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Jennifer Hewett

Jennifer Hewett

Financial Review

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Government pays up to keep projects alive

The Albanese government is hoping that subsidising key mining and smelting projects to help them weather price collapses will pay off. It’s a big...

08.08.2025 4

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

As Trump fights big pharma, the PBS risks getting caught in the crossfire

The US president is angry Americans pay more for their medicines. Will he want the PBS – and Australian citizens – to help change that equation?

06.08.2025 6

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Energy report long on woolly words, short on specifics

The Productivity Commission’s second of five interim reports offers a confusing new acronym but little that is concrete.

04.08.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Labor has some hard choices on climate policy

The party claims the election win as endorsement of its energy strategy, but faces difficult decisions about reducing emissions and controlling costs.

01.08.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Brutal but effective: Trump rules the world on tariffs

The US president is declaring victory amid grudging capitulation from friends and foe alike, writes Jennifer Hewett.

30.07.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

In an EV-first world, can e-fuels drive the decarbonisation of transport?

HIF Global is just one of the big businesses betting on green tech to provide a viable alternative to electric vehicles.

28.07.2025 9

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Why Australia can’t dodge US tariffs

Despite the Coalition’s attempts to suggest otherwise, Labor cannot offer enough – not even an audience with a king – to appeal to Trump’s...

25.07.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Labor delight as Coalition reopens climate wars

Sussan Ley’s problems with managing the opposition’s energy policy just got much worse. Labor’s problems with managing its own energy policy...

23.07.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Little Aussie miner pushes back on Chinese control of critical minerals

The announcement by ASX-listed Tivan of Japanese support for its fluorite projects is a small example of the effort to build supply chains independent...

21.07.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Roundtable screams of Chalmers’ style, but where’s the substance?

The treasurer is pushing big ideas and expectations for his economic talkfest in August. The practical results are much less certain.

18.07.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Henry’s plan for what comes next

The former Treasury secretary failed to have a previous Labor government implement a resources super profits tax, but he has plenty of big ideas for...

17.07.2025 20

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Green iron push bolsters message to voters

Shared optimism about the technology and a promised increase in jobs and prosperity are a useful counter to rising concerns about Australia’s growth...

15.07.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Our man in Beijing – but not Washington

Anthony Albanese’s highly choreographed visit to China showcases the lack of a similar invitation – or enthusiasm – from the Trump White House.

11.07.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump’s copper tariffs will backfire on the US

The administration wants to “bring copper production home”, but the most likely result is that manufacturers will have little choice but to pay...

09.07.2025 20

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Michele Bullock gives a lesson in prudence

The RBA governor and Reserve Bank board were willing to shock the market, noting “anything can happen, and we’re alert to that”.

08.07.2025 4

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Albanese lost in translation as he heads to Beijing

The prime minister is sending a confused message on Australia’s relationship with the US. The contradictions will be sharper in his visit to China...

07.07.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

My daughter-in-law is afraid to send her baby to childcare. She’s not alone

The anguish of the Victorian case has hit families around the country, striking deeply at their confidence in the whole system.

04.07.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Critical minerals script runs into reality in DC

Australia’s efforts to use these resources as a bargaining chip in Washington won’t work.

02.07.2025 7

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Milei goes for broke in Argentina

The South American country’s president offers a radical experiment in economic therapy for a nation in desperate financial straits.

29.06.2025 9

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Albanese can’t escape ‘daddy’ Trump’s defence demands

Donald Trump wanted – and got – acclaim and obeisance from NATO leaders. It’s lucky Anthony Albanese wasn’t in the picture.

27.06.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

US plays the Trump card at NATO

The summit allows the US president to parade his ceasefire success and press NATO members to up their defence spending. Australia’s Richard Marles...

25.06.2025 8

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump claims elusive win despite uncertainty

The US president’s high-risk bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities looked to have been a big win. Does the quick breakdown in the ceasefire mean...

24.06.2025 4

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Why Albanese has to back US strike

The prime minister is belatedly backing America, but what comes next in the Middle East is much less clear.

23.06.2025 4

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump would love to target the Federal Reserve as well as Iran

The president sounds as angry with Jerome Powell as with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But what he decides to do about Iran will come much sooner than a Fed...

19.06.2025 20

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Storm clouds gather over G7

The intensifying conflict in the Middle East will dominate an agenda that was supposed to focus on trade and support for Ukraine.

16.06.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Why Brazil is too big and too important for Australia to ignore

Amid a shifting global order, expanding international ambitions and a tricky domestic balancing act, Brazil could have a greater impact on Australia...

13.06.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Australian rare earths miners join rush to Brazil

At least 13 small Australian miners are frantically trying their luck – and trying to raise money – to develop rare earths mines. But why are they...

10.06.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Australia and Chile have more in common than you probably think

The two countries have many similarities as mining-based economies dependent on China as their major trading partner. But the relationship goes...

06.06.2025 9

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

BHP’s monumental copper pay and play in Chile

The world’s largest copper mine shows how intertwined the fortunes of Australia’s big miners are with what’s happening with critical minerals.

04.06.2025 9

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump tests the world’s nervous system – again

The president’s fury at being mockingly labelled TACO on tariffs may be enough to ensure that he proceeds on schedule.

02.06.2025 7

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Political success doesn’t guarantee policy success

The Labor Party is promising to deliver its election agenda. But that won’t be anywhere near enough to address Australia’s economic challenges....

30.05.2025 40

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Watt makes the only choice on Woodside

A new environment minister has finally granted a decades-long extension for operation of the vital North West Shelf project. But the fights over gas...

28.05.2025 3

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Nuclear fantasy gone but renewables reality remains

Labor was able to bury the Coalition’s plans for a nuclear energy future. But now the high costs of Australia’s energy challenge are coming back...

26.05.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

From Jakarta deals to Vatican kneels, Albanese crafts his statesman act

The prime minister professes humility but the size of Labor’s victory makes him confident his government has got the balance right. The opposition...

16.05.2025 4

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump goes for gold in the Middle East

The US president’s visit to the region is focused on the money that’s on offer. Israel and Gaza are not part of the equation for instant returns.

14.05.2025 9

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Why Ley says she’s up for the job

The first woman to lead the Liberals is optimistic about the way back, but the party’s woes are likely to get worse.

13.05.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Liberals implode but Labor’s hardest test to come

Not even a Paul Keating spray can deflect Labor’s euphoria over its extraordinary win. What will Anthony Albanese do with that in government is much...

09.05.2025 9

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

US-China talks seek to save face, and their economies

Tariff negotiations between the two superpowers this weekend offer the prospect of retreat from a full-on trade war. But will the market’s sense of...

07.05.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Steady hand faces test from Trump’s new American revolution

Anthony Albanese is promising a reformist, orderly government with no surprises but what will happen when the shocks keep coming.

05.05.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Dutton is now the least of the Liberals’ problems

How and why the Liberals lost the campaign so very badly and why there’s no rescue coming.

04.05.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

What went wrong – and right – in this election

A sullen electorate appears to be reluctantly accepting more of the same from Labor. For the Coalition, it adds up to a discordant failure of tactics,...

02.05.2025 8

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump is boosting left-wing victories. That’s bad news for Dutton

America’s president is harming, not helping, other conservative leaders. But what is the reaction within the US?

29.04.2025 3

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Albanese tries (and fails) to not sound overconfident

Peter Dutton’s campaign is in deep trouble as the Coalition loses its mojo and the federal government’s confidence surges.

21.04.2025 7

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Albanese and Dutton dodge economic reality

Trump has warned his tariffs may cause temporary pain. Albanese and Dutton are not even trying to level with Australian voters about the cost of their...

16.04.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

China weaponises rare earths in tariff war

China’s dominance in processing rare earths metals and high-performance magnets means Beijing’s curbs on the crucial exports are a major threat to...

14.04.2025 10

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Tax cuts, housing help: parties spend big to grab attention and votes

A federal budget far less healthy than previous ones hasn’t reined in Labor’s willingness to spend and spend more, and the Coalition is ready to...

13.04.2025 4

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

No place to hide from White House reality TV show

Like the rest of the world, WA politics has been upended by Donald Trump’s reckless tariff war, which has a sharp edge in a resources-dependent...

11.04.2025 5

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump’s game of bluff on tariffs and tax

China is threatening to “fight to the end” if America imposes yet more tariffs. The respite on global sharemarkets is likely to be temporary if...

08.04.2025 20

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Tariff maelstrom bears down on Dutton’s election hopes

Labor is as alarmed as any government as Donald Trump’s sharemarket carnage unfolds. But it also sees a political advantage.

07.04.2025 3

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett

Trump’s colossal misjudgment will cost the US – and the world – dearly

Donald Trump is pretending the sharemarket carnage is all part of his grand plan to use tariffs to reboot the US economy. What happens when Main...

04.04.2025 6

Financial Review

Jennifer Hewett