the private sector, rather than his own government’s policies. “The Board’s statement today does not mention government spending. It makes it very clear the pressure The post Treasurer Chalmers wrongly blames private sector for inflation appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
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Renew Economy
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 06:31
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The post A grid with no smokestacks: Octopus snaps up biggest battery project and solar hybrid in push to replace coal appeared first on Renew Economy. |
MacroBusiness
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 00:05
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Over the past several years, Australia’s real inflation-adjusted wages have experienced their largest decline in modern history. Between the June quarter of 2020 and the March quarter of 2023, Australian real wages declined by 7.4%, returning to levels not seen since the March quarter of 2009. Real wages have recovered somewhat since, rising by 1.1% The post Australian real wages won’t recover appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
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Renew Economy
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 00:01
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The post NSW awards contracts to six huge 8-hour battery projects, including the biggest in Australia appeared first on Renew Economy. |
Renew Economy
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 21:19
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The post Federal parliament launches inquiry into solar panel reuse and recycling appeared first on Renew Economy. |
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Your Democracy
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 19:56
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Germany is moving to deepen ties with Italy as tensions rise with France over EU trade policy, Emmanuel Macron’s looming exit, and relations with US President Donald Trump, The Telegraph reported on Monday, citing diplomats from the bloc. France and Germany have long been the “engine” of EU policymaking, but the outlet described Macron as a “lame duck” whose mandate ends in 2027. |
Core Econ
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 18:28
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Material Handling Equipment in Various Industries Material handling equipment plays a crucial role across diverse industries by enhancing efficiency, safety, and productivity. It simplifies the movement, protection, and storage of materials throughout processes. By streamlining operations, reducing physical strain on workers, and minimising operational delays, material handling equipment significantly contributes to overall organisational success and cost-effectiveness. Efficiency in Material Handling |
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John Quiggin
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 17:56
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One of the strangest features of the Australian political system over the last 80 years or so has been the permanent coalition between the Liberal and National (formerly Country) parties. It sometimes puzzles foreigners – I remember an American observer saying that the prevalence of coalition governments here was an indicator or political instability. And it takes different forms in different places. At the national level, until two weeks ago, there was a standing coalition agreement even when in opposition (this dates back to the 1970s, I think). |
John Quiggin
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 17:54
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Back in March 2023, the Nine Papers ran a series of articles, entitled Red Alert, based on the claim of an “expert panel” that we should be ready to fight a war with China, within three years. With only a few weeks to go before the third anniversary of the series, the prediction is not looking good. Not only has there been no war, but relations between Australia and China are friendlier than they have been for years, going back at least as far as Turnbull’s prime ministership. |
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MacroBusiness
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 17:00
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Asian share markets are in mixed mood after the poor showing on Wall Street overnight although some risk taking is occuring across other markets with Yen weakening while the Kiwi lifted despite a poor unemployment print. The Australian dollar is still lifting above the 70 cent level on the long expected RBA rate yesterday. Brent The post Macro Afternoon appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
Your Democracy
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 16:55
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It’s hard to know where Armageddon is going to come from… CERTAINLY NOT FROM GOD… God, in whatever format we pray to, would have long abandoned this planet of imbeciles, if he ever existed… |
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The Tally Room
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 16:19
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A by-election will be held soon in the Victorian state seat of Nepean, covering the Mornington Peninsula to the south-east of Melbourne. Nepean has been held since 2022 by Sam Groth. Groth had announced plans to retire at the general election late last year, and stepped down from the deputy leadership last week. Groth held Nepean by a 6.4% margin in 2022. It seems unlikely that Labor will contest this seat, although it will be interesting to see how One Nation performs, if they choose to stand. |
Renew Economy
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 15:05
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The post Balcony solar is powering apartments from Berlin to Barcelona. So why not in Australia? appeared first on Renew Economy. |
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Renew Economy
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 14:01
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The post “Appetite for risk:” Net Zero Fund to offer super-cheap loans for industrial decarbonisation appeared first on Renew Economy. |
MacroBusiness
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 13:30
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29 of the 31 provinces on the Chinese mainland have released growth targets for 2026. Nineteen of the 29 provinces reduced their 2026 growth goals. This sets the stage for Beijing to follow suit and reduce the national real GDP growth objective from “around 5%” last year to “4.5-5.0%” for 2026. The structure of growth The post Chinese regions lower their growth targets appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
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Renew Economy
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 13:28
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The post Giant Pilbara wind, solar and hydrogen hub dumped by bp wins $21 million government grant appeared first on Renew Economy. |
Renew Economy
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 13:17
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The post Wind and solar curtailment: Beneath the headline numbers from 2025 appeared first on Renew Economy. |
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MacroBusiness
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 13:00
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Once mighty software is being devoured by AI. The problem is that when AI can be added to anything and everything, tailored to specific industries and even specific business needs, the broad-based software package with a big moat is history. Tech volatility is leading broader market volatility higher. There’s no panic but there’s no retreat, The post AI eats tech stocks appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
MacroBusiness
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 12:30
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Brisbane’s housing market has experienced one of its largest-ever price booms over the past five years. According to PropTrack, Brisbane dwelling values soared by 95.7% in the five years to January 2026: As a result, Brisbane has become the second most expensive housing market in the nation based on median values, behind Sydney: KPMG’s latest The post Brisbane house prices approach bubble territory appeared first on MacroBusiness. |
A detailed breakdown of political donations shows fossil fuel contributions to major parties are dwarfed by the scale of coal industry funding of astroturfing campaigns.
UK investor snaps up two major battery projects, one a solar hybrid, adding to a growing portfolio to replace coal and create a grid with no smokestacks.
NSW hails biggest and best result yet for long duration storage, with six massive batteries declared winners of latest tender, and at lower prices than previous auctions.
A parliamentary inquiry will examine the scale of the waste challenge looming on the flip-side of Australia's rooftop solar boom – and how to seize the opportunity it presents.
Small, plug-in PV systems are populating balconies across Europe and the US, but many Australian apartment dwellers are locked out of the new solar boom.
The new Net Zero Fund will launch in mid-2026 with a $5bn kitty of cheap money for industries wanting to go clean and green.
Plans for an up to 26 GW wind, solar and green hydrogen hub have new life breathed into them, just six months after they were abandoned by global oil and gas major bp.
Curtailment remains one of the clearest signs of the challenges facing existing and new solar and wind projects in the NEM. Here's what the 2025 data tells us.