The Economy, Stupid

How have CEO bonuses reached such stratospheric levels? What do chief executives have to do to get them and how does getting them influence how they run the business? Researchers have found that CEO bonuses can lead to some sneaky corporate behaviour. And the incentives often don’t align the interests of the boss and the shareholders. Anna Bedford, Associate Professor at UTS Geoff Martin, Professo...

What does the Crowdstrike outage have to teach us about risk management and relying on cyber?

Shopping malls are very big business globally and Australia's no different, with the twelve largest centres earning over $1 billion annually.   Initially designed in the 1960s to accommodate hundreds of cars, targeting the suburban housewife, today they come in all sizes - from the big guns, to mini guns - and are much more responsive to diverse cultural needs, changing consumer trends, and the la...

Indigenous business and home ownership is on an upward trajectory.  The role played by Indigenous owned and operated businesses in Australia's economy has expanded, contributing over $16 billion to the economy, and over $4.2 billion in wages.  And Indigenous Business Australia has helped tens of thousands purchase their own home.  No mean feat during this cost of living crisis. Laura Thompson, Co-...

This week, everyone who's got a job will have more money in their pocket, thanks to the introduction of the Stage III tax cuts? So how do people plan to use the extra money?  And is it good policy?   In addition, hundreds of tariffs on imports will also be cut, a decision that economists love and applaud.  Guests Kristen Sobeck, Research Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, ANU Matthew Bowen...

If we reduce the number of immigrants will that reduce pressure on infrastructure and the cost of housing? The short answer is yes, but it will cost us in other ways. So how should we choose our skilled immigrants and help them make the biggest contribution?  Guests Diana Mousina: Deputy Chief Economist, AMP. Brendan Coates:  Economic Policy Program Director, Grattan institute.  Cassandra Windsor:...

Making bucket loads of money from crime is one thing but what do you then do with it all? Investigative journalist Geoff White explains how big time crims are making their dirty money clean.  Guest: Geoff White, author of Rinsed: From Cartels to Crypto, How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World’s Deadliest Crooks.

Coffee prices have climbed on commodity markets but not so much in cafes. Why is that?

People are drinking less alcohol, especially Millennials and Gen Z. And the drinks industry has noticed. Low-alc and no-alc drinks make up a tiny fraction of the market. But it’s growing at 7 percent a year. And, as more of us either moderate our drinking or stop altogether, the future for these drinks look bright. But the way they’re advertised, marketed and packaged makes them look very like alc...

TikTok, the phone app that sends a stream of viral videos to every user, is in trouble in the United States.  The company must either change its Chinese ownership, or leave the American market. In response, TikTok is underlining its economic contribution, in Australia and elsewhere.  So how much difference does it make? Guests: Dr Joanne Gray, Lecturer in Digital Cultures, University of Sydney Ari...

As they say a “diamond is forever”. But does it matter if that diamond is grown in a lab or mined from the Earth? Especially if they both are chemically, physically, and optically identical. And given that cost of living pressures are colliding with consumers’ desire to not compromise on size or quality, more and more Australians can see the logic behind lab grown gems.  In America, lab-grown may...

This year’s Budget tries to do several things at once. In the short term it offers cost-of-living relief but tries not to contribute to inflation. In the longer term it departs from decades of economic orthodoxy by picking industries to invest in.  Specifically, green hydrogen and critical minerals.    But will it work? And how responsible is it? Three of the country’s leading economists offer the...

Australians have a sleeping problem. The most conservative estimates show one in 10 have a sleep disorder, which is having an impact on their safety, wellbeing and productivity. This ends up costing almost a $1 billion a week. And that’s not all. The total cost of inadequate sleep is thought to be as high as $75 billion a year. We’re not alone either. International research shows places like the U...

You don’t need to be paying too much attention to be aware that economic growth matters. Growth is central to economics. And growth of the last 60 years has delivered. We’ve seen a rise in prosperity, and developments in health and education. But the pursuit of growth has also had consequences. In his new book Growth: A Reckoning, Daniel Susskind explores the tension between the positives and nega...

Research shows loneliness costs the Australian economy $2.7 billion per year or $1565 per person. The World Health Organisation has also declared loneliness to be a global health concern. And it’s estimated loneliness has an equivalent health impact on the body to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Before the pandemic older Australians were found to be the loneliest in the nation. But now the data now s...

The growth of cyber-crime is considered to be the biggest challenge facing Australian businesses. Collectively cyber-attacks cost the economy $42 billion dollars last year, with ransomware the most disruptive type of hack, costing $3 billion. So what is the government doing? And what can organisations do, both to lower their risk of attack, and if the hackers succeed in accessing their systems? Gu...

New research suggests that the increase in vaping across Australia will cost the health system an extra $180 million each year and that’s a conservative figure. Vaping has been framed as a way to stop smoking tobacco, however it can also be a gateway to taking it up. It’s estimated that 13 per cent of people who vape transition to cigarettes. The Australian government has called vapes a public hea...

Twice a year most Australians are made to deliberately mess with our body clocks. When we go into daylight saving and when we come out. Many of us love the longer summer evenings. What we don’t love is the sleep adjustment that makes us feel tired, fuzzy and out of sorts. There are plenty of arguments about whether daylight saving is a good or bad thing. So in this episode we look at the costs and...

As we head into Easter you may have noticed the price of your seasonal sweet treats like chocolate bunnies and eggs are a bit higher than last year. The main reason is the price of cocoa beans or actually, the price of cocoa futures. They’ve skyrocketed by more than 100% in 2024 alone and tripled over the past year. But why is that and will we be prepared to keep paying higher prices for the sweet...

In the country’s most expensive housing markets, family help and the ‘bank of mum and dad’ is increasingly necessary for younger people to buy homes. But could this entrench and perpetuate lasting advantage for those already part of the property-owning class? Guests Dr Julia Cook: Senior lecturer, Sociology, University of Newcastle Dr Laurence Troy: Senior lecturer in Urbanism, University of Sydne...

Innovation sparks thoughts of tech giants, inventions and Silicon Valley. While those companies in Cupertino may be good at generating extreme wealth, they’re not so good at spreading it across the communities they benefit from. Other places do better, particularly Switzerland, Sweden and Austria. What can we learn from them? Guest: Neil Lee, Author, Innovation For The Masses: How To Share The Ben...

Wage theft costs Australia’s workforce at least a billion dollars a year. Some industries, like retail, hospitality and horticulture are renowned for it. But the practice is widespread across many sectors. There’s been wage theft cases against franchises like 7 Eleven and Bakers Delight, institutions like universities and the ABC, and corporate giants like Coles and the Commonwealth Bank. So which...

The market concentration of the beer industry. 

Illiteracy is costing the Australian economy billions. It won't cost much to fix the problem in our schools, just a commitment. 

How would we survive the world today if we didn't have our phones?