Tax the wealthiest to make Australia more productive

The Prime Minister hosed down expectations ahead of the economic roundtable, but a serious reform package must include changes to tax policy.

On this episode of Follow the Money, Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff joins Ebony Bennett to discuss the Government’s economic roundtable, why taxing wealth more effectively would make Australians better off, and why removing as-yet-unnamed ‘red tape’ isn’t going to fix productivity.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website.

You can listen to Dollars & Sense each week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett

Show notes:

Three ways Australia can tax wealth better by Dave Richardson and Matt Grudnoff, the Australia Institute (August 2025)

The problem with productivity, Dollars & Sense (August 2025)

Gary's Economics on Australia, Punter’s Politics on YouTube (August 2025)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

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