House prices wouldn’t be falling so fast if Albanese was a man of his word

November 8, 2026 — 4:00am

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It was the wrong policy, introduced in the wrong way, at the wrong time, by the wrong people. And now the trio with primary responsibility – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher – want our pity for how hard it is to be them. Who knew that leading a country, managing its economy and running a ruler over its expenditures could be so tricky. Certainly not the people who put their hands up to do it.

Yes, we’re still talking about the 2026 federal budget. A document produced almost entirely without consultation with the people who are living and running businesses in the economy from which the Canberra bubble steals oxygen. Based on Treasury modelling so rushed and flimsy it collapsed almost as soon as it was exposed to suburban accountants. Marketed as intergenerational fairness, when the only demographic protected and helped are landlords with substantial existing property holdings. A document that introduced an unnecessary level of uncertainty into an economy already dealing with lethargic productivity, falling real wages and a volatile global environment.

Spender leads business revolt against Chalmers’ capital gains tax tweak

The poor construction of the signature policies announced in the 2026 budget has been exposed by a series of spectacular collapses over the months since they were announced. The capital gains tax increase (let’s just call it what it is) caused an immediate backlash from small businesses and tech start-ups. The government was forced to offer carve-outs for these groups, claiming it had........

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