War on the middle class? More a war on our kids
The reaction to the budget shows Labor can't win on middle-class welfare. But Coalition complaints about the lack of a carbon price don't stack up.
View ArticleWhy Labor now owns middle class welfare
Labor inherited middle class welfare from John Howard, but it has nourished the entitlement mentality. Don't households earning over $100,000 and receiving benefits deserve the "bludgers" tag?
View ArticleHockey’s budget reply fails to grease the gallery wheels
Yesterday Joe Hockey made electoral bribery a key component of the Coalition's response to the mining boom. Eeconomic debate in Australia reached its lowest point in 30 years yesterday when he...
View ArticleEssential: voters back Labor on welfare, support grows for carbon tax
Support for a carbon price has risen again, and voters are happy to see high-income earners face a Budget shave on middle-class welfare.
View ArticleRich support middle-class welfare — but not for lower class
People on higher incomes more strongly support middle class welfare, Essential polling shows. But, they don't like it so much for households on lower incomes.
View ArticleAbbott makes Irish joke of Liberals’ economic cred
Tony Abbott's incapacity to handle the basics of economic policy is hurting his party.
View ArticleHockey goes off the reservation on handouts — at long last
Joe Hockey has gone off the Coalition reservation on handouts, and in doing so started reconciling the Liberals' rhetoric with reality.
View ArticleLabor handouts wedge the Coalition
For once Labor has managed to wedge the opposition on handouts, and the opposition was happy to help.
View ArticleMoving the goalposts on cash splashes and wage cases
What role should the budget's cash handouts play in wage determinations? There's a long history to the issue.
View ArticleKeane’s fantasy budget (and how to pay for it)
Removing middle class welfare and tax reform would deliver a health surplus while addressing some key economic problems.
View ArticleThe rise of the solar voter — they’re not where you think
Analysis shows where Australia's solar panels are -- and it's not in the inner-city latte set. Some politicians may need to rethink their view on support for solar.
View ArticleFantasy budget: Keane on the slow path to sustainability
Big writedowns in revenues are a problem, but a slow path back to budget sustainability can be found by curbing big spending and tax items. Crikey's political correspondent draws up his fantasy budget.
View ArticleDebunking the ‘middle-class welfare’ furphy
Don't believe what you read. Australia actually has the lowest level of middle-class welfare in the developed world, argues ANU academic Peter Whiteford.
View ArticleCoalition rekindles the age of entitlement with smart cuts
The Coalition's last-minute cuts tell us little about its fiscal policy but a great deal about its political priorities. Tony Abbott will target the weak and cosy up to middle Australia's sense of...
View ArticleThe ‘up yours’ budget
Crikey readers talk the losers of this year's budget and pensions for military veterans.
View ArticleSo, you think you’re middle class …
With almost 93% of Australians identifying as middle class, we need to start talking about the c-word.
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Finally a win for government on middle-class welfare
After three years of trying to curb middle class welfare, the Coalition finally looks like it will have a win. It's time for Labor to stop taking revenge on the government and back cuts to Family Tax...
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