Exchanges with Evan Lucas

Australia has a productivity problem, but is it as simple as saying this or is there a nuance to it? This week on Exchanges, Evan sits down with one of Australia's most respected economists, Saul Eslake, to discuss this very question. Saul draws the link with why productivity matters more than most people realise, how it connects directly to the wages in our pockets and the cost of the lives w...

Those frequent flyer points sitting in your account? They're worth a lot more than you think if you know how to use them and burn them. This week on Exchanges, we sit down with David Maloney for a fascinating and eye-opening conversation about the world of loyalty programs, frequent flyer schemes, and the psychology that makes them tick. David pulls back the curtain on the economics of points, why...

In a financial system that seems designed to confuse, what does it actually take to build real wealth? This week on Exchanges, I sit down with Scott Phillips for a refreshingly straightforward conversation about money, wealth, and the financial system that shapes both. Scott's new book "The One-Page Investing Plan' is a cracker as it cuts through the noise to make the case for simple financial pla...

In a world of carefully curated content and polished personal brands, what happens when you just… say what you actually mean? This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Christian O'Connell one of the most recognisable voices in Australian radio for a conversation that is as warm, honest, and "Unscripted" (title of his new book) as Christian himself. Christian shares his remarkable journey from comed...

What would happen if you said yes to lunch with a stranger, 500 times? This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Nick Bendel for one of the most unique and genuinely fascinating conversations we've had on the show. Nick shares the story behind his remarkable project, 500 lunches with complete strangers, and what that journey taught him about network building, personal growth, and the unconscious bi...

What separates the people who talk about greatness from the ones who actually achieve it? This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Jason Dunn elite Ironman athlete and leadership expert, for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring and deeply practical. Jason shares his journey from a goal-driven teenager to one of the most demanding endurance competitions on the planet, and what that journey...

It's one of the most provocative policy questions in Australia right now should we put a HECS-style scheme on the family home? This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Amy Auster CEO of the Policy Institute of Australia to to discuss this very idea. Amy unpacks the deep complexities and inequities baked into Australia's transfer and pension systems, and makes the case for innovative reforms that c...

In a world where the rules of business are being rewritten in real time, what does it actually take to build something that lasts? This week on Exchanges, I sit down with Bernadette Schwerdt for a practical and energising conversation about entrepreneurship, online business growth, and what it really means to build with resilience. Bernadette shares her insights from interviewing Australia's leadi...

This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Peter Petrov about the state of AI investment and whether the boom we're living through is built to last. Drawing comparisons to past market bubbles including the dot-com era Peter unpacks the dynamics driving AI valuations, the risks that aren't getting enough attention, and what the next few years could look like for AI companies and investors alike as th...

The skies are changing and so is the future of national security. This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Ben Westgarth, CEO and CTO of Department13, for a fascinating and timely conversation about drone technology, counter-drone systems, and what it really takes to protect Australia in an increasingly complex world. Ben pulls back the curtain on how counter-drone systems actually work, why the a...

What does it take to leave a successful career behind and build something entirely your own? This week on Exchanges, we sit down with Natalie MacDonald for an honest and energising conversation about reinvention, purpose, and what the future of work really looks like. Natalie shares her journey from media to entrepreneurship, the lessons she learned along the way, and why building a strong persona...

What if the most powerful thing a leader can do is simply make people feel safe? This week on Exchanges, I sit down with Graeme Cowan co-founder of R U OK Day for a conversation about what the future of work looks like. Graham shares his own journey through mental health challenges, what it taught him about leadership, and why psychological safety isn't just a buzzword it's the foundation of every...

Welcome to season 5 of The Exchanges Podcast! This week on Exchanges, we sit down with mortgage expert Chris Foster-Ramsay for an honest and practical conversation about what the 2026 rate rises mean for everyday Australians and what you can actually do about it. Chris walks us through the smartest refinancing strategies available right now, how to get your household budget working harder under pr...

This week on Exchanges, I sit down with Amanda Rose for a wide-ranging exchange about leadership, politics, the forces reshaping society around us and tribalism. Because what does real leadership look like in a world that's changing faster than our institutions can keep up? Amanda shares her perspective on what effective leadership actually looks like today, the power of grassroots movements to dr...

This week on Exchanges, I sit down with Aisling Smith for a conversation that is equal parts personal and deeply important. Aisling shares her journey of discovering her own neurodivergence later in life, navigating the experience of raising a son with autism and ADHD, and what both of those things taught her about the way we design our workplaces and our world. We explore the very real strengths...

This week on Around the Echange: Are government handouts actually making things worse? It's the question nobody wants to answer are we trading short-term cost of living relief for long-term economic pain? From fuel excise cuts to energy rebates that never seem to end, is fiscal stimulus giving the Reserve Bank its worst nightmare: high inflation, low growth and rising unemployment all at once? Wit...

This week on Exchanges, we're joined by Dr. Catherine Ball researcher, futurist, and author for a fascinating deep dive into the science, technology, and future of sleep. From the role sleep played in human evolution to the way screens and modern life are quietly eroding our rest, Dr. Ball connects the dots between biology, psychology, and the world we've built around ourselves. We explore how AI...

What does it actually take to get ahead financially in Australia right now? This week, Exchanges sits down with Jessica Brady financial adviser, advocate, and author of Get Growing for an honest conversation about money, inequality, and what's really holding people back. From the reality of wealth inequality in Australia, the systemic barriers shaping financial outcomes, and what meaningful reform...

On Exchanges this week, Shahana McKenzie, CEO of Bioenergy Australia, joins Evan to dissect the barriers blocking one of Australia's most underutilised clean energy levers: biofuels. From policy uncertainty to infrastructure shortfalls, she explains what it would actually take to get the sector moving and why government-enforced mandates and the political will to act are the missing piece to unloc...

This week, Kate Littlejohn, credit expert, joins us to unpack the evolving landscape of credit, taxation, and business growth. We explore the changing dynamics of credit and lending, the challenges within Australia’s current tax system, and why a more holistic approach to tax reform is needed to drive productivity and long-term economic stability. To find out more about Kate: Instagram: https://ww...

The week on Exchanges the one and only style impactor Sally MacKinnon. Personal style is not about fashion it is about power, perception and how the world reads you before you say a word. In this episode Evan sits down with renowned stylist Sally McKinnon, whose two decades of transforming lives through fashion have made her one of Australia's most sought after voices on personal brand and style....

In this episode of Around the Exchanges, We need to confront the harder truth: that there is no perfect lever, no easy answer, and that the real question facing this country is whether fiscal policy can finally pick up the pieces. From Iran's shockwaves on global fuel supply to the reform budget this country hasn't seen since the GST, Evan unpacks the deeper forces driving inflation, household bud...

The current groupthink is Australia just needs to build more homes to solve the housing crisis, that is only part of the story. In this episode of Exchanges, Evan is joined by Eliza Owen, one of Australia's biggest thinkers in property. Eliza answers the deeper forces at play from tax settings that favour property investors, to decades of underinvestment in public housing, to the political dynamic...

This week, Liz Ritchie, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute, joins Exchanges to make the case for why regional Australia is central to the nation’s future. We explore the urgent need for strategic planning across housing, jobs, and infrastructure as Australia’s population grows, and unpack the pressures building in regional housing and rental markets. Liz explains why connectivity, livability,...

This week, Madeline Miller Gen Z Leadership Architect joins Exchanges to unpack how Gen Z is reshaping the meaning of work and identity. Madeline explains why this generation is increasingly skeptical of traditional career paths and promotions, and how they’re redefining success on their own terms. We explore Gen Z’s desire for work-life balance, their push for authenticity in the workplace, and t...