Australian Economy

When the war in the Middle East first broke out, I warned that Australia faced a triple energy threat of higher petrol/diesel prices, higher gas prices, and higher electricity prices.

As the world continues to assess the impact and implications of a protracted closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, Australia is facing major challenges to its fuel security.

Proponents of high immigration claim that it is necessary to alleviate purported labour shortages and an ageing population.

Joe Walker interviewed former immigration department bureaucrat-turned-influencer Abul Rizvi last year.

In the weeks since news of the war in Iran first hit the airwaves, the Albanese government has been attempting to reassure the Australian public that there is no real concern about fuel supply in Australia.

Alex Joiner, chief economist at IFM Investors, published a short analysis of the impacts of rising energy costs on the federal budgets and on Australians as a whole: Joiner argues that the energy shock is “not bad for Australia” but “terrible for Australians”.

According to the CommBank Household Spending Insights Index, household spending in Australia fell in February 2026 for the first time since September 2024, capping a 17-month era of rise.

Australia’s “productivity tsar”, Professor Gary Banks, was the long‑serving founding Chair of the Productivity Commission (1998-2013).

Proponents of high immigration claim that it is necessary to alleviate purported labour shortages.

Yesterday, ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence dropped 3.7 points to 73.4 points.

Victoria’s 2025‑26 Mid‑Year Financial Report was released on Friday and showed that the state’s net debt has increased by $10 billion in six months, reaching $160.9 billion: Net debt as a share of the state economy has risen from 23.7% to 24.2% in six months.

Justin Fabo from Antipodean Macro produced the following chart, showing how Australia’s labour productivity growth (i.e., GDP per hour worked) has ranked among the poorest in the advanced world over the past decade.

I noted on Monday how Australia is facing rising energy costs on three fronts: Soaring petrol/diesel prices Rising gas prices Rising electricity prices.

With the likelihood of a protracted war in the Middle East increasing, Australia is facing rising energy prices on three fronts. Rising Oil (Petrol and Diesel) Prices: The price of oil has already risen and should continue to do so as global supplies are halted and the Straits of Hormuz seize up.

Proponents of high levels of immigration typically argue that it lifts productivity and living standards because migrants tend to be better educated and more highly skilled than the average Australian.

A single cracked tile in your kitchen or bathroom might seem like a small cosmetic issue.

The Victorian Government is actively seeking data centre investment.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Tuesday reported a 0.9% increase in public sector demand in the December quarter, which was estimated to contribute 0.3 percentage points to GDP for the quarter.