Australia’s Future Fund has smashed its investment target, delivering a 12.2 per cent return to send the nation’s sovereign wealth fund above $250 billion for the first time. The bumper result for 2024/25 exceeded the fund’s mandate of 6.9 per cent per year and came despite...
Housing affordability has plunged to a 20-year low, but first-home buyers are still finding ways to get into the market. Despite interest rates starting to come down, surging house prices have made it harder than ever for Australians to buy a home, according to a report...
Housing, energy and infrastructure developments could be fast-tracked in some areas and blocked entirely in others under a major overhaul of Australia’s planning rules. The federal government is promising to enshrine “regional planning” in national law, allowing officials to consider the combined impact of developments in...
The head of Australia’s largest super organisation says he’s open to improvements to performance tests for underperforming funds. AustralianSuper chief executive Paul Schroder said it was “utterly important” for benchmarks on returns to remain, but was receptive to suggestions to bolster protections. “It’s really important to protect...
It takes a village to raise a child, but access to one is far from equal. Families often rely on grandparents, neighbours, friends and others to help rear the next generation and make the daunting task of parenthood less stressful. But financially insecure Australians, renters, those with...
Australia risks getting left behind by the AI wave because of red tape stopping firms from building essential digital infrastructure, the head of the nation’s biggest telco warns. The telecommunications sector will be essential to supporting the rollout of artificial intelligence but is being hampered by...