The Economy, Stupid

Australians have given away more than $1.5 trillion in the past 20 years and could be on track to hand over another $6 trillion in the coming three decades - what are the implications for inequality? Plus, Roy Green remembers economic scholar Geoff Harcourt.

A Sydney based software company that builds AI tools for the medical industry has raised $129 million in its latest funding round. Dr Aengus Tran and his brother, Dimitry Tran, co-founded the business after immigrating to Australia from Vietnam for high school. Harrison.ai's success is part of a record-breaking year for venture capital investment.Guests:Dr Aengus Tran, Chief Executive, Harrison.aiAmanda Price, Head of KPMG High Growth Ventures

Australia has a shortage of social housing – where rents are usually capped at 25 per cent of tenants' incomes. The Grattan Institute is suggesting the federal government should establish a "social housing future fund" to generate the income needed to construct thousands of homes.Guests: Brendan Coates, Director of Economic Policy, The Grattan Institute

The Committee for the Economic Development says Australia will entrench the next generation of poverty and disadvantage unless it improves information sharing between support services and governments. How can sharing data help identify those most at risk, and enable early intervention to break the cycle of disadvantage? Guest: Cassandra Winzar, CEDA Senior Economist and co-author of Disrupting Disadvantage

A new rental affordability index exposes the crippling price of rental properties across Australia for lower-income households. Regionals rents continue to soar as more people move from cities, pushing locals into rental stress.Guests: Ellen Witte, SGS Economics and Planning, Principal & Partner, lead author of the Rental Affordability Index

Finding a a lower priced electricity deal might be about to get easier. Plus, a new rental affordability index further details the crippling price of rental properties across Australia for lower-income households

Energy expert Bruce Mountain searched a price comparison website for the best electricity deal – with little success. But with new entrants such as Telstra and Shell to the retail electricity sector – the market is poised for big changes.Guest: Bruce Mountain Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University

In a post-pandemic recovery, we might expect financial stress to lessen. But the highest level of financial stress, beyond just making ends meet, has been increasing in recent months for families with young children. The Money explores new research from the Melbourne Institute. Plus, the effects of the pandemic on financial equality - Gen Z women are falling behind. And, are tighter lending restrictions cooling Australia's housing market?Guests:Abigail Payne, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, University of MelbourneBianca Hartge-Hazelman, founder, Financy Women's IndexEliza Owen, Head of Residential Research Australia, CoreLogic

The Commonwealth Bank will allow customers trade cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and Ethereum via its banking app. How might the bank treat the currencies in this landmark experiment? Plus, the RBA's hunt for wage rises and the battle for manual workers.Guests:Paul Bloxham, Chief Economist, Australia, NZ & Global Commodities, HSBCGeorge Tan, Research Fellow, Charles Darwin UniversityDr Elvira Sojli, Associate Professor of Finance and Scientia Fellow Alumni, School of Banking and Finance, UNSW