Even as Apple became the nation’s most profitable technology company, it avoided billions in taxes in the United States and around the world through a web of subsidiaries so complex it spanned continents and went beyond anything most experts had ever seen, Congressional investigators disclosed on Monday.

The much vaunted mining sector, often credited with getting Australia through the global financial crisis, is ripping us off. That's the message from last week's budget.

And the message from the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott’s Budget reply is that he will help it continue to do so.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey says it is up to the states and territories to make a case for changes to the goods and services tax (GST), after NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell called for an overhaul.

Four nights ago, when a nervous Wayne Swan rose to deliver the budget that was crafted to create a ''stronger, smarter, fairer Australia'', the public galleries were sparsely populated and unanimated, his colleagues were stoic, sullen and stern, and the mood almost funereal.

Picture by Gus: Like an oil film on a street, opinions can show different colours depending on the slant (or place) of our observation...

Computers could take some tough decisions out of our hands, if we let them. Is there still a place for human judgement?

Yep, the barking of Tonicchio offers nothing else but hot coals and pain for the future, should you let him in... Mind you the CCs of the ABC are in rapture... I mean Barry Cassidy and Annabel Crabb... They both got hooked on Tony's thick fishing line, like lazy perches in search of a quick worm...

To paraphrase Tony, Tony's idea about the environment is crap. Tony's idea about jobs is crap. Tony's idea about the economy is crap... Tony's idea about superannuation is crap.... Tony's idea about anything is crap.

Leigh, there’s nothing I’m prouder of than my record as treasurer.

In dollar terms this fall means that last year Wayne Swan was budgeting for an extra $56.8 billion in revenue over the four years to 2015-16 than he is now.

Why did that not come through?

Although football fans may struggle to believe it, there is something more important than soccer. No less than the future of human civilisation is at stake. And without civilisation, there is no soccer.

What if the government could save hundreds of millions of dollars by listing a cheaper drug, shown to be just as effective as the one which costs the PBS more than any other medicine? You won’t find out so long as the company that owns both drugs keeps the bargain-priced cousin shut out.