Changes to home loans could make them cheaper and more predictable, report finds
A new report says Australian borrowers would benefit from 30-year fixed-rate home loans, and they should be made available.
Gareth Hutchens
Gareth Hutchens is a business and economics reporter based in Canberra. Prior to joining the ABC he was economics editor of the West Australian and worked as an economics and political reporter for Guardian Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age. You can follow Gareth on Twitter: @grhutchens
Latest by Gareth Hutchens
ASX rises as oil retreats, global markets await US Fed interest rate decision — as it happened
The Australian share market has ended slightly higher as investors await the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision tomorrow morning local time.
RBA lifts interest rates by 0.25pc for second time this year
The Reserve Bank has lifted interest rates by 0.25 percentage points as the war in the Middle East sends oil, gas, and petrol prices soaring.
Fuel panic buying 'causing system to break down', experts warn
Experts say Australians should prepare for the possibility of widespread fuel rationing if the war in the Middle East is prolonged.
Is Australia about to end its experiment with low unemployment?
If war in the Middle East sends global inflation surging, will Australia have to say goodbye to its experiment with low unemployment?
ASX closes 1pc higher, petrol prices up 17c a litre in last week — as it happened
The Australian market closed 1 per cent higher, regaining some of yesterday's losses. Catch up on the day's events and insights from our business reporters on the ABC News live markets blog.
Australia and Canada share similar values. Remind us what they are again
When Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Australia last week, he had a message about Australia's and Canada's shared values. He said they were worth defending and could be used to build a more prosperous future.
Australia's economy growing at fastest rate in almost three years
Australia's economy is growing at annual rate of 2.6 per cent, which is much stronger than forecast.
RBA says March rate hike a 'live' possibility amid Iran 'supply shock' warning
Michelle Bullock says events are moving rapidly and there are different ways the war could play out, with RBA staff closely monitoring the situation.
Extreme rhetoric in right-wing political circles deserves more attention
The rhetoric in Australia's right-wing political circles is getting more extreme and the media should be paying more attention.
Qantas shares fall more than 6 per cent after first-half profit announced
Qantas' first-half profit result has disappointed shareholders, but chief executive Vanessa Hudson says the airline's largest fleet renewal in history will pay off.
Inflation slightly hotter than expected, keeping rate hike on table
Headline inflation was 3.8 per cent in January, which was unchanged from December, but underlying inflation increased slightly. Both numbers were higher than expected.
Centre-right 'betrayed' West, MAGA figure tells Australian conservatives
Benjamin Harnwell, the "international editor" of Steve Bannon's War Room podcast, says centre-right politicians have "betrayed" the West by supporting "mass immigration".
Unemployment rate remains at 4.1pc, leading to talk of another rate rise
Australia's unemployment rate remained at 4.1 per cent in January, with 17,800 more employed people.
Senate committee features climate disinformation and Dr Karl's clash with One Nation
The scourge of AI-slopaganda, viral disinformation campaigns and online attacks against individuals and institutions is going to get far worse before it gets better, if the latest public hearings on the topic are any indication.
'Too complex': Coles lawyer says grocery prices tough to understand — as it happened
Coles has faced hearings at the Federal Court in Melbourne regarding accusations of misleading customers on discounts. The Australian share market was up, following Wall Street. Look back on the day's events and insights from our business reporters in the ABC News markets blog.
Rise of Australia's public economy compares to mining boom of the 2000s
Long-term structural shifts have gravitational forces that are hard to escape, says a Westpac economist.
Michele Bullock frustrated by 'repeated questions' at Senate estimates
Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock fires back at Nationals senator Matt Canavan after he accused her of "gaslighting" Australians over the state of the Australian economy.
RBA deputy governor says changes to 'three key facts' prompted rate rise
RBA deputy governor Andrew Hauser says central banks should not criticise normal government spending choices, but he wonders if Australia's economy is more inflation-prone because it is so finely balanced.
ASX 200 rallies as CBA surges, Aussie dollar above 71 US cents — as it happened
The Australian share market has finished strongly after the first "big day" of reporting season with good earnings news for the Commonwealth Bank for the first half of the financial year. Look back on our live blog.
ASX loses ground and CSL boss steps down — as it happened
The ASX 200 closed slightly lower, and the CSL chief executive stepped down abruptly ahead of tomorrow's half-year results. Catch up on the day's events and insights from our business reporters on the ABC News live markets blog.
As West wakes up to the Epstein class, China plans global reserve currency
As the West reacts to the revelations in the latest batch of Epstein files, China has plans for the renminbi to become a global reserve currency.
RBA governor grilled over rising inflation
RBA governor Michele Bullock has refused to blame the Albanese government for rising inflation, as a political fight breaks out in the wake of the bank's rate hike.
ASX suffers worst day in almost a year in 'panic' sell-off — as it happened
Nearly $70 billion has been wiped off the Australian share market in its worst trading session since the "Liberation Day" sell-off in April 2025. See how the day unfolded and read insights from our business reporters on the ABC News markets blog.
'There will be strikes': Unions pushing above-inflation wage increases
Australia's biggest employers are under pressure to give their workers pay increases above 4 per cent this year, as real wages go backwards and the union movement ramps up pressure.