Dollars & Sense

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...

The Australian Government can’t afford to do everything , but it can afford to do anything it wants.   On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor preview next week’s Federal Budget and why the Government doesn’t need to leave so much tax revenue on the table.  This discussion was recorded on Thursday 20 March 2025 and things may have changed since recordin...

Looking to buy a house? Having a good job that pays good money probably won’t be enough. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss new research showing just how difficult it is to save for a house deposit and the political response to Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 13 March 2025 and things may have changed since reco...

Australia’s per capita recession is over, but the United States economy could be in for much worse. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the end of Australia’s per capita recession, why the humble chickpea deserves some of the credit, and why DOGE is looking like a disaster for the American economy. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 6 March 2025 and t...

The Government is being grilled by the media about how it will pay for its changed to Medicare – but why are journalists not asking the same questions of Australia’s expensive and unfair tax concessions? On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Hayden discuss the latest monthly inflation data, the proposed improvements to Medicare, and Australia’s misguided obsession wit...

The Reserve Bank has cut interest rates for the first time since November 2020 – so is the Australian economy out of the woods? On this crossover episode of Follow the Money and Dollars & Sense , Greg Jericho and Ebony Bennett discuss what’s going on with inflation, the performance of the Reserve Bank and whether the Government deserves the credit for setting the economy on a bette...

And some of you get annexed (maybe). On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the bogus claims made by American officials about Australia flooding the US market with aluminium, the latest housing data (still no house for Elinor *sadface*) and Australia’s urban-rural divide. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 13 February 2025 and things may have changed since rec...

Without addressing the wealth inequality crisis, Australia’s economy and society will suffer. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Australia Institute Senior Economist and Elinor Johnston-Leek discuss how our housing and superannuation policies are fuelling wealth inequality. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 6 February 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order What'...

Slashing public service jobs won’t make government more efficient. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the December quarter inflation figures, the political battle over the economy, and Dutton’s appointment of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to an Elon Musk-style ‘government efficiency’ position. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 30 January 2025...

Superannuation tax concessions benefit the richest Australians most – so why is the government finding it so hard to make modest changes to the system? On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss fearful grandmas, angry farmers and the political fight over superannuation reforms. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 23 January 2025 and things may have changed since r...

In the wake of the catastrophic LA fires, how do the Australian major parties shape up on climate policy? As natural disasters grow more and more frequent, causing devastating destruction, and making cost-of-living more expensive, the two major parties in Australia seem happy to be talking about the nuclear nothing-burger, while sweeping coal mine extensions under the rug. This week on Dollars &am...

Just some things. Greg and guest host Adam Gottschalk discuss the media panic over the falling Aussie dollar, what it means for Greg’s Vegas blackjack losses, and how markets are responding to the incoming Trump administration. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 9 January 2025 and things may have changed since recording. Order the first book from our new imprint, What's the Big Idea? 3...

We answer your burning questions about the economy in the final episode of 2024. Why are economists are so bad at predicting what’ll happen in the economy? Why is HECS indexed? And why do we measure labour as a cost but profit as a universal good? On the final episode of Dollars & Sense for the year, Greg and Elinor answer your questions about the economy. This discussion was recorded on...

Immigration and public spending are barely keeping Australia out of a recession. On this episode of Dollars & Sense , Greg and Elinor discuss the latest GDP figures and why the Australian economy is in the toilet. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 5 December 2024 and things may have changed since recording. Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Aust...