Follow The Money

No, it's not just inflation. Since the GFC, there has been a radical reversal in who benefits from economic growth. Back in the 1950s, the bottom 90% of income earners enjoyed around 90% of the benefits of the economic growth, but not anymore. So what has happened? This was recorded on Tuesday 11th April 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent by-election in Aston was historic, with Labor candidate Mary Doyle claiming victory. But what can we learn from these results? Political analyst Kos Samaras joins the podcast to explain. This was recorded on Tuesday 4th March 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Kos Samaras, Political Analyst, Director at RedBridge Group Australia // @KosSamaras Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday, Greens leader Adam Bandt announced that a deal had been reached with the government to pass Safeguard Mechanism with some key amendments. Richard Denniss is just back from Parliament House to help explain the deal and what it means for Australia’s emissions. This was recorded on Monday 27th March 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Richard Denniss, Executive Director, the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAI Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, just released a report with a a very clear message; there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all. One of the key messages in the report is that new fossil fuel projects are incompatible with a net zero target, a message which lies in stark contrast with the Labor government’s Safeguard Mechanism bill which is currently before Parliament. This was recorded on Tuesday 21st March 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Polly Hemming, Climate & Energy Program Director, the Australia Institute // @pollyjhemming Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Federal Government's recent announcement that the AUKUS deal will cost an eye-watering $368 billion sent the media into a spin, with former PM Paul Keating calling it 'the worst deal in all history." The deal to acquire nuclear submarines from the United States has been a bumpy process, to say the least. But what will we actually get out of the deal, and  will it be worth it? This was recorded on Wednesday 15th March 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Allan Behm, International & Security Affairs Director, the Australia Institute // @Mirandaprorsus Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Superannuation is supposed to help us save for our retirement, and tax concessions on super are meant to reduce the burden on the government to fund our retirement through the age pension. But what are these concessions, and are they really working in the way they are intended to? To help explain, we're talking to the Australia Institute's Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff, and Senior Research Fellow, Dave Richardson. This was recorded on Tuesday 7th March 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Speakers: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff Dave Richardson, Senior Research Fellow, the Australia Institute // @daverr01 Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australians are doing it tough at the moment, with cost of living soaring, real wages falling at a record pace, and the RBA’s nine back-to-back interest rate rises only making things harder, all in the name of reducing inflation. Some commentators are warning of a ‘wage price spiral’. But what is really driving inflation? This week we're speaking to Policy Director at the Centre for Future Work and economist Greg Jericho, to learn what exactly is to blame. This was recorded on Tuesday 28th February 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Speaker: Greg Jericho, Policy Director, Climate & Energy Program, the Australia Institute // @GrogsGamut Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Climate Integrity Summit 2023 brought together leading experts to discuss and address integrity risks that could jeopardise Australia's emissions reduction policies. The Australia Institute's Polly Hemming unpacked what climate integrity really is, and why it is the antidote to the Australian government's state-sponsored greenwash. This was recorded on Wednesday 15th February 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Speaker: Polly Hemming, Acting Director, Climate & Energy Program, the Australia Institute // @pollyjhemming Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The RBA recently raised interest rates again for the ninth time in a row, in an effort to reduce inflation. But is the pain the interest rate rises causing worth it? And could they do anything else instead? This was recorded on Wednesday 8th February 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new 'Build Your Own Budget' tool released by the Parliamentary Budget Office reveals that despite how all-or-nothing the debate about the Stage 3 tax cuts has become, the $300bn cost of the tax cuts over 9 years provides an opportunity for the Albanese government to amend the tax cuts and also increase support for benefits and government services. This was recorded on Wednesday 25th January 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Greg Jericho, Policy Director, Labour Market and Fiscal, the Australia Institute // @GrogsGamut Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey Edited by: Emily Perkins Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot SessionsSupport Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.