The Fin

This week on The Fin podcast, senior correspondent Jacob Greber talks about whether the government’s new plan will work, how much it will cost and what are the political stakes for the country’s ambitious climate change minister. And Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen reports from Dubai on Australia’s role at this year’s COP28 summit. This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors Further reading: Bowen's energy plan might cost 'tens of billions' The cost of Labor’s freshly minted Capacity Investment Scheme is being hotly debated by energy experts, with most agreeing the Commonwealth faces a material financial exposure, as well as concerns about the government’s refusal to reveal costings. Bowen dramatically expands green energy support The Albanese government will supercharge its struggling 82 per cent clean energy goal by dramatically expanding its underwriting of green generation and storage, effectively replacing the Renewable Energy Target favoured by some wind and solar proponents. 'A lot of zeroes': Why global CEOs flock to COP In recent years, a ‘climate Davos’ has emerged on the fringes of COP summits, with companies striking deals, swapping notes and talking to politicians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, Chanticleer columnist Anthony Macdonald and senior resources writer Angela Macdonald-Smith on the twists and turns of the Origin takeover saga, why the bid failed and where those billions of dollars might be headed next.This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors Further reading: Origin shareholders demand demerger, higher dividends in deal fallout Origin Energy’s board is facing demands to consider a demerger, a beefed-up transition plan and higher dividend payouts after the collapse of a $20 billion takeover plan. The one question for every director in Origin's $20 billion belly flop Stability is the new buzzword at Origin Energy. Having tried to upend the joint for the past year, everyone now seems to want stability: the board, management, investors (institutional and retail), even Brookfield. Brookfield taking ‘suckers for a ride’ in Origin play: Keating Assets of Origin’s premium quality should not be sold to private equity investors and, worse, sold cheaply, only to be bought back five years later – with the sole aim of delivering unconscionable profits to equity fund investors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, education editor Julie Hare on why young Australians are losing faith in the value of uni and whether the government can turn it around. This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors Further reading: Have young Australians lost faith in uni? The number of Australian students studying for a bachelor’s degree has fallen more than 13 per cent since 2016, new data reveals, as rising student debt and the booming jobs market turn young people off higher education. The income boost from a uni degree is slumping The income boost graduates gain from earning a university degree is declining and greater for those with higher qualifications, such as master’s and PhDs, a study has found. The secret plan to control what uni students can study In what would be a radical overhaul of higher education, a major review is considering an external body to oversee all aspects of universities, potentially stripping them of their autonomy and independence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin, economics editor John Kehoe on why young Australians are at risk of a poorer future and what can be done to lighten their load. This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors Further reading: Why younger Australians are at risk of a poorer future The nation will become older, more indebted, and tax working-age people more over coming decades unless something dramatic changes. The penny has finally dropped on income tax burden There are at least three achievable ways to alleviate the intergenerational inequities in the tax system to take pressure off workers and not harm economic growth. Tax system fails every test, says Ken Henry The federal-state tax system “fails” every test, including for economic growth and fairness to younger people, underlining the need for political leadership to deliver more than “mere tinkering”, former Treasury boss Ken Henry says.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen on the war between Israel and Hamas and whether it could spread across the Middle East. And political editor Phillip Coorey on Australia’s complicated response.This podcast is sponsored by SAP.Further reading:Netanyahu's dilemma Israel, as ever, is caught between its hard-won capacity to fight militarily on its own terms, and its inability to achieve lasting security without the collusion of Washington, and the major Arab capitals too.Australia a small player in Middle East conflict Anthony Albanese has called for a sense of perspective regarding Australia’s ability to influence events in the Middle East, as he accused the Greens and Coalition of using the tragedy for political gain while the government was trying to minimise civil unrest.Wong's ceasefire call draws flak from both sides Foreign Minister Penny Wong is under fire on two fronts after she raised the prospect of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accusing her of being “reckless” for even broaching the topic while the pro-Palestinian lobby criticised her for not going far enough. (edited) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, technology reporter Jessica Sier and United States correspondent Matthew Cranston on the great unravelling of Sam Bankman-Fried, what it was like inside the courtroom and why his legal troubles aren’t yet over. This podcast is sponsored by SAP.Further reading: Sam Bankman-Fried: the villain in a cinema near you His defence lawyer said the government tried to show the jury “the movie of Sam the villain.” He might have been ahead of his time. Sam Bankman-Fried squirms under cross-examination While Bankman-Fried appeared almost chipper while answering questions from his defence lawyer, the mood turned quickly when the prosecution got started. Bankman-Fried brought to book Sitting in front of a freshly picked jury and a courtroom jammed with reporters, Sam Bankman-Fried’s trademark unruly curls had vanished after five weeks in a Brooklyn prison. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, they discuss the importance of Albanese's China trip, the challenges facing Xi Jinping, China's slowing economy, Taiwan's warning to Albanese, the sacking of China's Defence Minister, Cheng Lei's release from prison, and more.

This podcast explores the rise and fall and rise again of the lithium mining industry in Australia. It discusses major deals and the involvement of Australian billionaires. BHP's skepticism towards lithium and the impact of lithium prices on global electrification efforts are also covered. The podcast concludes with a discussion on Australian government funding for the critical minerals industry.

This week on The Fin, Joe Aston on his evolution from gossip columnist to campaigning journalist, what happened when he went too far and life after Rear Window. This podcast is sponsored by SAP. Further reading: Joe's farewell column Rear Window’s style evolved (and its rigour improved), but my primary motivation never really changed, and that was to entertain. Richard Goyder's pantomime swan song The Qantas chairman has elected to take an excruciating route to the inevitable. Sobering thoughts from Rehab Riviera Resisting alcohol is almost the easiest part of early sobriety. Vastly more daunting is the reconstruction of one’s interpersonal skills. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This podcast discusses the upcoming Voice Referendum in Australia, analyzing the expected outcome and sharing the perspectives of Yes and No voters. It explores the significance of the referendum for the Albanese government and Indigenous leaders, highlighting concerns, challenges, and potential implications. The podcast also covers the personal political commitment of Anthony Albanese to the issue and the ongoing debate on Indigenous constitutional recognition and the establishment of the Voice to Parliament advisory body.