Treasurer

It must be to the eternal frustration of Treasurer Wayne Swan that, while the rest of the world thinks he is genius, Australians are considerably less sanguine when it comes to his fiscal abilities.

Labor’s own research reveals the depths to which Swan has failed to excite us about how wonderful the domestic economy is. What will really get his goat is that, according to research conducted by the Labor researchers leaked to The Daily Telegraph, people reckon Joe Hockey is a far better bloke.

Swan has been Treasurer for almost five years, and has seen Australia through the worst economic crisis in modern times - compared to Hockey’s short stint as financial services minister more than a decade ago and the current two and a half years as Swan’s shadow.

Continue reading "Why Australians still see Swan as a lame duck" »

In a week’s time, as Finance Ministers and Treasurers from around the world gather in Washington to discuss the economic woes afflicting America and Europe, there will be an important ceremony on the sidelines.

Euromoney, the world’s leading magazine for banking and finance, will present the prestigious Finance Minister of the Year Award.

Each year the award honours the Finance Minister, Treasurer or central bank governor whose key decisions “have directly benefited both the performance and perception of their country’s economic and financial achievements”.

Continue reading "Is Wayne Swan the greatest Treasurer in the world?" »