Economics Explored

Philosophy Professor Deb Brown helps us explore some big questions around risk, cost-benefit analysis, and public policy, particularly relating to the pandemic. Deb also explains what was so important about the Enlightenment.  About this episode’s guest - Prof. Deb Brown Deborah Brown is Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland, Australia. During he...

With US inflation at a 40-year high, who wins and who loses? Are greedy corporations to blame as some pundits are suggesting? A wide-ranging conversation with Darren Brady Nelson, Chief Economist of LibertyWorks, an Australian libertarian think tank, which also considers so-called Woke Capitalism and what’s going on with China. In the second part of the show, the Grattan Institute’s Economic Polic...

The economics of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) is explored with Ben Phillips, Associate Professor at the Australian National University, and a leading expert on microsimulation modelling. Also, show host Gene Tunny reflects on experimental evidence regarding UBI. About this episode’s guest - Ben Phillips Associate Professor Ben Phillips is a Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Rese...

Price controls are being suggested by some commentators as a way to fight inflation. But, as Lawrence W. Reed, President Emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education explains, price controls would be a really bad idea. Larry also chats with show host Gene Tunny about whether Jesus was a socialist, why banks and the state should be kept separate, and why President Biden would benefit from less...

RMIT’s Dr Leonora Risse, formerly of Harvard’s Women and Public Policy Program, argues greater gender diversity in economics would improve the quality of economic analysis and policy advice. Arguably, it would shine more light on and promote solutions to gender inequality (e.g. the gender pay gap). Is Leonora right, or is this “self-serving identity politics” as some fellow economists have alleged...

Why politicians need to stop lying and cut the endless BS. A conversation with Philosophy Professor Deb Brown, Director of the Critical Thinking Project at the University of Queensland. Deb also chats with show host Gene Tunny and guest co-host Tim Hughes about what it means to think critically, drawing on her expertise in philosophy, including her study of Descartes.       About this episode’s gu...

136 countries have agreed to implement a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15%. Renowned US public policy economist Dr Dan Mitchell explains why he thinks this “global tax cartel” is bad news. Dan also explains to Economics Explored host Gene Tunny how California is committing “economic suicide”, and why entrepreneurs are moving to Texas, Nevada, and Florida, among other lower tax states.  Abou...

What is the Economy? And Why It Matters to You is a new book from UK economics writers Beth Leslie and Joe Richards, who are interviewed in this episode of Economics Explored. Legendary music producer Brian Eno has endorsed the book, writing “This clear and comprehensible book is long overdue.” About this episode’s guests - Beth Leslie and Joe Richards Beth Leslie is a writer and editor. She becam...

2021 saw accelerating inflation in advanced economies, the pandemic continuing, cracks appearing in the Chinese economic model, and massive price growth in cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Economics Explored host Gene Tunny discusses the big issues of 2021 and looks forward to 2022 with frequent guest Tim Hughes.  The episode also features discussion on the COP26 climate change summit, the idea of “degr...

The late Professor Tony Makin was a leading Australian economist who made major contributions to the economic policy debate in Australia on the balance of payments and the effectiveness of fiscal stimulus, of which Tony was highly sceptical. In Economics Explored EP119, Former Ambassador to the OECD for Australia Dr Alex Robson, now an Associate Partner at EY, reflects on Tony’s contributions to o...

There is an eerie correlation between the construction of a new world’s tallest building and economic crisis, the so-called Skyscraper Curse. Prof. Mark Thornton, Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute, explains why this is so, drawing on his expertise in Austrian economics.    About this episode’s guest - Mark Thornton Mark Thornton is the Peterson-Luddy Chair in Austrian Economics and a Senior Fel...

The COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow in 2021 disappointed many advocates for strong action on climate change. Economics Explored host Gene Tunny discusses whether COP26 should be perceived as a failure or, at best, a mild success with fellow Brisbane-based economist Scott Hook, who has attended several global climate change summits in the past.  About this episode’s guest - Scott Hook Scott...

What’s going on with the Great Resignation, the record numbers of people leaving jobs in the US and the UK? Will we see it in other countries such as Australia? What can employers do to hold on to staff? Economics Explored host Gene Tunny speaks with his serviced office neighbours Anthony Bersz and Louise Gibson from Remedy Resourcing, a Brisbane-headquartered recruitment firm. A video of this epi...

100,000 Americans have died of drug overdoses in a 12 month period, mostly with opioids. A conversation on the US Opioid crisis and the failed War on Drugs, and why a Harm Reduction approach is preferable, with Dr Jeffrey Singer MD from the Cato Institute.  About this episode’s guest - Dr Jeffrey Singer MD Jeffrey A. Singer is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and works in the Department of He...

Controversial US tax rules (e.g. carried interest, step up in basis) mean that billionaire tech titans and hedge fund managers pay arguably relatively low amounts of tax, as Steve Rosenthal, Senior Fellow at the Urban Institute, explains to show host Gene Tunny in Economics Explored episode 114. Steve also talks about former President Trump's tax affairs. About this episode’s guest - Steven M. Ros...

Lukasz Bednarski talks about his new book “Lithium: The Global Race for Battery Dominance and the New Energy Revolution” with show host Gene Tunny in Economics Explored episode 113. The blurb for Lukasz’s book reads: “A global energy revolution is unfolding before our eyes: ever-growing numbers of electric vehicles on our roads, laptops that last all day on a single charge and solar panels on our...

Tax expert Prof. Miranda Stewart speaks with show host Gene Tunny about taxes on wealth, including inheritance taxes and the proposed billionaire tax in the United States. What is driving calls to “Tax the Rich” from politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and various commentators? Would it be sensible to do so?  About this episode’s guest - Professor Miranda Stewart Miranda Stewart is Profes...

Senator Matt Canavan, Australia’s most prominent critic of the Net Zero by 2050 policy to address climate change, speaks with show host Gene Tunny about the 2021 UN climate change summit, COP26 (i.e. the 26th Conference of the Parities).  About this episode’s guest - Senator Matt Canavan Matt Canavan is a Liberal National Party Senator for the state of Queensland, Australia. Matt was first elected...

Dr Alan Moran, prominent Australian critic of climate change and renewable energy policies, speaks with show host Gene Tunny about the 2021 UN climate change summit, COP26 (i.e. the 26th Conference of the Parities).  About this episode’s guest - Dr Alan Moran Dr Alan Moran is Director of Regulation Economics, a consultancy firm. He is a noted economist who, in his own words, “has analysed and writ...

In Economics Explored EP109, Dr John Atkins, philosopher and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, provides great insights into the nature of truth, an important topic to discuss in this time of big debates over the pandemic and climate change, among other issues. Dr Atkins highlights the importance of trust, probabilistic thinking (i.e. thinking not necessarily about truth but...

Energy and climate change policy expert Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute explains what COP26 (the 2021 climate change conference in Glasgow) is all about and why it’s important. Tony discusses what Net Zero emissions means exactly, the prospects for nuclear energy, and implications for fossil fuel (e.g. coal) dependent economies, among other relevant issues. About this episode’s guest - Tony W...

There are gender differences in negotiation and these impact job market outcomes, as Dr Maria Recalde from the University of Melbourne explains. Dr Recalde speaks with show host Gene Tunny about her NBER working paper Gender Differences in Negotiation and Policy for Improvement, co-authored with Prof. Lise Vesterlund. About this episode’s guest - Dr Maria Recalde Dr Maria P. Recalde is a Lecturer...

At a time when the COVID pandemic continues, and cities such as Sydney and Melbourne remain locked down, Gilbert Berdine MD from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center shares his views on lockdowns and vaccine mandates with show host Gene Tunny. Toward the end of the episode, the conversation turns towards Dr Berdine's thoughts on vaping regulations.  About this episode’s guest - Gilbert G....

EP105 considers the persistence of bad social norms such as female genital mutilation (FGM). Show host Gene Tunny speaks with University of Queensland Lecturer (i.e. Assistant Professor) Dr David Smerdon about his experimental research on social norms, including fieldwork in Africa relating to FGM.   About this episode’s guest - Dr David Smerdon Dr David Smerdon is a Lecturer in the University of...

On Economics Explored we’ve previously discussed the large economic and social costs that arise from criminalising drugs such as cannabis. In episode 104, show host Gene Tunny discusses the broader concept of victimless crimes with a highly-experienced lawyer, Marc J. Victor, President and Managing Partner of Attorneys for Freedom. About this episode’s guest - Marc J. Victor Marc J. Victor is Pres...