Dollars & Sense

Unemployment dropped in a big way in February, so is the Australian economy now out of the woods? On this episode, Greg Jericho discusses the link between unemployment and recessions, what message the data holds for the Reserve Bank and why Treasury should hold off on the party poppers – at least for now. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and...

Housing prices have risen so much in Australia that 2020 prices look almost reasonable. In fact, if the house price to income ratio were the same as it was in 2000, the average price would be nearly $400,000 less. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia . Each week on Dollars & Sense...

Australia’s recent gross domestic product (GDP) figures show that the economy is weak and people are struggling to keep up. So what can the federal government – and the Reserve Bank – do to help? Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia . Each week on Dollars & Sense , Greg dives into...

The gas industry likes to tell us it's vital to the Australian economy. But when people are paying more in GST for Taylor Swift merch than many companies are paying in company income tax per year, and the government collects more from HECS than the PRRT, you know something is seriously wrong. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular colu...

Wages are up over the past year, for the first time since 2021! Which means your real wage has increased as well, but by a small amount. Also this week, the Bureau of Statistics looked at restraint clauses, or non-compete clauses. So what do they mean for workers, and the economy as a whole? Lower wages, funnily enough. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for...

The Right to Disconnect is attracting criticism from business groups and others, saying it will reduce productivity. Well, it won't. And do they mean productivity, or profits? Also, how negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount delivered massive tax breaks to the rich at the expense of affordable housing for the rest of Australia. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institut...

With Michele Bullock at the helm of the RBA, there's change in the air. But do the changes extend below surface level? Where do they think inflation is going, and what about those pesky interest rates? Join us as we dive into the latest monetary news. Greg Jericho is the Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Aus...

The latest CPI figures show inflation has fallen, hopefully putting an end to interest rate rises for the moment. But does that mean the economy is healthy now, or is there more to it? Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg Jericho will dive into...

The (old) Stage 3 tax cuts are dead. Long live the (revised and much improved) Stage 3 tax cuts. Some may cry 'broken promises' but it's a bit hard to make an impact with that argument when the broken promise gives most people more money in their pocket.  Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Aus...

It’s quite amazing how nothing – not a pandemic, not rising interest rates – seems to do much to dampen the housing market. Amazing, that is, unless you forget that the entire focus of political pressure over the past 40 years or so has been designed to keep house prices from falling, or even abating. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and pop...

Today Greg's taking a look at retail figures over the past month, and what they say about our spending habits. Also, how much stuff from the 1980s could you buy today? Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg Jericho will dive into the latest econom...

2023 was a big year in economics, with inflation and the cost of living crisis dominating the headlines. Greg is taking a look back at the year, and how the economy shaped our lives in 2023. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg Jericho will dive...

The Government has released the MYEFO, or Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, or as we call it, Easter for economists. It's projecting a very small deficit of around $1 billion. But does that really matter? Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg...

GDP figures out this week show that while Australia is clinging to slight economic growth, under the surface a recession is already being seen. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg Jericho will dive into the latest economic figures, and explain...

Last week Reserve Bank Governor Michelle Bullock told us to think twice about going to the dentist or the hairdresser, lest we contribute to inflation. Greg explains why, frankly, this is a load of Bullock. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg J...

In this episode Greg Jericho talks about gross state product, and why households are poorer even though the economy is growing. Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg Jericho will dive into the latest economic figures, and explain what they can te...

Economic data can tell us a lot about what's happening the economy and society, but it's easy to get lost in data.  Introducing the Australia Institute's brand new podcast, Dollars & Sense, with Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. In Dollars & Sense, each week, Greg Jericho wil...