The Albanese government announced on the weekend that it will increase the application charge on student visas from $1,600 to $2,000 if Labor is re-elected. The change will not affect arrangements for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants. The visa fee increase is forecast to deliver $760 million to the budget over the forward estimates. “We
The latest polling from Resolve Political Monitor shows Labor leading the Coalition 53% to 47% in two-party terms. Anthony Albanese also leads Peter Dutton by 47% to 31% as preferred Prime Minister. However, Resolve notes that Labor’s primary vote “remains weaker than it was at the last election, down from 32.6% to 3%, highlighting the
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released the all-important Q1 2025 CPI inflation print. Headline inflation rose by 0.9% over the quarter and by 2.4% year over year. The result was slightly ahead of analysts’ expectations of a 2.4% annual increase. The more policy-important trimmed mean inflation printed at 0.7% in Q1 2025, in
The ferrous complex is not well. As the trade shock begins. Morgan Stanley. Our Asia Economists see China’s 2Q GDP growth tracking below 4.5% Y/Y (vs. 5.4% Y/Y in1Q) as more hard data points are showing that tariffs are affecting activity: container throughput is declining, freight shipping prices to the US are slumping, and China’s
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According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Victorians pay the highest state and local taxes in the nation. Victorians suffered a 40.5% increase in state and local government taxes since 2020-21, the largest increase in the nation. Victoria’s state taxes as a share of gross state product have also increased to 6.08%, the highest
The Market Ear on diving US leading indicators. Post crisis lows VIX at the lowest levels since the early April panic. Note the aggressive VVIX implosion, as well as the latest little bid in VVIX. Volatility is not dirt cheap, but early long volatility positions/hedges are starting to screen attractive again. Our full volatility
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DXY struggles on. AUD is holding support. Lead boots plod on. Oil is pointing the way for growth. Metals meh. Mining meh. EM meh. Junk has entered autobid as equities rise. And yields fall. VIX down means stocks up with robots. Deutsche says DXY is stuffed. DB tracks two near real-time measures of US capital
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A better night on Wall Street due to better earnings reports and by absorbing the Canadian general election outcome. The USD was able to push back slightly against most of the majors although Pound Sterling remains at a new three year high amid the growing UK/EU detente on trade. The Canadian Loonie firmed slightly on
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Ben is joined by Peter Brent and the ABC’s Tom Crowley for the final pre-election episode of the 2025 federal election campaign. We discuss how a hung parliament might play out and the experience of riding Peter Dutton’s campaign bus. For our seat of the week we discuss the NSW seat of Werriwa.
How I’ll be voting this election and why.
It’s not often that we get the chance to directly influence the manner in which the Australian Government deals with a continuing genocide.
With that, I thought I’d give you a rundown on what will guide my vote, and how I’ll be voting in the Senate.
This new legislation is the worst attack on England’s ecosystems in living memory.
By George Monbiot, published in the Guardian 24th April 2025
Let tax reform drive your voting decision this election with the Prosper Australia 2025 policy scorecard.
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