The Bloomberg Australia Podcast

Erin Patterson was this week sentenced to at least 33 years in prison for murdering three family members and attempting to kill a fourth, by serving a lunch laced with poisonous mushrooms – closing a chapter in the saga that’s become globally known as the Mushroom Murders. On this week’s Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Chris Bourke speaks with Ainsley Thomson about why the case drew so much international interest, spawning books, podcasts and TV series. They also explore what fuels our obsession with true crime, and whether the intense scrutiny may have influenced Patterson’s fate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have a child, or have left the house in recent months, chances are you’re familiar with Pop Mart’s blind box sensation the Labubu. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks to Ainsley Thomson in Wellington about why the toothy plush toys have developed a cult following and investors are diving in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Goldman Sachs is bolstering its private wealth business in Australia as it tries to win the business of individuals and families with more than A$100 million to invest. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks to finance editor Adam Haigh about what this tells us about the local wealth management market, and how people with slightly less (i.e. most of us) can do to boost their coffers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s richest are getting richer — with Gina Rinehart and Harry Triguboff climbing higher in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, while others like Atlassian’s founders take a hit. Together, the nation’s top ten fortunes are now worth $144 billion. So where’s the money being made and what does it say about the broader economy? This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks to wealth editor Andrew Heathcote about the winners and losers in Australia’s billionaire ranks, the sectors driving their gains, and what lessons we can take from how the ultra-wealthy think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has just lifted its final bans on beef from the US, more than two decades after they were first imposed. The government says it’s the natural end of a long evaluation process but others see it as a bid to win favor from the US and avoid the worst of Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff war.This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks to agriculture reporter Ben Westcott about what really sparked the end to the beef ban, what more American meat in Australia means for local producers, and the outlook for the sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of Australia surprised the market in July by holding interest rates steady - and only a few people saw it coming. One of those who did was Bloomberg Economics’ James McIntyre. Now, he thinks that Governor Michele Bullock and her board will finally deliver a cut at the August 12 meeting. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, Chris Bourke talks to James about what’s changed since the July decision, how far borrowing costs could fall this year - and why US President Donald Trump may play a role in what the RBA does next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since rockstar interviewer Mishal Husain joined Bloomberg earlier this year, she’s grilled the likes of Elon Musk and Keir Starmer. Now, she’s set her sights on Australia. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, Mishal sits down with Malcolm Turnbull, who as you might expect has a fair bit to say about his old mate US President Donald Trump. Mishal also asks our former Prime Minister his thoughts on US tariffs, China and the way forward for the AUKUS pact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin just hit a record above $123,000 and crypto is suddenly back in the headlines. A major new US law backing stablecoins has sent digital assets soaring, and it’s tied directly to Donald Trump’s renewed push to make crypto part of the political mainstream. While Bitcoin itself isn’t covered by the legislation, the broader mood shift has given the whole sector a boost - and Aussie investors are watching closely. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks with cross-asset reporter Richard Henderson about what this new wave of momentum really means. From ETFs and super fund exposure to why stablecoins matter more than you might think, they break down how crypto is evolving, what’s driving the surge - and whether this marks a shift toward digital assets going truly mainstream.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s six-day visit to China was a diplomatic reset that marks the full restoration of trade ties after years of friction. While the trip was framed around economics, the stakes were far broader, as tensions simmer over Taiwan, defense, and Australia’s balancing act between its biggest trading partner and its key security ally, the US. This week on the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Rebecca Jones speaks with Beijing-based reporter James Mayger about how the visit played out inside China and what wasn’t said in the official statements. They also explore what China wants next from the relationship — and how much Canberra is actually willing to give.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The RBA shocked markets this week by keeping interest rates on hold at 3.85%, despite widespread expectations for a third cut in five months. That decision left millions of mortgage holders disappointed and raised new questions about the central bank’s strategy as inflation continues to ease.This week on the podcast, Chris Bourke speaks with economy reporter Swati Pandey about why markets misread the RBA, what Governor Michele Bullock’s signals mean for future moves, and what could prompt the next cut. They also unpack the impact on housing and how global risks like President Trump’s tariff threats are complicating the outlook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.