Dollars & Sense

The federal government’s policy enabling five per cent house deposits is just a backdoor first homebuyer’s grant that’ll pump up prices. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss whether Emirati supermarket chain Lulu will take on Colesworth, the Reserve Bank’s decision to keep rates on hold, Trump’s unworkable tariffs on foreign films, and how the government could actually address the housing crisis. Use the code ‘podcast’ to get 50% off tickets to the Australia Institute’s Revenue Summit. Featuring Hon Steven Miles MP, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator David Pocock, Dr Kate Chaney MP, Greg Jericho and more, the Summit is on Wednesday 29 October at Parliament House in Canberra. Discount available for Dollars & Sense listeners while stocks last. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 2 October 2025. Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: Save Tuvalu, Save the World, the Australia Institute on YouTube (September 2025) The RBA seems unlikely to do another rate cut – meaning they’re betting the economy is better than the data says by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (September 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Morrison’s GST deal with Western Australia stuffed the system, but there are plenty of ways the Government could make it better. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss Jim Chalmers vs red tape, what the latest inflation data could mean for the November rates decision, and how governments could ensure GST revenues keep up with economic growth. Tickets for our Revenue Summit at Parliament House in Canberra, featuring Hon Steven Miles MP, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator David Pocock, Dr Kate Chaney MP, Greg Jericho and more – are available now. You can buy second release tickets for just $109 via our website. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 25 September 2025. Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: Australia, along with other OECD countries, is mired in mediocrity – and the RBA seems intent on keeping us there by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (September 2025) If the GST worked properly, it would pay for Australia’s biggest infrastructure projects – new analysis, the Australia Institute (September 2025) The huge cost to state budgets of failing GST, the Australia Institute (July 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report outlines the grave consequences of climate change for the Australian economy – so why is the government still approving fossil fuel projects? On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg returns from his holiday to talk about the National Climate Risk Assessment reveals about the future of the Australian economy. Plus: the tricky task of measuring inflation for sectors like health and aged care and why the government’s wellbeing budget is falling flat. Tickets for our Revenue Summit at Parliament House in Canberra, featuring Hon Steven Miles MP, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator David Pocock, Dr Kate Chaney MP, Greg Jericho and more – are available now.  You can buy second release tickets for just $109 via our website. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 18 September 2025. Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: National Climate Risk Assessment, Australian Climate Service Save Tuvalu, Save the World events Australia isn't trying to get off fossil fuels | Richard Denniss at the Senate Environment Committee, the Australia Institute on YouTube (September 2025) The Fight to Save Murujuga, the Australia Institute on YouTube (June 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When our most vulnerable are treated with suspicion, and our wealthiest get massive tax cuts, what does that say about our priorities? On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Matt tells Elinor about the massive class action lawsuit settlement the Government made with the victims of Robodebt, Labor potentially getting cold feet on superannuation tax concession reform, and what they both tell us about how Australia views our poorest and wealthiest people. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 11 September 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Host: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia // @mattgrudnoff.bsky.social Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: The Australia Institute Revenue Summit 2025 ‘The changes to superannuation tax concessions are needed and very fair’ by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (May 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For all the talk about what government should do about productivity, Australia’s biggest corporations remain inefficient and unwilling to invest. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Matt and Elinor discuss the Australia’s latest economic growth data, Trump’s threat to hit countries with digital taxes with extra tariffs, and this week’s political fight over aged care. Early bird tickets for our Revenue Summit at Parliament House in Canberra – Hon. Steven Miles MP, Senator David Pocock, Kate Chaney MP, Greg Jericho and more – are available now.  You can buy tickets for the early bird price of $99 – available for a limited time only. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available to pre-order now via the Australia Institute website. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 4 September 2025. Host: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: The big reform that could make our childcare system cheaper and safer by Matt Grudnoff, The New Daily (August 2025) Media and Democracy, the Australia Institute National Press Club Address: Paul Schroder, Chief Executive of Australian Super, ABC iView (September 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Postal services around the world have suspended services to the United States in response to the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff policies. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Matt and Elinor discuss why the latest inflation data isn’t anything to panic about, the case for economy-wide price gouging laws, and why Australia Post has stopped sending many packages to the United States. Early bird tickets for our Revenue Summit at Parliament House in Canberra – Hon. Steven Miles MP, Senator David Pocock, Kate Chaney MP, Greg Jericho and more – are available now.  You can buy tickets for the early bird price of $99 – available for a limited time only. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 28 August 2025. Host: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: Price gouging: AGL and Origin by Dave Richardson, the Australia Institute (December 2024) Trump’s tariffs won’t wreck Australia’s economy. But America’s could be cooked. Dollars & Sense (April 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover the ethical implications of Qantas's hefty fine for pandemic-era employee terminations. Dive into the complexities of Australia's housing crisis, where demand may be a bigger issue than supply. Explore the nuanced debate over regulations and the myths surrounding red tape, emphasizing the need for balanced reforms. Plus, hear a bold proposal for a climate disaster levy on fossil fuel companies to finance resilience efforts, framing climate action as a pathway to enhanced productivity.

Turns out being Australia’s Biggest Bank is very profitable when there isn’t much competition… On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Matt and Elinor discuss the RBA cutting interest rates five weeks too late, Australia’s biggest bank posting its biggest profit ever in an uncompetitive banking sector, and why Albanese seems to be putting a damper on expectations ahead of the economic roundtable next week. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 14 August 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Host: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff.bsky.social Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: ‘Climate and the Economic Reform Roundtable’ by Jack Thrower and Rod Campbell, the Australia Institute (August 2025) ‘Solving the crisis: Raising the living standards of Australian workers’ by Lisa Heap, the Australia Institute (August 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss the proposals around corporate tax and artificial intelligence ahead of the government’s productivity roundtable. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg explains the Productivity Commission’s proposals for corporate tax and why Trump fired his labour statistics chief, and Elinor discovers people actually like economics. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available to pre-order now via the Australia Institute website. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 7 August 2025. Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute and Centre for Future Work // @grogsgamut Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: ‘Donald Trump’s war on statistics is an authoritarian attack on democracy and countries like Australia should call it out’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2025) Company Tax and the Productivity Agenda: Submission to the Productivity Commission by Dave Richardson, the Australia Institute (June 2025) Productivity in the Real World: What it is, what it isn’t, and how to make it work better for workers by Jim Stanford, the Australia Institute (July 2025) Theme music: 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.Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation is at its lowest level since March 2021, and below the RBA’s target in five capital cities. If there isn’t a rate cut coming soon, Greg will be absolutely flummoxed.  On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor unpack how the latest inflation figures only make it more obvious the RBA should have cut interest rates at their last meeting, and why some people who are unemployed are not looking for work (and it’s not because they’re ‘dole bludgers’).  This discussion was recorded on Thursday 31 July 2025 and things may have changed since recording.  Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut  Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek  Show notes:  Take a deep dive into the inflation numbers and the RBA’s decision not to cut rates seems inexplicable by Greg Jericho (July 2025)  Wrong call – RBA rate hold unfairly dashes borrowers’ hopes for relief, the Australia Institute (July 2025)  Our PBS is a national treasure, not an international trade barrier, the Australia Institute (April 2025)  Theme music: 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. Support Dollars & Sense: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.