Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Treasurer Jim Chalmers watch the PM speak on Wednesday.

Rate cut all but locked in for May despite higher-than-expected inflation

Economists and financial markets believe a quarter percentage point cut in May,worth $100 a month to repayments on a $600,000 mortgage,is all but a done deal due to the latest ABS figures.

  • Shane Wright andMillie Muroi

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Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers during a doorstop interview following the final leaders’ debate.

Chalmers reveals modest improvement to $150b deficit despite warning on AAA credit rating

Labor released its costings on Monday,saying it would cut the use of consultants and increase visa fees to claw back improvements in the budget.

  • Shane Wright
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

A tale of two porkies:Why cash splashes won’t save politicians this time around

Pork-barrel is too kind a word to describe the avalanche of promises being offered to seduce voters this election campaign.

  • Shane Wright
Opposition leader Peter Dutton and senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price visited a Darwin shopping centre,lured by the chance of a win in the seat of Solomon.

Dutton eyes better budget but will require cuts in homes and power

Whoever wins on Saturday faces budget deficits as far as the eye can see. Peter Dutton faces tough choices to meet his promises and cut spending.

  • Shane Wright
The election campaign.

Dutton backs himself to win the election – but the bookies don’t

With a week to go to the election,bookies and punters have Labor the favourite in 77 seats,a figure that would secure majority government and a second term for Anthony Albanese.

  • Shane Wright andPaul Sakkal
Gina Rinehart at the Anzac Day ceremony.

Rinehart uses Anzac Day service to push for enormous increase in defence spending

Australia’s richest person has called for a gargantuan rise in defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP at a sunset vigil before Anzac Day.

  • Paul Sakkal andShane Wright
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Peter Dutton with shadow defence spokesman Andrew Hastie and Liberal industrial relations spokeswoman Michaelia Cash campaign in Perth on Wednesday.

Higher taxes needed as Coalition eyes extra $100 billion defence spend

The Coalition says its plan to lift defence spending will cost $21 billion. But its longer-term goal would make defence the second-largest budget cost.

  • Shane Wright andMatthew Knott

Dutton reverses pledge on EV tax break two days after saying he would keep it

Just two days after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he would not touch Labor’s tax break for electric vehicles,the Coalition announced it would get rid of it.

  • David Crowe andShane Wright
People cast their votes at a ballot box at an early voting centre in Melbourne.

Australians rush to cast early votes in record numbers

More than half a million people are voting daily already - up 72 per cent on the last election - without information on how much each party’s policies will cost.

  • Shane Wright
Donald Trump’s tariff plans could cost the Australian economy $13 billion in lower growth,and his own economy more than $1 trillion.

Australia faces $13 billion hit as Trump’s tariffs wreak havoc

Uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s tariff war will slow the global economy,a global wake-up call insists.

  • Shane Wright