Government Services Minister Bill Shorten had a personal speechwriter on a reported $300,000 a year contract for two years, a senate estimates hearing has been told. The committee heard an “experienced” and “versatile” communications professional was awarded a $300,000 contract for a year by government agency Services Australia to writeContinue Reading
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal applied the controversial Ministerial Direction 99 to overturn half of the government’s initial deportation orders for non-citizens on character ground since July last year. The statistic was revealed in a senate estimates hearing held on Friday afternoon by the AAT’s registrar Michael Hawkins as the governmentContinue Reading
Struggling Australians have hit back with force at the Reserve Bank governor’s “out-of-touch” solution to the country’s housing crisis, arguing he should take his own advice before telling others to get a roommate. At a senate estimates hearing on Wednesday morning, Philip Lowe warned that not enough homes are beingContinue Reading
Reserve Bank boss Philip Lowe has facing intense questioning for the second time this week about rising interest rates, inflation and Australia’s cost of living crisis. Dr Lowe faced his second parliamentary committee on Friday nearly a fortnight after the RBA raised the cash rate for a ninth consecutive timeContinue Reading
There are fresh warnings of a “huge risk” the economy could be plunged into recession if the Reserve Bank ignores calls to temper interest rate hikes. A week after the central bank board lifted the cash rate to 3.35 per cent, governor Philip Lowe appeared at a senate estimates hearing,Continue Reading