Dollars & Sense

Looking to buy a house? Having a good job that pays good money probably won’t be enough. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss new research showing just how difficult it is to save for a house deposit and the political response to Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 13 March 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: 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: ‘Gone are the days when a ‘good job’ gets you a house – and now we have the data to prove it’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (March 2025) Housing affordability crisis – Saving for a deposit forever by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (March 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.

Australia’s per capita recession is over, but the United States economy could be in for much worse. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the end of Australia’s per capita recession, why the humble chickpea deserves some of the credit, and why DOGE is looking like a disaster for the American economy. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 6 March 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Subscribe to Between the Lines, the Australia Institute's fortnightly newsletter. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. 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: ‘The Reserve Bank should be looking at these numbers and wondering why it waited until February to act’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (March 2025) Briefing Paper: Restoring public sector capability through investment in public service employees by Lisa Heap, the Australia Institute (February 2025) “A drowning memory”: the Pacific Island communities fighting for their survival, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (March 2025) After America, the Australia Institute 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.

The Government is being grilled by the media about how it will pay for its changed to Medicare – but why are journalists not asking the same questions of Australia’s expensive and unfair tax concessions? On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Hayden discuss the latest monthly inflation data, the proposed improvements to Medicare, and Australia’s misguided obsession with federal budget surpluses. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 27 February 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Subscribe to Between the Lines, The Australia Institute's fortnightly newsletter. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute and Centre for Future Work // @grogsgamut Host: Hayden Starr, Digital Media Manager, the Australia Institute // @haydenstarr Show notes: ‘It’s time we asked: what is the cost not just to the budget, but to society, when the richest are helped to get richer?’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (February 2025) ‘Superannuation tax concessions are making inequality worse’ by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (July 2024) 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.

The Reserve Bank has cut interest rates for the first time since November 2020 – so is the Australian economy out of the woods? On this crossover episode of Follow the Money and Dollars & Sense, Greg Jericho and Ebony Bennett discuss what’s going on with inflation, the performance of the Reserve Bank and whether the Government deserves the credit for setting the economy on a better course. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 19 February 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.  Guest: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett Show notes:  Corporate profits increase inflation, the Australia Institute (December 2024) 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.

And some of you get annexed (maybe). On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the bogus claims made by American officials about Australia flooding the US market with aluminium, the latest housing data (still no house for Elinor *sadface*) and Australia’s urban-rural divide. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 13 February 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: 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: ‘Trump’s latest tariff bid shows the old rules of trade no longer apply. Scraps of paper will not save us’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (February 2025) ‘Stop the steel’, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (February 2025) ‘Housing affordability is on a very dangerous path’ by David Richardson and Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (February 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.

Without addressing the wealth inequality crisis, Australia’s economy and society will suffer. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Australia Institute Senior Economist and Elinor Johnston-Leek discuss how our housing and superannuation policies are fuelling wealth inequality. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 6 February 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 and Centre for Future Work // @mattgrudnoff Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek Show notes: Superannuation tax concessions are making inequality worse by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (July 2024) Income and wealth inequality in Australia by David Richardson and Frank Stilwell, the Australia Institute (July 2024) 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.

Slashing public service jobs won’t make government more efficient. On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the December quarter inflation figures, the political battle over the economy, and Dutton’s appointment of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to an Elon Musk-style ‘government efficiency’ position. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 30 January 2025 and things may have changed since recording. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website. 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: 'No more excuses: the time has come for the RBA to cut interest rates’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (January 2025) After America, the Australia Institute ‘Project 2025, the policy substance behind Trump’s showmanship, reveals a radical plan to reshape the world’ by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (April 2024) 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.

Superannuation tax concessions benefit the richest Australians most – so why is the government finding it so hard to make modest changes to the system? On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss fearful grandmas, angry farmers and the political fight over superannuation reforms. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 23 January 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: 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: ‘Misleading fear campaigns may kill Labor’s superannuation changes. But here are the real numbers’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (January 2025) “Much-needed” super changes should pass, the Australia Institute (January 2025) Reducing poverty in retirement by Minh Ngoc Le, Greg Jericho and Morgan Harrington, the Australia Institute (October 2024) ‘New $3m super tax is ‘stealing my children’s inheritance’, Australian Financial Review (July 2024) 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.

In the wake of the catastrophic LA fires, how do the Australian major parties shape up on climate policy? As natural disasters grow more and more frequent, causing devastating destruction, and making cost-of-living more expensive, the two major parties in Australia seem happy to be talking about the nuclear nothing-burger, while sweeping coal mine extensions under the rug. This week on Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss what the next election might look like in the face of climate change. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 16 January 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: 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: ‘Australians should be angry about another year of climate inaction. But don’t let your anger turn into despair’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (December 2024) 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.

Just some things. Greg and guest host Adam Gottschalk discuss the media panic over the falling Aussie dollar, what it means for Greg’s Vegas blackjack losses, and how markets are responding to the incoming Trump administration. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 9 January 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order the first book from our new imprint, What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.  Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute and Centre for Future Work // @grogsgamut Host: Adam Gottschalk, Anne Kantor Fellow, the Australia Institute // @adamchalksitup Show notes: ‘Don’t panic – despite the headlines, the Aussie dollar isn’t crashing’ by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (January 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.