Home
Search
thewest.com.au‌‌

Opinion

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

opinion
opinion
EditorialCommentsPremium
opinion
That’s right. We are still talking about the Budget

It’s been a week shy of a month since the Budget was handed down (time flies when you’re having not much fun) and it’s still among the top political stories every day.And not in a good way.

The West Australian

Jim Chalmers has destroyed his credibility with the Budget.

opinion
opinion
PoliticsCommentsPremium
opinion
Treasurer’s Budget lament: Good thing, where have you gone?

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has a catch-cry when he is in spin mode — which is just about all the time — to describe passing political events as ‘a good thing’.

Paul Murray

Former BHP chair Ken MacKenzie, outgoing Wesfarmers chair Michael Chaney and CEO Rob Scott.

opinion
opinion
Sean SmithCommentsPremium
opinion
Would Wesfarmers’ new chair break a sacred CEO tradition?

Being just the second chair who hasn’t worked at Wesfarmers makes the appointment of Ken MacKenzie rare enough to question whether he will stick to the succession script when it comes to the next CEO.

Sean Smith

Albany MLA Scott Leary says the State Government has yet to answer key questions on the city’s gas network decommissioning.

opinion
opinion
opinionPremium
opinion
Albany MLA Scott Leary on Government’s response to ATCO

The State Government is yet to answer many of the key questions about the decommissioning of Albany’s gas network, writes Albany MLA Scott Leary. 

Scott Leary

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil Zempilas CommentsPremium
opinion
Society damaged when public health system fails this badly

This is a top 10 I wish I didn’t have to write. Ten points which tell you Roger Cook and WA Labor have lost control of our public health system.

Basil Zempilas

Despite accusing critics of the budget of mounting a scare campaign “built on lies”, the Albanese government seems to be stooping the same level.

opinion
opinion
EditorialVideoCommentsPremium
opinion
Budget that won’t stop biting causes agony for Labor

If it’s true that a rolling stone gathers no moss then it may follow that a snowballing budget picks up a lot of crap along the way.

If the Prime Minister continues to be seen misleading voters, he risks losing the most precious quality of any political leader: respect. Josh Chadwick

OpinionCommentsVoters must decide if Anthony Albanese can be trusted

AARON PATRICK: If the Prime Minister continues to be seen misleading voters, he risks losing the most precious quality of any political leader: respect.

Aaron Patrick

Aaron Patrick

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

opinion
opinion
Mark RileyCommentsPremium
opinion
Why Albanese gagged his own Government on Budget

The Opposition wanted to force every Labor MP to talk about its contentious Budget. Anthony Albanese said no way.

Mark Riley

Mark Riley

Treasurer Rita Saffioti.

opinion
opinion
Rita SaffiotiCommentsPremium
opinion
More evidence we have the strongest finances in the nation

The National Accounts were released yesterday, delivering strong economic news for WA. Our State’s economy grew by 3.2 per cent over the year to March, higher than national growth. 

Rita Saffioti

Red Tape is tying down the country.

opinion
opinion
OpinionCommentsPremium
opinion
Seeing red on stupid rules holding this country back

Red tape on a simple landscaping project revealed all that’s holding this country back.

Kim Macdonald

Kim Macdonald

Jim Chalmers likes to dismiss his Budget ‘doomsayers’ ... but what about being honest about the economy.

OpinionVideoCommentsPremiumWhy Jim’s Budget bluster is just a bunch of pretty porkies

Jim Chalmers hasn’t just tried to put lipstick on a pig with his Budget charm offensive. He’s gone for the full porcine makeover.

Everyday social media users are taking to their phones, fuelled by a mixture of mortgage stress and raw adrenaline, filming furious, car-seat rants about Anthony Albanese and the latest Federal Budget. 

opinion
opinion
PoliticsCommentsPremium
opinion
Why bumbling Albo’s in a blind panic about losing youth vote

Everyday social media users are taking to their phones, fuelled by a mixture of mortgage stress and raw adrenaline, filming furious, car-seat rants about Anthony Albanese and the latest Federal Budget. 

Caitlin Vinci

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson speaks to the media during a doorstop interview at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

opinion
opinion
opinionVideoCommentsPremium
opinion
One Nation is a dilemma for Australia’s major party duopoly

The Liberal brand is on the nose and One Nation is filling the void, but the Albanese and Cook Governments are not immune from the impact of Pauline Hanson’s rapid rise up the opinion polls.

Jessica Page

Beyond the celebrations of the nation’s 100,000 lowest paid workers, there is a portent of gloomier times and a genuine fear this blunt instrument will strike a blow to our fragile, inflated economy.

opinion
opinion
EditorialVideoCommentsPremium
opinion
Increase to minimum wages threatens maximum pain

Beyond the celebrations of the nation’s 100,000 lowest paid workers, there is a portent of gloomier times and a genuine fear this blunt instrument will strike a blow to our fragile, inflated economy.

RBA governor Michele Bullock and Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

analysis
analysis
OpinionVideoComments
analysis
Fair Work may have blown up the RBA’s kill-inflation plan

AARON PATRICK: By granting an above-inflation pay increase to 2.7 million workers, the industrial umpire may trigger copycat demands that drive up inflation and interest rates. 

Aaron Patrick

Aaron Patrick

Anthony Albanese should make an honest man of himself and call a general election. If he’s so confident he has the tax reforms right, what’s holding him back from letting the voters decide?

opinion
opinion
OpinionVideoCommentsPremium
opinion
Lying Albanese must let voters decide on his Budget debacle

Anthony Albanese should make an honest man of himself and call a general election. If he’s so confident he has the tax reforms right, what’s holding him back from letting the voters decide?

Cameron Milner

Election losses and controversy (including a stint in jail) meant the flame-haired firebrand was labelled a joke by most Australians.

opinion
opinion
EditorialComments
opinion
Labor’s Budget flub a boon for One Nation

Election losses and controversy (including a stint in jail) meant the flame-haired firebrand was labelled a joke by most Australians. 10 years on, Pauline Hanson cannot be considered a laughing matter.

Tony Abbott has long been one of the best and most ruthless communicators in politics, writes Katina Curtis.

analysis
analysis
Katina CurtisCommentsPremium
analysis
Why Tony Abbott could be the answer to the Liberals’ woes

Is Tony Abbott the answer to the Liberal Party’s woes? That depends on how you define the problem that has seen voters flee the 82-year-old party.

Katina Curtis

The Budget changed everything for Anthony Albanese

opinion
opinion
OpinionVideoComments
opinion
The Budget changed everything for Anthony Albanese

AARON PATRICK: A poll showing 57 per cent of voters believe the Labor Party does not deserve re-election illustrates the damage of the Budget’s broken promises.

Aaron Patrick

Aaron Patrick

An image of the Andromeda Galaxy. Top right: The Cepheid variable star. Bottom right: Hubble’s 1923 image.

opinion
opinion
Andrew MillerCommentsPremium
opinion
Cherish our universe if your Glasgow coma score allows

I was disoriented in time and place, so my Glasgow Coma Score was at best 14 out of 15.

Niall Mc Ilroy

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil.

opinion
opinion
EditorialCommentsPremium
opinion
One headache after another with tax plan

Another day, more contention in Canberra around who will and who won’t be eligible for carve outs from controversial changes to capital gains tax.

The West Australian

The behaviour coined “ruditude”, a shortening of the phrase rude attitude, is most definitely on the rise.

opinion
opinion
Gary MartinCommentsPremium
opinion
Demands of modern life are no excuse for rise of ‘ruditude’

What do you call it when someone ignores an invitation to your birthday party, arrives late to dinner without saying sorry or promises to call back but never does?

Gary Martin

Transgender woman Roxanne Tickle was barred from using the female-only platform Giggle for Girls and has accused the social media site of discrimination.

opinion
opinion
Ben HarveyCommentsPremium
opinion
Tiptoeing through the transgender minefield

Writing about transgender politics is one topic I avoid because a middle-aged bloke like me is one errant pronoun away from being cancelled.

Ben Harvey

Ben Harvey

Nat Locke

opinion
opinion
THAT’S LIFE Comments
opinion
Am I a cat or dog person? Why not have both?

Hosting the annual Cat Haven Quiz Night I get the inevitable question: “I thought you were a dog person!” I’m here to officially tell you that I swing both ways. I’m an anomaly.

Nat Locke