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Payments pressureCommentsPremiumCBA first mover on home loan rates after latest RBA hike

Australia’s biggest home loan lender has become the first of the big four banks to make a move on mortgages after the Reserve Bank’s latest hike in the official cash rate.

Daniel Newell

On the roadPremium$3bn cost-of-living measure ’ends’

The cut to the fuel excise will not be extended past October despite mounting cost-of-living pressures exacerbated by the hike in interest rates.

Ellen Ransley

‘failure’CommentsPremiumChronic undertraining blamed for WA’s labour shortage crisis

The State’s labour shortage crisis has been blamed partly on chronic undertraining, with just over 600 people qualifying in construction apprenticeships at the end of last year.

Kim Macdonald

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Inflation hitCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Cost of living increases cut $6k from WA families’ budgets

WA families have had nearly $500 ripped out of their budgets each month by rapidly rising mortgage, petrol and grocery prices — and the crunch is only likely to worsen over the remainder of the year.

Josh Zimmerman

EconomyBank of England flags economic storm

The Bank of England has told banks to ramp up capital buffers to ensure they can weather a coming economic storm.

Andy Bruce and Huw Jones

PoliticsWong hopes G20 sends ‘message to Russia’

Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit Singapore ahead of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Bali on Thursday.

 

Only way is upMore rate hikes to come as RBA worries about spending

After collectively pushing retail sales figures to record levels, Australians potentially pulling back in light of higher interest rates is now chief among the Reserve Bank’s concerns.

Adrian Lowe

Equal footingCommentsPremiumMore startup accelerators must be tailored to women

A Perth-based female founder is calling for more startup accelerators to be designed specifically for women, saying too many programs are inflexible and lack meaningful connection.

Caitlin Paroczai

HousingPremiumThe cities less sensitive to rate hikes

House prices are retreating in Melbourne and Sydney, but there is one state where interest rate changes are yet to have an impact, an expert says.

Melissa Iaria

Brace yourselfCommentsHow will your bank respond to latest RBA hike?

The banks wasted little time before making a move on mortgages when the RBA lifted the cash rate off an historic low in May. June’s call took a little longer. Will they stick to a full hike this time around?

Daniel Newell

More to comeCommentsUNPRECEDENTED: RBA piles on more pain with massive hike

In an unheard-of third consecutive move at this level, the RBA board has hiked interest rates again as it tries to ward off rampant inflation.

Adrian Lowe

Rate hikePremiumHomeowners hold breath on RBA's next move

The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to raise the country’s interest rate once again today - but by how much?

Hamish Spence

ConstructionPremiumAnother builder collapses owing $10 million

Another builder which has been building homes for 50 years has entered liquidation, owing creditors more than $10 million.

Melissa Iaria

LATESTPremiumSmall businesses’ ‘most severe’ challenges

Australian small businesses have been warned some of their toughest woes may lay ahead due to one pandemic-related issue.

Holly Hales

Big callPremiumGlobal investment bank tips recession in Australia next year

Nomura believes high consumer debt and a shaky housing market puts the country at risk of a bigger-than-expected economic contraction.

Sean Smith

How high?CommentsPremiumAggressive rate hikes to test Australian consumer might

The Reserve Bank of Australia is all-but-certain to raise interest rates on Tuesday to slow accelerating inflation, piling pressure on consumers who are among the most indebted in the world.

Swati Pandey

Prices windfallPremiumInvasion seen boosting exports past $400b for second year

The Federal Government’s Resources and Energy Quarterly sees higher coal and gas prices increasing Australia’s forecast resources export earnings over the next two years.

Sean Smith

opinion
opinion
Joe SpagnoloComments
opinion
New financial year signals more cost of living pressures

As we start a new financial year, all indications are that life is about to get substantially tougher for West Australians — particularly those who are already struggling to make ends meet.

Joe Spagnolo

investigation
investigation
SKILLS CONUNDRUMCommentsPremium
investigation
Why Australia’s crippling labour crisis has no easy fix

Australia has half a million jobs up for grabs but is finding it near impossible to fill them. Find out why the labour crisis crippling the nation has no easy fix and how COVID is not the only culprit to blame.

James Salmon

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Hip-pocket painCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
WA builders demanding $10k cash in 10 days from customers

Cash-strapped builders in WA are demanding customers stump up five-figure sums within a ten-day deadline, as global supply chain issues and labour shortages hit the industry.

Kim Macdonald

EconomyFuel excise relief to end: Treasurer

Labor's Jim Chalmers says motorists should be ready for fuel prices to rise in September as economic challenges like high inflation take a toll.

Peter Bodkin

“Well positioned” CommentsPremiumPerth business leaders bullish on WA economy

The prospect of further interest rate hikes and higher inflation has failed to dent the confidence of Perth business leaders, who say WA is better positioned to weather the storm than east coast counterparts. 

Danielle Le Messurier

‘Really serious’Premium‘Crisis’: Demands to fix chronic worker shortage mount

No WA business, regardless of size and location, is exempt from the skills crunch amid warnings firms will be stymied from a lack of available workers as the Federal government grapples with visa delays.

Adrian Lowe

opinion
opinion
More detail neededPremium
opinion
Australia can’t afford to be short-changed on statistics

You may have laughed along with global bankers when the RBA governor was embarrassed by Australia’s inflation situation, but the mirth masks a substantive problem.

Adrian Lowe