Stephen Bartos

1 month ago | theaustraliatoday.com.au | John Hawkins |Stephen Bartos

By John Hawkins and Stephen BartosAustralia’s headline inflation rate held steady at a four-year low of 2.4% in the March quarter, according to official data, adding to the case for a cut in interest rates at the next Reserve Bank board meeting in May. A key measure of underlying inflation closely watched by the RBA fell to 2.9%, returning to within the 2-3% inflation target band for the first time since 2021.

2 months ago | finance.einnews.com | Tom Ravlic |Melissa Coade |Stephen Bartos

The Department of Finance should be more proactive in responding to signs of poor contract management rather than just being a policy steward, a parliamentary committee has found. The joint committee of public accounts and audit has criticised the general approach adopted by Finance to only provide advice on contract management. It has called on Finance to be more ‘hands-on’ when large amounts of taxpayers’ funds are involved.

Dec 17, 2024 | theconversation.com | Stephen Bartos

After two successive surpluses, the federal budget will be back in deficit in 2024-2025, according to the much anticipated budget update released on Wednesday. Known as the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), the update shows the budget is forecast to stay in deficit in years to come. The MYEFO is a little more downbeat than at budget time with lower growth and wage forecasts in the current financial year, but only by a quarter of one percent.

Dec 5, 2024 | theaustraliatoday.com.au | Stephen Bartos

By Stephen BartosAustralia’s economic growth remains in the slow lane, at only 0.3% for the September quarter, keeping Australia close to recession territory. However, the national accounts data released on Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) puts growth slightly higher than the snailish 0.2% recorded the previous quarter. Although growth is painfully slow, this could well be seen by next year as the turning point when the trend started to move into positive territory.

Dec 4, 2024 | theconversation.com | Stephen Bartos

Australia’s economic growth remains in the slow lane, at only 0.3% for the September quarter, keeping Australia close to recession territory. However, the national accounts data released on Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) puts growth slightly higher than the snailish 0.2% recorded the previous quarter. Although growth is painfully slow, this could well be seen by next year as the turning point when the trend started to move into positive territory.