Economics Explored

Kurtis Lockhart, Executive Director of the Charter Cities Institute, tells us about the benefits of charter cities - cities with their own rules or charter, independent of national or subnational governments. Kurtis argues the best way to implement charter cities is via public-private partnerships (PPPs). Learn about the fascinating work the Charter Cities Institute is involved in around the world...

The next big global economic shock could come from a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a shock which would probably have more extensive economic impacts than the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Joining show host Gene Tunny to discuss China and Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific more broadly is Dr Greta Nabbs-Keller, Senior Specialist in Defence Research at The University of Queensland and the interim Program Dire...

ESG, short for environmental, social, and governance, is proving difficult for companies to implement in practice, and some have been accused of greenwashing. What exactly is ESG and has it come to the end of its useful life, as the Financial Times has suggested may be the case? Joining show host Gene Tunny to discuss ESG are some highly experienced corporate governance experts: Dr Rachel Baird an...

What does economics have to say about the huge amount of advertising directed at us everyday, much of it specifically targeted in this age of surveillance capitalism? Is it informative, manipulative, or something else? Should governments do anything about it and regulate advertisers and surveillance capitalists such as Google, Facebook, and other big tech companies? EP144 of Economics Explored fea...

The World Bank has downgraded its global economic growth forecast and has warned of the rising risk of stagflation. What is stagflation and how likely is it? And a related question: what is a wage-price spiral and how likely is it? Show host Gene Tunny and his colleague Arturo Espinoza discuss how the current global situation is similar and dissimilar to the 1970s, with a consideration of recent p...

Michael Knox, Chief Economist of Morgans Financial, explains how he predicted high US inflation based on the magnitude of the federal deficit compared with the GDP/output gap. He  gives his view on whether a US recession is likely anytime soon, based on his analysis of some key indicators. Michael and show host Gene Tunny also discuss the economic outlook for Australia, whether global stagflation...

Economics Explored host Gene Tunny discusses his career path as an economist and offers advice for aspiring economists in an interview with Francisco Garcia, host of the University of Queensland Economics Society (UQES) podcast Worldonomics.   Links relevant to the conversation https://www.uqes.com.au/ https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/worldonomics/id1513275367 Thanks to the show’s audio engin...

Kate Schecter leads World Neighbors, an international NGO helping poor communities in developing economies lift their living standards through local savings and credit groups among other measures. Hear Kate describe how these local savings and credit groups differ from Grameen-style microfinance. Also hear Kate describe how on-the-ground, practical measures can give people a hand up, not a hand ou...

Companies are being pushed by their employees and by influencers to take positions on social issues - to go woke, so to speak. Sometimes, as occurred for Gillette and Nike, for example, such a strategy can backfire. Is it true that, if you go woke, you go broke? A conversation between Economics Explored host Gene Tunny and returning guest Darren Brady Nelson, Chief Economist of LibertyWorks, an Au...

What does the economic policy platform of a Pirate Party look like? What does it say about intellectual property protection (i.e. copyright and patents), the Right to Repair, UBI, taxation, and business support? And what type of pirates are Pirate Parties inspired by exactly: Captain Jack Sparrow or Kim Dotcom? Pirate Party Australia Treasurer John August answers these questions in a conversation...

Universal Basic Income (UBI) advocate Michael Haines chats with show host Gene Tunny about the benefits and costs of a UBI, with an extensive discussion of how it’s paid for in Michael’s proposal. The conversation considers money creation and so-called Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).  About this episode’s guest - Michael Haines Michael Haines is the CEO of VANZI, the Virtual Australia and New Zealan...

Wider economic benefits are increasingly being estimated in economic assessments of infrastructure projects. Show host Gene Tunny and his colleague Arturo Espinoza Bocangel chat about how some infrastructure projects, particularly transport projects, can stimulate new economic development, increasing the density of businesses and workers in an area. This can boost innovation and productivity throu...

Market monetarists such as Stephen Kirchner argue nominal GDP targeting would be better than inflation targeting and could help central banks such as the RBA and the US Federal Reserve get back on track. Stephen is Director of the International Economy Program at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.  About this episode’s guest - Dr Stephen Kirchner Dr Stephen Kirchner is D...

Property prices have been surging across major cities in advanced economies. In Australia, a parliamentary inquiry has recently investigated housing affordability, and it handed down a report with some compelling policy recommendations in March 2022. Our guest this episode provided an influential submission to that inquiry. His name is Peter Tulip, and he’s the Chief Economist at the Centre for In...

Paul Mladjenovic, CFP is the author or co-author of several Dummies guides on investing, including Stock Investing for Dummies and Investing in Gold and Silver for Dummies. Paul shares his views on what makes for successful investing with show host Gene Tunny. They discuss what types of companies to look for, an often unappreciated benefit of investing in gold and silver, and what Paul thinks abou...

Renowned US financial advisor, author, and podcaster David Bahnsen argues the best way to defend human flourishing against dangerous economic thinking is to relearn time-tested economic truths. David talks about his new book “There’s no Free Lunch: 250 Economic Truths” with show host Gene Tunny. David and Gene also talk about David’s previous books on the crisis of responsibility afflicting our so...

The British-French supersonic airplane Concorde soared through the skies at Mach 2 in the years 1976 to 2003. Its history illuminates several important economic and business lessons. Is a supersonic airplane simply uneconomic or will commercial passengers fly supersonic again? Show host Gene Tunny and his fellow economist Arturo Espinoza Bocangel discuss.   Links relevant to the conversation EP129...

We explore a new book “Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society, and the Economy”, by Dr Wayne Visser of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Antwerp Management School. Wayne explains why the future will be better than you think. About this episode’s guest - Wayne Visser Wayne Visser is a globally recognised Cambridge “pracademic.” An idea-monger, stor...

Show host Gene Tunny reviews his top ten insights from economics with Tim Hughes. These include insights regarding specialization and trade, opportunity cost, and the price mechanism, among others. Applications to traffic congestion and climate change, among other issues, are explored.  An e-book of Gene's top 10 insights is available to  subscribers of the economicsexplored.com website.   Links r...

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...