Dollars & Sense

When our most vulnerable are treated with suspicion, and our wealthiest get massive tax cuts, what does that say about our priorities? On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Matt tells Elinor about the massive class action lawsuit settlement the Government made with the victims of Robodebt, Labor potentially getting cold feet on superannuation tax concession reform, and what they both tell us ab...

For all the talk about what government should do about productivity, Australia’s biggest corporations remain inefficient and unwilling to invest. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Matt and Elinor discuss the Australia’s latest economic growth data, Trump’s threat to hit countries with digital taxes with extra tariffs, and this week’s political fight over aged care. E...

Postal services around the world have suspended services to the United States in response to the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff policies. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Matt and Elinor discuss why the latest inflation data isn’t anything to panic about, the case for economy-wide price gouging laws, and why Australia Post has stopped sending many packages to the United...

Some regulations are good. Some are not. But cutting mystery ‘red tape’ is not panacea for improving productivity growth. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Matt and Elinor discuss the big fine handed to Qantas, how a training levy on businesses could improve productivity, the misunderstandings around the causes of Australia’s housing crisis, and the latest from the governm...

Turns out being Australia’s Biggest Bank is very profitable when there isn’t much competition… On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Matt and Elinor discuss the RBA cutting interest rates five weeks too late, Australia’s biggest bank posting its biggest profit ever in an uncompetitive banking sector, and why Albanese seems to be putting a damper on expectations ahead of...

We discuss the proposals around corporate tax and artificial intelligence ahead of the government’s productivity roundtable. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg explains the Productivity Commission’s proposals for corporate tax and why Trump fired his labour statistics chief, and Elinor discovers people actually like economics. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing...

Inflation is at its lowest level since March 2021, and below the RBA’s target in five capital cities. If there isn’t a rate cut coming soon, Greg will be absolutely flummoxed.   On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor unpack how the latest inflation figures only make it more obvious the RBA should have cut interest rates at their last meeting, and why some people...

Also: the country is not too reliant on income tax. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , replacement Matt (Greg Jericho) and Elinor debunk some long-standing myths about the Australian economy, discuss cuts to HECS and examine the latest in Trump’s beef beef. Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute...

The Australian Government doesn’t allocate spending to health or education as a proportion of GDP. Why should defence be any different? On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Matt and Elinor discuss the Prime Minister’s China trip, why spending more on defence doesn’t necessarily make us safer, and the unusual situation whereby our biggest bank thinks we should tax wealth bette...

The Reserve Bank’s shock decision not to cut rates will hurt mortgage holders and the economy. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , substitute Greg (Matt Grudnoff) returns to discuss Trump’s Big Pharma tariffs, the privatisation of childcare, and why the RBA got it wrong in its latest interest rate decision. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 9 July 2025 and things may have...

Positive gearing is so FY21-22. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , substitute Greg (Matt Grudnoff) and Elinor discuss the 91 millionaires who paid zero tax, the grim reality driving the gender pay gap, and why negative gearing is back on trend (but still making housing less affordable). This discussion was recorded on Thursday 3 July 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Host: &n...

The debate over superannuation tax concessions shows that the wealthiest Australians get to play by different rules. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss why being a CEO of a top company might be the sweetest gig in the country and the perverse debate over the government’s proposed superannuation tax changes. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 26 June 2025 a...

Australia’s overly generous approach to taxing wealth is allowing the richest Australians to keep more for themselves. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss Australia’s growing wealth gap, what Australians think about the government’s proposed superannuation tax changes, and what the escalating conflict in the Middle East means for the global economy. T...

The Albanese Government has made improving productivity central to its second term agenda, but how can it make a difference without throwing workers under the bus? On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss some of the bogus claims about productivity, why giving fossil fuel subsidies to fossil fuel companies is a bad idea, and the latest Trump tariff news. This discussion was...

The latest data shows that economy is really struggling and the Reserve Bank got it wrong (again). Plus: TACO corner. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the latest quarterly GDP figures, why the above-inflation increase to minimum and award wages is a good thing, and the latest from Tariffland. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 5 June 2025 and things may have c...

Rate cuts are great, but the Government needs to make sure that housing investors aren’t the main beneficiaries. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Matt Grudnoff joins Elinor to discuss how the Government could help first home-buyers by restricting the ability of investors to borrow, what the fuss is about ‘unrealised gains’, and why the Government’s proposed superann...

It’s won and done. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg explains why Australia has won the fight against inflation, complains about the RBA a bit, and appraises latest gender pay gap data. Plus: air horns! This discussion was recorded on Thursday 22 May 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order After America: Australia and the new world order or become a foundation sub...

For housing affordability to improve, wages must grow faster than house prices. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Elinor returns to discover the economy does in fact still exist, before her and Greg discuss the latest wage data, house prices and Trump blinking on his China tariffs. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 15 May 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order &lsquo...

After the election, the re-elected Labor Government has an extraordinary opportunity to make big structural changes to the economy. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Hayden discuss the election result, Trump’s Hollywood tariffs, and what retail spending figures reveal about the state of economy. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 8 May 2025 and things may have changed s...

We discuss the latest inflation data and answer your questions about the economy ahead of election day. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss bracket creep, tariffs and the Aussie dollar, and the great silence about revenue in the federal election campaign. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 1 May 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Watch the Australi...

For all the talk of defence spending in the election campaign, much of what Australians hold dear is being left behind. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the Coalition’s defence spending announcement, why Australia needs bravery from policymakers, and the latest debate between Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 24 April 2025...

A number of the housing policy proposals on offer in this election will make affordability worse. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the second leaders’ debate, the major parties’ housing policy announcements, and the two big elephants in the room: negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 17 April 2025 a...

It’s chaos out there. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss Trump’s tariff turmoil, the dodgy numbers doing the rounds in the election campaign, and the Coalition’s big fund boondoggle. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 10 April 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Follow all the action from the federal election on our new politics l...

Americans are going to bear the brunt of Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Hayden discuss Trump’s tariffs, the Reserve Bank’s magic 8-ball monetary policy, and why minimum wage increases don’t drive up inflation. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 3 April 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Or...

This “wimpy” budget tells us one thing: the election campaign is here. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the Government’s tax cuts, the big missed opportunities in this Budget, and what it’s like inside ‘the lock-up’. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 27 March 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order What's th...