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Brendan Coates

Fellow, Grattan Institute

Brendan is a fellow at the Grattan Institute. Before joining Grattan, Brendan worked with the World Bank in Indonesia, and prior to that, he undertook a number of roles with the Australian Treasury, including as part of the Treasury’s China Policy Unit. Brendan holds a Masters of International Development Economics from the Australian National University and Bachelors of Commerce and Arts from the University of Melbourne.

Migrant Crisis Series

How should the skilled migration points test be reformed? It’s an $84 billion question

Jun 03, 2024 11:01 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As the government consults on potential reforms to points-tested visas for skilled migrants, the stakes couldnt be higher. Skilled migrants contribute enormously to Australias prosperity shaping our diverse society,...

Older women often rent in poverty – shared home equity could help some escape

Feb 24, 2022 20:41 pm UTC| Economy

Many older Australian women face insecure futures. Those who are single, divorced or widowed are much more likely to suffer poverty, housing stress and homelessness. Our new Grattan Institute proposal for a national...

Now we'll need $100-$120 billion. Why the budget has to spend big to avoid scarring

Sep 09, 2020 06:33 am UTC| Economy

Australia is in for a long and damaging economic slump, unless governments inject substantially more fiscal stimulus. The July budget update forecast that unemployment would hit 9.25% in coming months. The Treasury...

Early access to super doesn’t justify higher compulsory contributions

Aug 09, 2020 22:44 pm UTC| Economy

A big part of the Morrison governments response to COVID-19 has been allowing people early access to their superannuation. Australians who have claimed hardship have applied for A$30.7 billion to date. This has been...

Money for social housing, not home buyers grants, is the key to construction stimulus

Jun 03, 2020 15:15 pm UTC| Economy

Theres no doubt Australias construction industry is facing tough times. COVID-19 has caused migration to slow to a trickle. Some 2.6 million Australians have either lost their jobs or had their hours cut in the past two...

Think superannuation comes from employers' pockets? It comes from yours

Feb 03, 2020 12:17 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

A key question for the governments retirement incomes review is who ultimately pays for compulsory super contributions, especially since they are set to climb from 9.5% of wages to 12% over the next five years. Legally,...

Rudd's rental affordability scheme was a $1 billion gift to developers; Abbott was right to axe it

Sep 10, 2019 20:38 pm UTC| Insights & Views Real Estate Politics

Most Australians are spending more of their income on housing than they used to, but low-income households are being squeezed the hardest. Many are in poverty, and many more are suffering financial stress. A growing...

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Economy

China Opens Door to Stronger U.S. Trade Ties Amid Rising Tensions

China has signaled a willingness to deepen economic and trade cooperation with the United States, as Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of a World Trade...

U.S. Stocks Tumble as Iran Peace Deal Uncertainty Spooks Markets

Wall Street closed sharply lower on Thursday as conflicting signals over a potential U.S.-Iran peace agreement rattled investor confidence. President Donald Trumps ambiguous remarks about whether Washington was willing or...

Oil Prices Slip as Middle East Tensions Ease, Heading for Weekly Loss

Oil prices declined during Asian trading on Friday, putting both major benchmarks on course for a weekly loss of more than 4%, as signs of diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran reduced the geopolitical...

Dollar Strengthens as U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Send Mixed Signals

The U.S. dollar gained ground on Thursday, rising 0.3% to 99.90 on the US Dollar Index, as conflicting signals surrounding U.S.-Iran peace negotiations renewed demand for safe-haven assets. Investors looking for stability...

Gold Prices Drop Amid Iran Peace Talk Uncertainty and Stronger Dollar

Gold prices fell sharply on Thursday as mixed signals from President Donald Trump regarding Iran peace negotiations rattled investors, while a strengthening U.S. dollar added further downward pressure on the precious...

Politics

Israeli Airstrike Targets Building in Beirut's Southern Suburbs Amid Ongoing Hezbollah Conflict

Early Friday morning, Israeli forces launched an airstrike involving three missiles aimed at a building located in the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to security sources familiar with the situation. Details...

Ukraine-Russia War: Frontline Updates as Spring Offensive Looms

Tensions along the Ukraine-Russia front line are escalating as both sides report territorial shifts in eastern and northeastern Ukraine. Russias Defence Ministry claimed Thursday that its forces seized the village of...

Russia Accused of Helping Iran Target U.S. Forces, European Powers Tell G7

European nations have formally accused Russia of providing military intelligence and drone technology to Iran to help target American forces in the Middle East, raising the issue directly with U.S. Secretary of State Marco...

G7 Summit 2026: South Africa Excluded Amid U.S. Pressure, Kenya Invited Instead

France has officially denied that South Africa was dropped from the G7 leaders summit guest list due to pressure from Washington, stating that Kenya was chosen as Africas representative ahead of President Emmanuel Macrons...

Trump Pauses Iran Strikes as Peace Talks Stall Amid Military Buildup

President Donald Trump announced a 10-day pause on U.S. strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, pushing the deadline to April 6, 2026. Trump attributed the extension to a direct request from Tehran, though peace...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

SMIC Allegedly Supplies Chipmaking Tools to Iran's Military, U.S. Officials Warn

Chinas top semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation), has reportedly been transferring chipmaking equipment to Irans military industrial complex, according to two senior Trump...

Reflection AI Eyes $25 Billion Valuation in Massive $2.5 Billion Funding Round

Nvidia-backed artificial intelligence startup Reflection AI is in advanced discussions to secure $2.5 billion in fresh funding, with negotiations pointing to a staggering pre-money valuation of $25 billion, according to a...

Nanya Technology Shares Surge 10% After $2.5 Billion Private Placement from Sandisk and Cisco

Shares of Taiwan-based memory chip manufacturer Nanya Technology soared to their daily limit of 10% on Thursday morning following the companys announcement of a major $2.5 billion private placement deal backed by prominent...

SK Hynix Eyes Up to $14 Billion U.S. IPO to Fund AI Chip Expansion

South Korean memory chip giant SK Hynix has submitted a confidential filing for a U.S. stock market listing in 2026, with sources indicating the move could raise as much as $14 billion. The company intends to offer...

Meta Ties Executive Pay to Aggressive Stock Price Targets in Major Retention Push

Meta Platforms made a significant move this week by granting restricted stock units and stock options to several of its most senior leaders, including Chief Financial Officer Susan Li and Chief Technology Officer Andrew...