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 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

Support for Labor in its heartland has been waning. Can it win the battlers back?

Labor has been bleeding rusted-on,working-class voters in traditionally safe seats for years. What’s gone wrong,and can the party turn it around?

  • Gay Alcorn

Messiah to pariah:Dutton stopped believing in Trump,and now we know why

The US president had unsettled the election campaign from the outset. But in the past couple of weeks,the tangerine titan has become totally toxic.

  • Peter Hartcher
Treasurer Jim Chalmers split hairs as he denied any inconsistency between his stance and Anthony Albanese’s on negative gearing.

Chalmers splits hairs on negative gearing to back up Albanese

The treasurer insisted he had asked for analysis,not modelling,which Peter Dutton used to claim Labor had a secret plan to change negative gearing rules.

  • Shane Wright andOlivia Ireland
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There’s an obvious successor for Albanese. The Libs face a tougher choice

Election results trigger,or subsequently lead to,leadership resets. Even in the turmoil of a campaign,players will also have their eyes on the future.

  • Michelle Grattan
Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor faced off ion the Sky News debate.

The leader who spoke loudest at the treasurers’ debate wasn’t even in the room

The first treasurers’ debate of the election campaign between Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor was dominated by one man:Donald Trump.

  • Shane Wright andMillie Muroi
Jim Chalmers Donald Trump

Trump’s tariff war will hit budget hard as turmoil costs Australia billions

Economic fallout from Donald Trump’s tariffs will hit whoever wins government,with Australia unable to escape the global economic slowdown.

  • Shane Wright andDavid Crowe
A protester interrupts Jim Chalmers’ press conference in Perth on Friday,April 4. Picture:9News Perth

Chalmers ‘untroubled’ as protesters sneak into Perth press conference

The women entered a closed-off facility masquerading as journalists and peppered the treasurer with questions about his government’s support of gas and Israel.

  • Hamish Hastie