Hunters Race/UnsplashHarrison Young has had a long and distinguished international career in banking and finance. He started in senior executive roles in major United States banks, then became a US financial regulator, with responsibility for the resolution of failing banks. He was also a director of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for ten years, and was on the court of directors of the Bank of England.
I AM WORK.
This handwritten phrase was found among the papers of industrialist Essington Lewis after his death in 1961. It captured the mindset shared by many Australian executives of his era.
Arian Simone, left, and Ayana Parsons of the foundation The Fearless Fund saw their grant program for Black women entrepreneurs affected after the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action.
High property taxes in Detroit deter national retailers from opening stores in the city. Sylvia Jarrus for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesDetroit’s borders encompass 139 square miles, a footprint large enough to fit Manhattan, Boston and San Francisco combined.
A barista prepares drinks at Qahwah House in Dearborn, Mich. Valaurian Waller for The ConversationThe mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Abdullah Hammoud, declared the city the “Coffee Capital of America” in November 2025.
Vicki Smith/GettyIt might feel strange to talk about being able to trade water as a financial asset, in the same way as company shares or bonds. But water is big business.
Australia leads the world on the size, extent and adoption of formal water markets, especially in our largest river system, the Murray-Darling Basin.
Cottonbro studio/PexelsAustralia has a mental health crisis. The Productivity Commission has found mental health issues cost Australia up to A$200 billion to $220 billion per year – one tenth of annual economic output.
Job stress is a major contributing factor to that crisis, affecting both physical and mental health.
When senior staff buy their own company's shares during layoffs, they're signaling that a turnaround will succeed. AP Photo/Richard DrewIt’s a mantra among business executives that slashing their workforce will streamline operations and increase productivity – a strategic boost to the bottom line.
For years, builders and developers have treated “sustainable” homes as someone else’s problem. Solar panels, batteries, double-glazed windows, correct insulation, good ventilation and better materials have been thought to be too expensive, too niche and too unprofitable to include in new homes, so they were left out.
Australia’s new law on supermarket “price gouging” (also known as excessive pricing) starts on July 1 2026.
It prohibits any very large supermarket with revenue exceeding A$30 billion – currently only Coles and Woolworths – from charging a price for a grocery product that is significantly excessive compared to the cost of supply, plus a reasonable margin.
