Tim Colebatch

Tim Colebatch was hired by The Age as a cadet in 1880 when Alfred Deakin decided to move into politics. Since then he has held every writing job on the paper, established a new company record of three yearsâ€™ long service leave owing, held up the paper on 2673 nights by filing late copy, and still loves the job and has fun writing.

Good news is just a bit too good to be believed

Tim Colebatch Yesterday's GDP figures would be fine, if we could believe them.

The economy is returning to normal, and so are rates

Tim Colebatch Let's cut the whingeing. Our economy is returning to normal, so interest rates are returning to normal. Who's got a problem with that?

Indian TV's unsound fury

Tim Colebatch In 2007, according to India's National Crime Records Bureau, 32,318 people were murdered in India. Another 3644 were victims of ''culpable homicide'', roughly equating to manslaughter.

Picking through the curate's egg laid in Copenhagen

Tim Colebatch It was Christmas drinks at the Economists' Club. Bill the barman had just topped up our glasses when Pangloss rose to propose a toast to the outcomes of the Copenhagen climate change summit.

Job ads suggest worst over

Tim Colebatch Is the worst already behind us? After three months in which, on face value, 100,000 jobs have been added and unemployment has fallen, there is good reason to think it is.

The key to staying afloat

Tim Colebatch It is not surprising that the Nielsen poll finds that Australians strongly support the Government's use of economic stimulus to fight off a recession.

The error of our ways

Tim Colebatch To err is human, so why do we tear to pieces anyone who makes a public mistake?

Interest rate rise is good news

Tim Colebatch If we were sensible about it, we'd admit that the Reserve Bank's decision to raise interest rates yesterday is good news. Why? Because it tells us the economy is getting better.

Increase a cert after No Rate Rise scratched

Tim Colebatch Sadly, the connections of popular filly No Rate Rise advise that after yesterday's inflation figures, she has been scratched from the field on Melbourne Cup day.

We failed the GFC test

Tim Colebatch My mum was a gentle, loving woman who could tolerate almost anything except skiting.

As immigration loses its appeal, we must train more workers

Tim Colebatch In his statement a few days ago, the Reserve Bank governor was very clear: interest rates would be on hold for another year or so.

A sacrifice to keep the status quo

Tim Colebatch No one likes this emissions trading scheme. If you're worried about global warming, it is inadequate, a compromise diluted by more compromises to blunt its impact.

Time to call off the attack

Tim Colebatch Some time before Christmas, after a year and a half of seriously heavy work, after considering hundreds of lengthy submissions from some of our best and brightest, the Henry review will deliver its...

A savvy compromise that leaves the door open

Tim Colebatch Whatever the fate of the climate deal struck between Penny Wong and Ian Macfarlane, the package it proposes is not radically different from the one the Senate rejected in August.

A race to the bottom

Tim Colebatch Rudd and Turnbull are in a bidding war to reward our dirtiest emitters.

Migration waves

Tim Colebatch Immigration has quietly climbed to record levels, and while the ripples are being felt in the big cities, they're slow to reach Canberra.

It's little things that count when the economic emergency ends

Tim Colebatch THE big message from Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens yesterday was not so much about interest rates, but about the economy.

The global recovery won't provide an easy ride for the West

Tim Colebatch The global recovery is under way. But if the International Monetary Fund is right, this recovery will be different. In the West, it will be long, slow and painful.

The world is relying on the G20 leaders to find a way back to economic stability

Tim Colebatch The G20 leaders meet in Pittsburgh this week to debate a way out of the global financial crisis. That fact alone tells us how much this crisis has changed the world.