Finance
Seven things I would tell my younger self about superannuation and investing
6 August
At 60, retirement no longer feels like a distant event. It is close enough to imagine the lifestyle I want, the experiences I hope to enjoy and the financial decisions that will shape the years ahead. Looking back to when I first started work,...[Read More]
3 tips to secure your family finances
6 August
If there’s anything people learned from the recessions and global crises of recent past, it’s that no one is immune to economic upheavals. Even middle to upper-class families are at the mercy of their finances when misfortune strikes. This...[Read More]
Shoddy bank record-keeping hits savers as scammers lurk
29 July
Systemic shoddy record-keeping at big banks is risking the savings of Australians trying to benefit from a safe investment strategy. The financial regulator issued the warning around mortgage offset accounts, which are marketed to borrowers as a way...[Read More]
‘Build resilience’: refinery touted but discount to end
29 July
Australia’s fuel security could soon be bolstered by a new refinery, but questions have been raised about the business case for the facility. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to look into building Australia’s third oil refinery in...[Read More]
Family affair: investor tax changes spawn new tactics
8 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]
Payday Super starts 1 July 2026: What employers and employees need to know
2 July
Payday Super is now here, and it changes the way employers manage superannuation payments. From 1 July 2026, employers are required to pay employee superannuation guarantee contributions in line with their regular pay cycle, rather than relying...[Read More]
The first money conversations every couple should have
2 July
Getting married or moving in together is an exciting step. It is about love, commitment, shared plans and building a life together. But it is also a time when two financial worlds often come together. Different spending habits, savings goals, debts,...[Read More]
Freefall: home prices notch biggest drop in years
1 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]
Strong jobs figures clock on for future rate rise shift
1 July
Stronger-than-expected jobs and spending data has bolstered the case for more rate hikes, but events overseas could stay the Reserve Bank’s hand. An extra 40,300 jobs were added to the economy in May, driving down the unemployment rate to 4.4 per...[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]
Home owners told to ‘take a deep breath’ on tax reforms
24 June
Plunging auction clearance rates are not cause for concern, top government ministers are insisting, with one urging anxious home owners to “take a deep breath”. An overhaul of negative gearing and capital gains tax is expected to pass federal...[Read More]
Labor identifies businesses to be exempt from new tax
24 June
A budget backlash has prompted Labor to announce new carve-outs for innovative firms from the capital gains tax, as well as a backdown on a minimum tax on testamentary trusts. WHAT DID LABOR ANNOUNCE IN THE BUDGET? * The existing 50 per cent...[Read More]
Payday Super: why employers should start preparing now
18 June
From 1 July 2026, Australian employers will need to manage superannuation guarantee payments differently. Under the Payday Super reform, super will move away from being mainly a quarterly compliance task and become part of the regular payroll...[Read More]
Tax changes spark house listings boom but fewer rentals
17 June
Investors are prematurely offloading their properties before tax changes even hit the market, resulting in a listings boom but fewer rentals. Rental listings across the country have shown large annual falls, with the steepest downturn so far in...[Read More]