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Economics

Business groups fear Labor government: Andrews

AAP  |  TUESDAY, 23 MAR 2004
Business groups fear a federal Labor government will derail the economy, Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews said today.

Pressure mounts on coalition for tax reform

AAP  |  TUESDAY, 23 MAR 2004
Finance Minister Nick Minchin has ruled out linking tax scales to inflation in this year's Budget, as pressure increases on the government to introduce significant tax reforms.

Manufacturing continues to expand in March quarter: survey

AAP  |  MONDAY, 22 MAR 2004
Australian manufacturing activity continued to expand in the March quarter of 2004, despite easing from late 2003, a survey showed.

Sherry will keep his job despite super blooper: Latham

AAP  |  FRIDAY, 19 MAR 2004
Labor's retirement incomes and savings spokesman Nick Sherry would keep his job despite bungling a pension plan announcement, Opposition Leader Mark Latham said today.

Home loan affordability lowest in over eight years

AAP  |  FRIDAY, 19 MAR 2004
Home loan affordability across Australia was at its lowest in more than eight years at the end of 2003, making it even more difficult for first home buyers to enter the property market.

Home building surged in December quarter: ABS

AAP  |  THURSDAY, 18 MAR 2004
Home building activity surged in the three months to December, new figures showed today.

Superannuation poll finds half expect to work in retirement

AAP  |  THURSDAY, 18 MAR 2004
Half the Australian workforce expects to work part-time in retirement and the vast majority don't expect to rely solely on superannuation, a survey released today found.

Westpac MI Leading Index points to strong growth ahead

AAP  |  WEDNESDAY, 17 MAR 2004
The Australian economy will likely slow but activity will still remain above the long-term growth trend and as such further interest rate rises this year cannot be ruled out, Westpac said today.

Merchandise imports fall to $9.45 billion in February: ABS

AAP  |  WEDNESDAY, 17 MAR 2004
Merchandise imports fell 4.9% in February to $9.45 billion, new figures showed today.

Labor says we were wrong on super blooper

AAP  |  WEDNESDAY, 17 MAR 2004
Federal Labor was yesterday forced to admit to an embarrassing bungle in its latest pensions promise and confessed it had no plans to pay retirees an extra $25-a-week.