There's a seismic change heading our way that will drive up electricity and water usage and it has to do with the uptake of generative AI, including Chat GPT. Giant tech companies are investing in nuclear power for their AI-fuelled race, however data centres also need clean, drinking-quality water. Guests:Ben Geman, energy reporter at Axios.com and the author of the daily Axios Generate newsletter, covering the world of energy business and politics.David Berreby, science writer based in New YorkGordon Noble, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

Obesity and associated health problems cause a significant burden on health systems, but should weight-loss drugs be offered under our PBS just for weight loss?  In Britain, there is to be a trial of the weight loss drug Mounjaro, that will also seek to measure the economic impact of those benefits.  Britain's Health Minister argues that weight loss drugs will be '"life-changing, help them get back to work and ease the demands on our NHS". Guests:Dr Norman Swan, co-presenter of ABC Radio National's Health Report, and the podcast 'What's That Rash?'Jonathan Karnon, Professor of Health Economics at Flinders UniversityNial Wheate, Pharmaceutical Chemist and Professor of Academic Excellence at Macquarie University And the Albanese Government this week announced a crack down on unfair and excessive card surcharges, promising to get a better deal for Australians and small business.  The declining use of cash and the rise of electronic payments means more Australians are getting hit by often hidden surcharges.  Guest:Brad Kelly, Co-founder of the Independent Payment Forum

The continuing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have horrified the world with the loss of life and devastation, raising the question, what's the cost of weaponry? World military expenditure surpassed $US2.44 trillion for the first time in 2022. Latest available figures show at $US916 billion, the US spends the most and it's also the world's largest exporter of weapons. Also US spending on Israel's military operations and related US operations in the Middle East this year total $22.76 billion, and that is only a partial figure. So how are some of these sums broken down?Guests:William Halsortung, Senior Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and author of Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military Industrial ComplexSiemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher in SIPRI's Arms Transfers Program. (Stockholm's International Peace Research Institute)Dr Marcus Hellyer, Head of Research at Strategic Analysis Australia

In a new economic analysis of religions, Paul Seabright argues that religions are not the antithesis of economics, instead he likens them to competing businesses, attracting people by providing services such as community and a greater sense of meaning in life. The Divine Economy, published by Princeton University PressGuest:Paul Seabright, teaches economics at the Toulouse School of Economics. Prior to that he was a Fellow of All Souls College at the University of Oxford. 

Australian's love affair with paying by card - and not cash - has now surpassed 90% of transactions.  And each time we tap our card, the merchant incurs a cost that's passed onto you, the customer, to the tune of billions of dollars a year.So who gets the money? As part of a Review of Retail Payments Regulation, the RBA is expecting the industry - the banks, card companies and payment terminal companies - to cut processing costs by using what's called 'least cost routing'.Brad Kelly, Managing Director of Consulting Company, Payment ServicesWes Lambert, CEO of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe AssociationThe ACCC is seeking significant penalties for Coles and Woolworths in the Federal Court, alleging they systematically misled customers with their 'Prices Drop' and 'Down Down' claims. Neil Rechlin, Partner at NextGen Group

The recent Senate Economics Reference Committee chaired by Andrew Bragg, delivered an extremely critical report on the performance of the corporate regulator, ASIC. It was recommended that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission be split into two bodies to address a perceived lack of competence.Guests: Andy Schmulow, Associate Professor in the School of Law at the University of WollongongDr Jason Harris, Professor of Corporate Law, Interim Deputy Dean and Interim Deputy Head of School at the University of Sydney Law SchoolWhat's our environment worth?  In 2025, the ABS will release its first set of national data to measure the value of our ecosystems across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine realms. Guest: Penny Johnson, Head of the Centre of Environmental Accounts at the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently said that 'high interest rates had smashed the economy'. And the Albanese Government has been set on driving through changes recommended in last year's independent review of the RBA - the biggest overhaul of the Reserve Bank in decades. But after the LNP withdrew its support for reform, Labour is now looking to the Greens. So how will we know whether the RBA is doing a good job or not? Guests:John Simon, former Head of Economic Research at the Reserve Bank, now Adjunct Professor at Macquarie UniversityJohn Quiggan, VC Senior Fellow in Economics at the University of QueenslandAnd how much pocket money are children getting these days? Guest: Matthew Bowen, Head of Consumer and Marketing Insights, ING Bank of Australia 

Free to air TV was once the only place to watch your favourite football match, but that could change as streaming services and tech companies now compete for sports media rights.  Sports bodies sell their rights to broadcasters, who then sell advertising slots or subscriptions, so the clubs and athletes get paid.  While this mostly remains the case in Australia, the global value of these rights will this year surpass $US 60 billion with Amazon Prime, NBC and ESPN joining up for the rights to both men's and women's basketball.  Guests: Minal Modha, Head of Sport at research firm, Ampere AnalysisBen Strauss, Sports and Media Reporter at The Washington PostDavid Rowe, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Research at the University of Western SydneyTim Burrowes, publisher of the media and marketing industry newsletter, Unmade. 

We're almost a quarter of the way into the 21st Century and already it's clear money has changed. It's increasingly mobile. It's (relatively) cheap and more and more digital. Economist Richard Holden is charting the changes. Guest: Richard Holden, Professor of Economics at the University of NSW Business SchoolAuthor of "Money in the 21st Century; Cheap, Mobile, and Digital' published by University of California Press.

We're almost a quarter of the way into the 21st Century and already it's clear money has changed. It's increasingly mobile. It's (relatively) cheap and more and more digital. Economist Richard Holden is charting the changes. Guest: Richard Holden, Professor of Economics at the University of NSW Business SchoolAuthor of "Money in the 21st Century; Cheap, Mobile, and Digital' published by University of California Press.

It is a bird? Is it a plane? Well, yes, it is a plane, but it's also something much more.We all know that airlines fly passengers and freight around the country and the world. But they're also like banks, and data collecting businesses. And that's because of the growing importance of their frequent flyer programs. Though you no longer need to fly to gain points. As customers we're not sure what these points are worth. But to the airlines, loyalty programs are so lucrative that they are a core part of their business.Guests:Katharine Kemp, Associate Professor at UNSW Law and JusticeDaniel Sciberras, Editor in Chief at Point HacksGanesh Sitaraman, Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University and author of Why flying is miserable and how to fix it, published by Columbia Global Reports Leona Tam, Professor at UTS Business School.This program is repeated from March, 2024

During Science Week we focus on the business of space and the new global race to put people on the Moon. The space economy is predicted to be worth $US1.8 trillion in ten years time and one of the first steps is the construction of a Lunar Gateway, serving as a pathway to Mars.So what are the likely benefits for us on earth from this re-energised space race? Peggy Hollinger, Space Industry Editor for the Financial TimesProfessor Anna Moore, Director of the ANU's Institute for SpaceRyan Brukardt, Senior Partner in Global Management Consulting at McKinsey and Co

The Paris Olympics were designed to be 'infrastructure light' to avoid outlandish construction costs,  yet the overspend is estimated at $US1 billion. Since the 2016 Rio Olympics' budget overrun by 352 per cent, many cities withdrew their bids in the face of strong public opposition.  So should Olympic Games be held in one permanent location every four years?  And how are plans for Brisbane's 2032 Olympic Games progressing? Andrew Zimbalist, Professor of Economics at Smith College, Massachusetts. Author of Circus Maximus and Boston Olympics: How and Why Smart Cities Are Passing on the TorchMichael Bleby, Deputy Property Editor at the Australian Financial Review 

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 UTSGeoff Martin, Professor of Strategy at Melbourne Business SchoolDr Rebecca Bachmann, Lecturer, Department of Account and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University Ed Johns, Executive Manager, Australian Council of Superannuation Investors 

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 latest in entertainment.  

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-Founder, Clothing the GapMichelle Evans, Director of the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership at Melbourne University and Melbourne Business School Kelly Keane, Associate Director, Indigenous Business Australia

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. GuestsKristen Sobeck, Research Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, ANUMatthew Bowen, Head of Consumer and Market Insights, ING Bank AustraliaAlex Robson, Deputy Chair, Productivity Commission 

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? GuestsDiana Mousina: Deputy Chief Economist, AMP.Brendan Coates:  Economic Policy Program Director, Grattan institute. Cassandra Windsor: Chief Economist,  CEDA ( Committee for Economic Development of Australia)Tim Harrison: CEO of Ararat Rural City Council, Victoria.

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 alcoholic drinks and there’s some concern they may act as a gateway to alcohol.Guests:Simon Strachan, CEO, DrinkwiseElfrun von Koeller, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting GroupAndy Miller, CEO, Heaps NormalDr Ashlea Bartram, Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University

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 SydneyAriana Hendry, Co-founder, BeysisKristian Kolding, Head of Consulting, Oxford Economics AustraliaProfessor Vili Lehdonvirta, Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford University

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 have peaked.Guests:Cormac Kinney, Founder & CEO, Diamond StandardPaul Zimnisky, Leading Global Diamond Industry AnalystTalitha Cummins, Founder, the Cut JewelleryEloise Sohier, Customer, The Cut Jewellery

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 their views.Guests:Shane Oliver, Chief Economist, AMPRichard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW Business SchoolLuci Ellis, Chief Economist, Westpac Banking Group

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 US, the UK and Europe are facing similar problems, with similar costs.Guests:Shanthakumar Rajaratnam, Chair of the Sleep Health FoundationProfessor Ron Grunstein, The Woolcock Institute Wendy Troxel, The Rand CorporationZafina Ademi, Health Economist, Monash University

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 negatives created by the pursuit of growth.Guest:Daniel Susskind, Research Professor in Economics at King’s College London

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 shows this has shifted and younger Australians are the feeling the effects of being alone and isolated.Technology has allowed us to be more connected than before, but has all this left us lonelier than ever?Guests:Andrew Dempster, Principal Director & Leader of the National Mental Health Advisory Business, KPMGRoger Wilkins, Professorial Fellow at Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, and Co-Director of the HILDA SurveyLiesel Sharabi, from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University.Lixia Qu, Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

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?GuestsNick Espinosa, Chief Security Fanatic, Security FanaticsDr Jay Jeong, Senior Research Fellow, University of MelbourneDr David Tuffley, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security, Griffith UniversityDavid Cullen, National Director of Advocacy, CISO LensAbi Bradshaw, Head of the Australian Signals Directorates Cyber Security Centre

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 health menace and introduced restrictive anti-vaping policies. But are these policies intended to drive positive change giving rise to a dangerous black-market?Guests:Professor Louisa Collins, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteDr James Martin, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Deakin UniversityBecky Freeman, Associate Professor of Public Health, Sydney University

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 benefits and whether it’s time to rethink the concept.Guests:Dr Thomas Sigler, Associate Professor, University of QueenslandAllison Schrager, Economist & Senior Fellow at the Manhattan InstituteDr Yevgeny Mugerman, Senior Lecturer, Bar-Ilan UniversityDr Jayanta Sarkar, Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology

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 stuff?GuestsTina Angelidis: Co-Owner, Adora ChocolatesPia Piggott: Associate Analyst, RabobankProfessor John Dumay: Accounting & Finance, Macquarie Business SchoolPaul Zahra: CEO, Australian Retailers Association Check out the Chocolate Scorecard: https://www.chocolatescorecard.com/

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?GuestsDr Julia Cook: Senior lecturer, Sociology, University of NewcastleDr Laurence Troy: Senior lecturer in Urbanism, University of SydneyDr Monique McKenzie: Post doctoral research associate, University of SydneySophie Renton: Managing Director at social research firm, McCrindle.

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 Benefits Of The High-Tech Economy

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 workers are most vulnerable and what can be done to protect them?Guests:Giuseppe Carabetta, Associate Professor of Workplace and Business Law at the University of Technology, Sydney Business School.Rebecca Thistleton, Executive Director, McKell Institute Victoria.Stephen Clibborn, Associate Professor in the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies, University of Sydney Business School.Paula McDonald, Professor of Work and Organisation, Queensland University of Technology

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? 

How airlines have transitioned to financial institutions and data gathering businesses that just happen to have planes.  

The rising cost of extreme weather events and climate change. 

The Money looks at the accusation that the major supermarkets are price gouging, something the Federal Government is investigating. 

Mariana Mazzucato and the influence of the big consulting firms and why the long term really matters. 

The Money explains how the Australian economy and everything in it works.

Sophie Howe and Alison Pennington, women from different generations but with the same goal to improve the living conditions of younger and future generations. 

Pay attention to what you're subcribing to, what you're buying and the cost of online returns.

As the number of students attending university has grown so has their debt and while the HECS / HELP system has worked well in the past - does it now need reform?

The Money explains how the Australian economy and everything in it works.

Taylor Swift is on track to make over $US1 billion from her world tour. Here’s how she (and other superstars) make so much.

The economics of present giving. 

Disagreement between PNG and the IMF and why our future depends on how we shape our cities. 

Making the RBA independent from the government and The World Ahead report. 

Improving competition both in Australia and within the EU and what shoppers want from their main street.

The economic relationship between Gaza and Israel and the new Chair of the Productivity Commission, Danielle Wood.

Making sense of what is influencing inflation, consultancy competition and changes in the CPI.

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones on what super funds need to do; what will the RBA do about interest rates and a cautionary tale about business expenses.

It's a numbers game when it comes to reporting ESG and paying taxes, or not. And how do you better charge for road usage. 

What we learn from seven economic crashes. Why we should expand our horizons and embraced the long view.

Are we returning to the days of the landed gentry when property is increasingly concentrated in families that can afford it?

Competition is good for an economy and consumers but are Australians getting it? Index funds and private equity are on track to dominate the US economy – should they be reigned in?

How does the recent white paper plan to address under and unemployment? A former RBA board member reflects on the early days of the GFC when financial contagion threatened the global economy. Mid-week golf is booming but shouldn’t you be at work?

How women and their employers are paying a big price because of menopause. El Nino weather and its impact on economic staples. What are Central Bank Digital Currencies and could they change the financial landscape?  

What a slowdown in China means for Australia. How the rapid rise of the consumer class will change the world. How companies profit from our inattention to auto renewed subscriptions.

Are we still on the narrow path to a soft landing? What the latest figures tell us. The psychology behind drip pricing and how not to get tricked by it. Why big shifts in Ireland’s economic data are causing concern for Eurozone economists.

By 2030, 82 per cent of our power is supposed to come from renewables. We’re not on track.

For future generations, what is the legacy of our current public policies and what issues might Australia have to confront in forty years time?                                                      What makes Islamic banking different?

What do the latest indicators tell us about the state of the labour market? How we embrace the online world in almost everything- except lodging our tax returns. Why aren’t economists more highly regarded?

The rise in debt collection and the late payment of invoices could be the canary in the coal mine for some industries. How are workplaces responding to working from home and what are the tensions? Why returning unwanted goods bought online isn’t really free.

The rise in debt collection and the late payment of invoices could be the canary in the coal mine for some industries. How are workplaces responding to working from home and what are the tensions? Why returning unwanted goods bought online isn’t really free.

As interest rates rise are home owners coping with the transition from low to higher mortgage costs? What the trade row with the EU over geo-indicators means for Australian food producers.  How financial news reporting favours the rich and fuels inequality.

As interest rates rise are home owners coping with the transition from low to higher mortgage costs? What the trade row with the EU over geo-indicators means for Australian food producers.  How financial news reporting favours the rich and fuels inequality.

Ticket prices for big international acts have outstripped inflation and supply can’t keep up with demand – what does this mean for the devoted fans of live music?

Taylor Swift is on track to make $US 1 billion from her world tour. Here’s how she (and other superstars) make so much.

Why Michele Bullock, the next Governor of the Reserve Bank is ‘more than just a seasoned econocrat’.How do the French and Australian pensions compare and why are the French so passionate about theirs.The board which advises government on the tax system is certainly made up of experts in their field but is their collective thinking too narrow and are their backgrounds too similar?

Why Michele Bullock, the next Governor of the Reserve Bank is ‘more than just a seasoned econocrat’.How do the French and Australian pensions compare and why are the French so passionate about theirs.The board which advises government on the tax system is certainly made up of experts in their field but is their collective thinking too narrow and are their backgrounds too similar?

Have repeated interest rate rises succeeded in slowing inflation and the economy? Debanking and the push back against financial abusers. Adding teeth to inadequate money laundering laws.

Have repeated interest rate rises succeeded in slowing inflation and the economy? Debanking and the push back against financial abusers. Adding teeth to inadequate money laundering laws.

As the number of students attending university has grown so has their debt and while the HECS / HELP system has worked well in the past - does it now need reform?

As the number of students attending university has grown so has their debt and while the HECS / HELP system has worked well in the past - does it now need reform?

Changes to government transfer payments, programs and policies kick in on July 1st. Just how bad is inflation for the investment economy and can you hedge against it? The downside of living in an 'asset managed society'.

Changes to government transfer payments, programs and policies kick in on July 1st. Just how bad is inflation for the investment economy and can you hedge against it? The downside of living in an 'asset managed society'.

Who might be the next head of Australia’s central bank? How does a proposed global minimum tax work and will it bring in more revenue. Does paying big money to a sport star improve a team’s performance and the club’s bottom line?

Who might be the next head of Australia’s central bank? How does a proposed global minimum tax work and will it bring in more revenue. Does paying big money to a sport star improve a team’s performance and the club’s bottom line?

How does Canberra distribute revenue from the Goods and Services Tax  and is it fair? The U.S dollar has long been the dominant currency for world trade but can China change that? The system behind how Australians pay for everything is about to be modernised.

How does Canberra distribute revenue from the Goods and Services Tax  and is it fair? The U.S dollar has long been the dominant currency for world trade but can China change that? The system behind how Australians pay for everything is about to be modernised.

Why are we in a rental crisis and what can be done to improve the situation?  

Why are we in a rental crisis and what can be done to improve the situation?  

Can Ajay Banga, the new head of the World Bank, end poverty? Why the aged care sector continues to struggle. Cyber attacks — a risk that can be managed ?

Can Ajay Banga, the new head of the World Bank, end poverty? Why the aged care sector continues to struggle. Cyber attacks — a risk that can be managed ?

Two economists unpack and debate the idea that higher unemployment is needed to contain inflation. Short term thinking might be expedient in business and politics but could taking a really long view be better?

Two economists unpack and debate the idea that higher unemployment is needed to contain inflation. Short term thinking might be expedient in business and politics but could taking a really long view be better?

Cost of living increases are forcing many to change their spending. But not everything is down and not all groups are under pressure. Wade Tubman crunches the numbers. Why mega projects so often fail to deliver on time and on budget. Dan Gardner investigates what's going wrong and how to get it right.

Cost of living increases are forcing many to change their spending. But not everything is down and not all groups are under pressure. Wade Tubman crunches the numbers. Why mega projects so often fail to deliver on time and on budget. Dan Gardner investigates what's going wrong and how to get it right.

George Megalogenis and Frank Bongiorno provide their analysis on this budget and where they sit in history.

George Megalogenis and Frank Bongiorno provide their analysis on this budget and where they sit in history.

The US government debit limit and increasing inequality in Australia and how to improve overall productivity. 

The US government debit limit and increasing inequality in Australia and how to improve overall productivity. 

What is the latest prediction of where the global economy is heading? The clues are in Mona Lisa's smile. And how to protect future generations? Wales is leading the way. 

What is the latest prediction of where the global economy is heading? The clues are in Mona Lisa's smile. And how to protect future generations? Wales is leading the way. 

The RBA review is in with 51 recommendations. Full employment is discussed but what does this look like in Australia?  

The RBA review is in with 51 recommendations. Full employment is discussed but what does this look like in Australia?  

Credit card debt is on the rise so too is the interest paid federally to service our debt. What can be done to reduce both? And the cat and mouse game of insurance. 

Credit card debt is on the rise so too is the interest paid federally to service our debt. What can be done to reduce both? And the cat and mouse game of insurance. 

Insights into the RBA's recent decision; why are we so blase to another banking crisis and a manufacturing revival.

Insights into the RBA's recent decision; why are we so blase to another banking crisis and a manufacturing revival.

A Vice-Chancellor shares his ideas on how to ease the pain when attaining a degree and how does a family of four compare to CPI weightings on household expenditure. 

A Vice-Chancellor shares his ideas on how to ease the pain when attaining a degree and how does a family of four compare to CPI weightings on household expenditure. 

Banking contagion and the question of job creation either through submarines and then, AI. 

Banking contagion and the question of job creation either through submarines and then, AI. 

How young Australians can reclaim their uncertain future and what are central bankers talking about amongst themselves? 

How young Australians can reclaim their uncertain future and what are central bankers talking about amongst themselves? 

How to better equip countries and regions with insurance for climate disasters and reviewing the migration system. 

How to better equip countries and regions with insurance for climate disasters and reviewing the migration system. 

The aged care sector is haemorrhaging money. Why?

The aged care sector is haemorrhaging money. Why?

How the consulting industry has taken centre state in the private and public sphere and how has the  Russian invasion of Ukraine twelve months on affected the economy.

How the consulting industry has taken centre state in the private and public sphere and how has the  Russian invasion of Ukraine twelve months on affected the economy.

What are the reasons behind the interest rate increases and why has the narrative recently shifted in how we're talking about it?

What are the reasons behind the interest rate increases and why has the narrative recently shifted in how we're talking about it?

How to better reform Medicare; why we should reform the fuel tax credit scheme and the great inflation debate.

How to better reform Medicare; why we should reform the fuel tax credit scheme and the great inflation debate.

What are sustainable financial taxonomies and why do we need them and why we need to regulate buy now pay later services. 

What are sustainable financial taxonomies and why do we need them and why we need to regulate buy now pay later services. 

Major shifts in global trading blocs and how is the loneliness epidemic affecting China's economy?

Major shifts in global trading blocs and how is the loneliness epidemic affecting China's economy?

What should be included when measuring the health of an economy and nation? 

What should be included when measuring the health of an economy and nation? 

The business model of online sports betting.

The business model of online sports betting.

What is the economic model of streaming, both music and video, and who benefits?

What is the economic model of streaming, both music and video, and who benefits?

Devastating floods, droughts and storms have been a feature of 2022. How can economics help, or not, with the effects of climate change? 

Devastating floods, droughts and storms have been a feature of 2022. How can economics help, or not, with the effects of climate change? 

The economics of sanctions and how the West enables oligarchs.

The economics of sanctions and how the West enables oligarchs.

The Money explains how the Australian economy and everything in it works.

The Money explains how the Australian economy and everything in it works.

There are increases in energy prices and in the number of people sleeping rough. Both of these topics will be discussed as well as what lies ahead next year.

There are increases in energy prices and in the number of people sleeping rough. Both of these topics will be discussed as well as what lies ahead next year.

Inflation, jobs and taxation. What is the latest data telling us and what are the challenges for a tax state like Australia in the near future? 

Inflation, jobs and taxation. What is the latest data telling us and what are the challenges for a tax state like Australia in the near future? 

The Money looks at what else can be done about wages; where countries are turning for financial assistance and the correlation between climate change and autocratic rule.

The Money looks at what else can be done about wages; where countries are turning for financial assistance and the correlation between climate change and autocratic rule.

The cost of this year's floods and how we're been caught up in chokepoint capitalism. 

The cost of this year's floods and how we're been caught up in chokepoint capitalism. 

Industrial relations in Denmark and the very expensive US mid-term elections. 

Industrial relations in Denmark and the very expensive US mid-term elections. 

The rental crisis. Why is it happening and what can be done about it? 

The rental crisis. Why is it happening and what can be done about it? 

What makes this federal budget different from previous ones and how do you accommodate domestic and international economic pressures. And, a pivotal moment for world economic policy.

What makes this federal budget different from previous ones and how do you accommodate domestic and international economic pressures. And, a pivotal moment for world economic policy.

The wider implications for the global economy coming out of the Chinese Communist Party Congress. 

The wider implications for the global economy coming out of the Chinese Communist Party Congress. 

The taxing question of how much tax we should be paying and what type of tax. And book publishing, how is the industry adapting to increased paper prices and supply and issues. 

The taxing question of how much tax we should be paying and what type of tax. And book publishing, how is the industry adapting to increased paper prices and supply and issues. 

Why aren't the banks passing on higher savings rates; copper demand and supply rates are problematic for a greener economy and sovereign capabilities. 

Why aren't the banks passing on higher savings rates; copper demand and supply rates are problematic for a greener economy and sovereign capabilities. 

Measuring the health of an economy and of a nation, what are the variables that should be included, beyond GDP? 

Measuring the health of an economy and of a nation, what are the variables that should be included, beyond GDP? 

The big business of sports betting and all that it involves.

The big business of sports betting and all that it involves.

What economic value does the British monarch bring to the UK economy and the complexities of streaming services

What economic value does the British monarch bring to the UK economy and the complexities of streaming services

What is the RBA Governor Philip Lowe actually saying? What's happening within the Chinese economy and the bank of mum and dad.

What is the RBA Governor Philip Lowe actually saying? What's happening within the Chinese economy and the bank of mum and dad.

Changing jobs can help improve wages but there needs to be better support in place to help people make the leap. Better support with increased wages and better working conditions will also be discussed for those, mainly women, working in the care economy. And why are we still so financially and mentally stressed with the re-opening of the economy and record high employment levels? 

Changing jobs can help improve wages but there needs to be better support in place to help people make the leap. Better support with increased wages and better working conditions will also be discussed for those, mainly women, working in the care economy. And why are we still so financially and mentally stressed with the re-opening of the economy and record high employment levels? 

Labor MP Andrew Leigh discusses why Australia's productivity has slowed down and most importantly how we can reignite the economy.

Labor MP Andrew Leigh discusses why Australia's productivity has slowed down and most importantly how we can reignite the economy.

The Albanese Government has released a discussion paper outlining changes to the safeguard mechanism ensuring high industrial polluters decarbonise to levels set. Hugh Grossman from RepuTex Energy explains what this means. Meanwhile the University of Queensland in conjunction with the WWF-Australia have put a dollar figure on how much funding is needed to repair the damage to habitat caused by the Black Summer Fires.  Dr Michelle Ward breaks down the numbers. And green capitalism. Adrienne Buller discusses why acting on climate change through the prism of capital markets does not work in her book, The Value of a Whale. 

The Albanese Government has released a discussion paper outlining changes to the safeguard mechanism ensuring high industrial polluters decarbonise to levels set. Hugh Grossman from RepuTex Energy explains what this means. Meanwhile the University of Queensland in conjunction with the WWF-Australia have put a dollar figure on how much funding is needed to repair the damage to habitat caused by the Black Summer Fires.  Dr Michelle Ward breaks down the numbers. And green capitalism. Adrienne Buller discusses why acting on climate change through the prism of capital markets does not work in her book, The Value of a Whale. 

With the increasing popularity of digital currencies, the RBA is exploring its own central bank digital currency. The Deputy Governor of the RBA Michele Bullock, explains how it might work. To assist in preparing for increases in inflation, the ABS will release monthly CPI indicators. Australia's Statistician Dr David Gruen talks through the advantages. And how to improve trade between countries. Economist at the ANU Andrew Stoeckel discusses what steps we should take. 

With the increasing popularity of digital currencies, the RBA is exploring its own central bank digital currency. The Deputy Governor of the RBA Michele Bullock, explains how it might work. To assist in preparing for increases in inflation, the ABS will release monthly CPI indicators. Australia's Statistician Dr David Gruen talks through the advantages. And how to improve trade between countries. Economist at the ANU Andrew Stoeckel discusses what steps we should take. 

New Zealand is not only two hours ahead of the east cost of Australia, it's also seven months ahead of us when it comes to increasing interest rates. Can we learn anything from their experience? ANZ economist Madeline Dunk talks about the Demand across the ditch report. Meanwhile economist and former RBA board member Warwick McKibbin discusses the RBA's pursuit of its inflation target and whether there's a better way? And the Russian economy. Some commentators say sanctions and the exit of global businesses has not had the desired effect. Yale University's Steven Tian uses comprehensive data to argue it's having a devasting effect.

New Zealand is not only two hours ahead of the east cost of Australia, it's also seven months ahead of us when it comes to increasing interest rates. Can we learn anything from their experience? ANZ economist Madeline Dunk talks about the Demand across the ditch report. Meanwhile economist and former RBA board member Warwick McKibbin discusses the RBA's pursuit of its inflation target and whether there's a better way? And the Russian economy. Some commentators say sanctions and the exit of global businesses has not had the desired effect. Yale University's Steven Tian uses comprehensive data to argue it's having a devasting effect.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered his 'confronting' statement on the economy and budget outlook at Parliament today. Economist Danielle Wood from the Grattan Institute provides her analysis. On top of these economy woes is a potential outbreak of foot and mouth disease. A worse case scenario estimates a cost of eighty billion dollars over ten years. That doesn't include the costs to tourism or mental health but it does put into perspective why we spend so much on biosecurity measures. The University of New England's Susie Hester explains. And the enablers. An estimated two trillion US dollars of illicit funds, stolen by corrupt officials and transnational organised crime, flows into the West's capital markets every year. So how does it get there? Frank Vogl exposes who the enablers are and what can be done to stop them.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered his 'confronting' statement on the economy and budget outlook at Parliament today. Economist Danielle Wood from the Grattan Institute provides her analysis. On top of these economy woes is a potential outbreak of foot and mouth disease. A worse case scenario estimates a cost of eighty billion dollars over ten years. That doesn't include the costs to tourism or mental health but it does put into perspective why we spend so much on biosecurity measures. The University of New England's Susie Hester explains. And the enablers. An estimated two trillion US dollars of illicit funds, stolen by corrupt officials and transnational organised crime, flows into the West's capital markets every year. So how does it get there? Frank Vogl exposes who the enablers are and what can be done to stop them.

Health staff across Australia have been telling us for years, there's a crisis within our health system, particularly with our public hospitals. It does have a lot to do with our funding model but there are also problems outside the hospital system that need attention. Jennifer Doggett from the Centre for Health Policy Development explains. And the debate about working from home continues with disparities between what employers and employees want. Some interesting studies in the US have highlighted how it is affecting the labour force but also, inflation. Ragan Petrie, an applied microeconomist who holds positions in Australia and US, discusses these findings.

Health staff across Australia have been telling us for years, there's a crisis within our health system, particularly with our public hospitals. It does have a lot to do with our funding model but there are also problems outside the hospital system that need attention. Jennifer Doggett from the Centre for Health Policy Development explains. And the debate about working from home continues with disparities between what employers and employees want. Some interesting studies in the US have highlighted how it is affecting the labour force but also, inflation. Ragan Petrie, an applied microeconomist who holds positions in Australia and US, discusses these findings.

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers plans to introduce a Wellbeing Budget, based on New Zealand's experience. Suzi Morrissey, from the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa, explains what this entails. Caleb Goods from the University of Western Australia discusses what the agreement between food delivery company Uber and the Transport Workers Union means to gig workers and how a new Federal Government might drive some of these changes? And multinationals. They are a large part of the Australian economy and landscape and according to Professor Simon Ville from the University of Wollongong, a historical perspective is important for shaping today's policies. His analysis is included in the book Lessons from History.

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers plans to introduce a Wellbeing Budget, based on New Zealand's experience. Suzi Morrissey, from the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa, explains what this entails. Caleb Goods from the University of Western Australia discusses what the agreement between food delivery company Uber and the Transport Workers Union means to gig workers and how a new Federal Government might drive some of these changes? And multinationals. They are a large part of the Australian economy and landscape and according to Professor Simon Ville from the University of Wollongong, a historical perspective is important for shaping today's policies. His analysis is included in the book Lessons from History.

Interest rates are on the rise not just here in Australia but in other parts of the globe as central banks and governments grapple with rising inflation. But what can central banks actually achieve? Former deputy governor of the Bank of England and now chair of NatWest Group, Sir Howard Davies discusses. And just as interest rates keep rising so do water levels. The Nepean-Hawkesbury valley is once again flooded. Dr Brian Cook from the University of Melbourne explains how among other factors, massive changes to land use and economic forces have disrupted the peak flows of our river systems. So what to do?

Interest rates are on the rise not just here in Australia but in other parts of the globe as central banks and governments grapple with rising inflation. But what can central banks actually achieve? Former deputy governor of the Bank of England and now chair of NatWest Group, Sir Howard Davies discusses. And just as interest rates keep rising so do water levels. The Nepean-Hawkesbury valley is once again flooded. Dr Brian Cook from the University of Melbourne explains how among other factors, massive changes to land use and economic forces have disrupted the peak flows of our river systems. So what to do?

In 1992, the Keating Government passed the Superannuation Guarantee Act insuring at the time retirement savings to seventy two percent of workers. Thirty years on, as the super guarantee is about to increase, is it still the best way to ensure sufficient retirement income for all? Brendan Coates from the Grattan Institute discusses the pros and the cons. And how to twin efficiency and equity. Professor of Law Rosalind Dixon and Professor of Economics Richard Holden have proposed in their book reforms on how to make economies fairer through liberalism democracy. And you'll be surprised to know that Australia has many of the frameworks required.

In 1992, the Keating Government passed the Superannuation Guarantee Act insuring at the time retirement savings to seventy two percent of workers. Thirty years on, as the super guarantee is about to increase, is it still the best way to ensure sufficient retirement income for all? Brendan Coates from the Grattan Institute discusses the pros and the cons. And how to twin efficiency and equity. Professor of Law Rosalind Dixon and Professor of Economics Richard Holden have proposed in their book reforms on how to make economies fairer through liberalism democracy. And you'll be surprised to know that Australia has many of the frameworks required.

Energy capacity mechanisms, what are they and what are the concerns about them and why is the Australia's Institute Polly Hemming slightly optimistic about Australia's future climate and energy policies? Jobs, jobs, jobs and 270,00 missing ones. Economist Isaac Gross with the ALP's Andrew Leigh have analysed the RBA's use of interest rates over the last twenty years. This monetary tool hasn't always worked as it should. And we all know big brother is watching what we're doing online. But how does this affect the insurance products, policies and costs that are being offered to us? Zofia Bednarz from the University of Sydney's Law School discusses why it needs to be considered and better regulated.

Energy capacity mechanisms, what are they and what are the concerns about them and why is the Australia's Institute Polly Hemming slightly optimistic about Australia's future climate and energy policies? Jobs, jobs, jobs and 270,00 missing ones. Economist Isaac Gross with the ALP's Andrew Leigh have analysed the RBA's use of interest rates over the last twenty years. This monetary tool hasn't always worked as it should. And we all know big brother is watching what we're doing online. But how does this affect the insurance products, policies and costs that are being offered to us? Zofia Bednarz from the University of Sydney's Law School discusses why it needs to be considered and better regulated.

Interest rates are rising and not just in Australia. So how do people feel about the economy and their own financial situation? Bill Evans, Chief Economist at Westpac, talks about consumer sentiment. The tragedy of gun violence in the US is impossible to measure, but what about the economic cost? Ted Miller from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation has been crunching the data with a price tag of $557 billion based on 2019 figures. And what factors are contributing to the skyrocketing prices of our daily greens? Supply chain expert, Flavio Macau from the Edith Cowan University's School of Business and Law helps us digest why certain vegetables have become top shelf expensive.

Interest rates are rising and not just in Australia. So how do people feel about the economy and their own financial situation? Bill Evans, Chief Economist at Westpac, talks about consumer sentiment. The tragedy of gun violence in the US is impossible to measure, but what about the economic cost? Ted Miller from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation has been crunching the data with a price tag of $557 billion based on 2019 figures. And what factors are contributing to the skyrocketing prices of our daily greens? Supply chain expert, Flavio Macau from the Edith Cowan University's School of Business and Law helps us digest why certain vegetables have become top shelf expensive.

The Grattan Institute's director of energy, Tony Wood, provides his analysis of this week's energy minister's meeting and why an integrated energy and climate change policy is critical.

The Grattan Institute's director of energy, Tony Wood, provides his analysis of this week's energy minister's meeting and why an integrated energy and climate change policy is critical.

Twelve of Australia's prominent economists penned an open letter to the new Treasurer Jim Chalmers about what they want to see in the promised review of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Renee Fry-McKibbin, Professor of Economics at the ANU's Crawford School of Public policy and interim director explains why this review is so important to get right.

Twelve of Australia's prominent economists penned an open letter to the new Treasurer Jim Chalmers about what they want to see in the promised review of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Renee Fry-McKibbin, Professor of Economics at the ANU's Crawford School of Public policy and interim director explains why this review is so important to get right.

We have a new government so where does it stand on the big issues like climate and industrial relations? Anna Skarbek, CEO of Climateworks Centre discusses the targets and policies but also how much more needs to be done and Andrew Stewart, Professor of Law at the University of Adelaide talks through the challenges the government has with rejuvenating enterprise bargaining mechanisms for pay rises as well as other policy commitments. And have we reached the limits of global trade liberalisation? The Financial Times, global business columnist, Rana Foroohar explores what might come next and whether we need to fix the WTO.

It has been a very long election campaign so is it possible there are areas that haven't been discussed by the major political parties? Richard Holden, Professor of Economics at the University of New South Wales Business School and Danielle Wood, economist and CEO of the Grattan Institute reflect on the policies and economics that have been forgotten.

How do you know when we're in a global recession? Well, there's no precise rule but the economies of China, US and Europe are all facing challenges and uncertainties making forecasting difficult. And as Harvard Professor of Economics Kenneth Rogoff, says, we'll know when we are in one. And this doesn't bode well for Australia where long term forecasts are showing budget deficits. With election spending promises, neither side of politics is mentioning major reform that most economists know is a major requirement. The ABC's financial journalist and editor in chief of the Eureka Report Alan Kohler discusses. And manufacturing. We've all seen the images of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese in high viz, but what are they planning and is it enough? Jesse Adams Stein, senior lecturer and ARC DECRA fellow at the UTS School of Design talks through the possibilities.

In the wake of this weeks RBA increase in interest rates, how difficult is it to forecast in uncertain times? Former economist at the RBA and lecturer at Monash University, Isaac Gross discusses indicators and predictions. How can it be that the number of people receiving unemployment benefits is higher than the number of unemployed? Why are some people receiving benefits exempt from looking for work? Professor Peter Whiteford from the Crawford School of Public Policy at the ANU talks through these conundrums. And what's the correlation between military spend and economic growth? It's complicated as Simon Rabinovitch, The Economist's US economics editor explains.

Inflation, interest rates and the RBA. Warren Hogan economic advisor to Judo Bank provides his prediction of when rates will go up and by how much as well as what are the key questions for a forthcoming review of the RBA. As the Solomon Islands and China deal continues to dominate the election campaign what are the differences in each party's approach to foreign aid and is it economically viable? Stephen Howes, professor of economics at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the ANU discusses. Over ninety billion dollars in revenue could be collected from offshore gas projects if changes to the petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT) are made according to a recent Greens policy. So what is the PRRT, why hasn't it worked and why hasn't the Coalition or the ALP in the past done anything about it? Diane Kraal, senior lecturer at the Monash University's Business School explains.

The funding of the National Disability Insurance Scheme has always been a contentious issue between the ALP and the Coalition. Economist Dr Angela Jackson from Impact Economics and Policy outlines why the costs are so high and how to make it more sustainable. What can economic modelling tell us about who will win the Federal Election? Economist Hamish Greenop-Roberts from the University of Queensland, has studied past elections to determine which economic figures are the best indicators for a win. And what does it mean for a country to default? Eliza Wu, Sydney University's associate professor of finance discusses the consequences of defaulting and what will happen with Russia, and PhD candidate Nimna Prematilaka from the University of Melbourne shares her insights on the economic crisis facing Sri Lanka.

There's been a lot of noise around the unemployment figure of 4 percent, but that's not the only figure we should be concerned about with youth unemployment currently at 9.3 percent. How this figure can be improved is explained by Eliza Littleton, research economist at The Australian Institute and co-author of the report Youth unemployment and the pandemic . In the 2019 federal election, political parties collectively spent $433 million. We won't know the figure for this election until next February and even then, we won't know where some of this money came from. Kate Griffiths,deputy director of the Grattan Institute's budgets and government program discusses why greater transparency is needed. And as the destruction of Ukraine continues from Russian forces, estimates of the cost of reconstruction has already began. Christian Odendahl, European economics editor at The Economist explains where the money will come from and the reforms required to rebuild Ukraine.

As we all await for the Prime Minister to announce the date for the 2022 Federal Election, the Australian Electoral Commission began preparing for it the day after the last election in 2019. What is involved and what is the cost of running an election across the nation? The AEC's spokesperson, Evan Ekin-Smyth explains. And the French head to the polls this weekend in the first round of Presidential elections. In the last few weeks, polling shows a close contest with purchasing power as a number one issue, but there are other factors at play with a result that not only affects France but the EU as well. Lionel Page, Professor of Economics at the University of Queensland, discusses. And venture capital: Sebastian Mallaby, the Paul A Volcker senior fellow for international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations, charts the history and the impact of this once risky venture.

The Money continues with the Federal Budget analyses but with a difference. Four younger economists, including three recipients of the Economic Society of Australia's Young Economist award, discuss how the budget stacks up when applying their specialist lens.

If you could nominate what you wanted from next week's federal budget, what would it be? Join us on The Money as four people representing different parts of Australian life - the community, small business, employers and those under housing stress - answer this question. Cassandra Goldie, CEO of Australian Council of Social Services; Alexi Boyd, CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia; Innes Willox, Chief Executive at Australian Industry Group and Kate Colvin spokesperson for the Everybody's Home Campaign.

Inflation is on the rise, driven by supply shocks. Does the Reserve Bank of Australia need to do something about it? Sean Langcake, head of macroeconomic forecasting at BIS Oxford Economics explains.

Insurance premiums are increasing with the frequency of climate induced natural disasters. The government is planning a reinsurance pool of $10 billion in the hope of making premiums cheaper. But this may not work as Antonia Settle from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research explains.

This week as severe flooding causes havoc in south east Queensland and parts of NSW, two important, relevant reports were released. One by the Insurance Council of Australia outlining what the Federal and State Governments need to invest to protect against the cost of increasing climate disasters and one by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change with a very grim outlook for Australia if emissions aren't cut dramatically. Nicki Hutley, independent economist and Economist with the Climate Council untangles the numbers and considers what we're facing with these current floods.

Does extending parental leave entitlements present a greater cost to the Australian economy or a benefit? The answer from economists and gender equality groups seem to agree, it is beneficial for all. Both socially and economically. These benefits extend to unpaid work at home. This does make sense when you listen to economist Jessica Mizrahi, Director at Accenture Australia and Vice President of the Economic Society of NSW and Mary Wooldridge, Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. We also hear from Hugh Sinclair, a senior finance manager with property group Stockland, who took his full parental leave entitlement when his second child was born. He compares the experience and the benefits from when he took two weeks leave and twenty weeks leave.

It has been a bumpy few years with the pandemic and businesses have had to make huge adjustments. So how are they feeling about the future? Jeremy Thorpe, chief economist of PwC Australia shares the results of their annual survey of CEOs and explains why cybersecurity is the number one risk, as well as why businesses are focussing on the US and New Zealand.

Economist Jim Stanford argues supply and demand will not increase wages. What is needed is the political will and policies to lift wages, structures and institutions and an expanding public sector.

Meet an award winning, Aboriginal-owned construction and maintenance services business that’s part of the booming $4.8 billion Indigenous business sector. How the Nobel economics prize winners better estimated the effects of immigration and the minimum wage. Plus, the retail sector takes trust extremely seriously and is thinking about it in increasingly sophisticated ways.Guests: Gerard Matera, Director, building services company MarawarProfessor Michelle Evans, University of Melbourne Indigenous Business Research GroupProfessor Richard Holden, Future Fellow, UNSW Business SchoolProfessor Michael Roseman, Director, Centre for Future Enterprise, QUT

With tax income from lucrative trade routes and finance from countries such as China or Pakistan, how insulated are the Taliban from the western threat of sanctions and the freeze of international funds? Plus, opportunities for Australia's critical materials sector.Guests:David Mansfield, independent consultant, author of A State Built on Sand: How opium undermined Afghanistan @mansfieldintincJeffrey Wilson, Research Director, Perth USAsia Centre

Cuckoo smurfing — what it is, how to spot it, how to make sure it doesn't happen to you. An Australian philanthropic foundation marks 135 years of helping people in need. What has changed in that time? Plus, Australian researchers find that business leaders are more optimistic about their company's profit outlook when the sun is shiningGuests:Marcus Erikson, Director of Intelligence, AUSTRACStacey Thomas CEO, The Wyatt TrustAmanuel Elias, Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University

A blast from the past offers a possible answer to growing wealth inequality. Three economists put the case for the resurrection of inheritance taxes. Plus, how social change happens.GuestsSaul Eslake, Independent economistIan Raspin, Managing Director, BNR PartnersDanielle Wood, Chief Executive, Grattan InstituteDamon Centola, author of Change: How to make big things happen

The pandemic and subsequent economic crisis have shown how government is crucial for getting things done – like rolling out a vaccine or throwing the economy a lifeline. But what if the state aspired to do a lot more? Economist Mariana Mazzucato thinks that states need to rediscover grand ambition and in-house expertise to solve climate change and inequality. Plus, a look at the ups and downs of China's economy in 2021.Guests: Professor Mariana Mazzucato, Director, Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, University College London. Author of Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism (First broadcast 18/03/2021)Professor Jane Golley, Director, Australian Centre on China in the World, ANU

Leading research on how adapting exam questions to make them culturally relevant to regional and Aboriginal students could close the Indigenous reading gap by 50 per cent and reduce the urban-rural gap by a third. better education outcomes. Ransomware attacks on the rise and Christmas scams to watch out for. Plus, analysis of the mid-year budget update and latest job figures.

Australians have given away more than $1.5 trillion in the past 20 years and could be on track to hand over another $6 trillion in the coming three decades - what are the implications for inequality? Plus, Roy Green remembers economic scholar Geoff Harcourt.

Finding a a lower priced electricity deal might be about to get easier. Plus, a new rental affordability index further details the crippling price of rental properties across Australia for lower-income households

In a post-pandemic recovery, we might expect financial stress to lessen. But the highest level of financial stress, beyond just making ends meet, has been increasing in recent months for families with young children. The Money explores new research from the Melbourne Institute. Plus, the effects of the pandemic on financial equality - Gen Z women are falling behind. And, are tighter lending restrictions cooling Australia's housing market?Guests:Abigail Payne, Director and Ronald Henderson Professor, Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, University of MelbourneBianca Hartge-Hazelman, founder, Financy Women's IndexEliza Owen, Head of Residential Research Australia, CoreLogic

The Commonwealth Bank will allow customers trade cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and Ethereum via its banking app. How might the bank treat the currencies in this landmark experiment? Plus, the RBA's hunt for wage rises and the battle for manual workers.Guests:Paul Bloxham, Chief Economist, Australia, NZ & Global Commodities, HSBCGeorge Tan, Research Fellow, Charles Darwin UniversityDr Elvira Sojli, Associate Professor of Finance and Scientia Fellow Alumni, School of Banking and Finance, UNSW

Pathways to net zero in the transport, agriculture and building sectors. Plus, despite falling crime rates, imprisonment in Australia is at a historic high. Are there alternatives to prison which can reduce costs without compromising community safety?Guests:Fiona Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Farmers for Climate ActionProfessor Deo Prasad, Built Environment, UNSWJane Hunter, CEO, TritiumStephen King, Commissioner, Productivity Commission

One of Australia's oldest philanthropic foundations marks 135 years of helping people in need. What has changed in that time? Plus, will inflation increases push up interest rates? And analysis of China's 2060 carbon neutral pledge.Guests:Sarah Hunter, Sarah Hunter, BIS Oxford EconomicsJorrit Gosens, Research Fellow, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy and founder of China Energy PortalStacey Thomas CEO, The Wyatt Trust

A report card of G20 countries' climate policies finds Australia is one of the least attractive green investment destinations. Hundreds of investors, who collectively manage more than US$46 trillion in assets are urging Australia to make deep emissions cuts this decade. Staying with climate, the Nationals say their support for net zero emissions will not be bought by "thirty pieces of silver", what might a net zero deal involve? Plus, last week's spending data in Sydney.Guests:Rebecca Mikula-Wright, CEO Investor Group on Climate ChangeNicki Hutley, economics spokesperson, The Climate CouncilLachlan Vass, economist, Accenture

America's inflation rate has risen to 5.4 per cent, reflecting shortages and higher prices for food, energy and housing. Are there implications for Australia? How Europe's Carbon Border Adjustments will affect Australian exporters and emissions. Plus, how the Nobel economics prize winners better estimated the effects of immigration and the minimum wage.Guests:Jason Murphy, economistTennant Reed, climate, energy and environment policy analyst, The Australian Industry GroupProfessor Richard Holden, Future Fellow, UNSW Business School

With Australia under pressure to commit to net zero emissions by 2050 before COP26, how would net zero affect the economy? How important are shorter term targets, legal obligations and policies to help deliver any promised cuts? Plus, what's happened to the predicted tsunami of business insolvencies? And, lessons from the Pandora Papers — calls to name and shame tax evaders, and end loopholes in anti-money laundering laws.Most of the states are already committed to net zero by 2050, a lot of Australian companies are as well. So if the Federal Government makes the same commitment, what difference would it make?Guests:Hugh Grossman, Executive Director, RepuTex EnergyNassim Khadem, business reporter, ABC NewsJohn Winter, Chief Executive, Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association

With tax income from lucrative trade routes and finance from countries such as China or Pakistan, how insulated are the Taliban from the western threat of sanctions and the freeze of international funds? Plus, accounting for climate change — latest research on translating climate data into financial risk.Guests:David Mansfield, independent consultant, author of A State Built on Sand: How opium undermined Afghanistan @mansfieldintincDr Tanya Fielder, accounting lecturer, University of Sydney @TanyaFiedler

Australia's move to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and the scrapping its $90 billion submarine program with France has had diplomatic consequences – but what can be assumed about the costs, timeframes and local involvement? Plus, shipping costs, stock delays and supply chain stresses as the pandemic continues.Guests: Dr Marcus Hellyer, Senior Analyst specialising in defence economics and military capability, Australian Strategic Policy InstituteElizabeth Jackson, Senior Lecturer, Curtin University

Last year in the pandemic a lot of people withdrew their superannuation under the Early Release Scheme. For many, it was a lifeline to cover food, rent and pay down debt in case things got worse. For others, it was about replacing an ageing car, or trying to save or even start a business. And surprise, surprise, overall it's worked out worse for women than for men. Plus, cuckoo smurfing — what it is, how to spot it, how to make sure it doesn't happen to you.Guests:Shane Oliver, Chief Economist, AMP CapitalMelissa Birks, General Manager, Advocacy, The Australian Institute of Superannuation TrusteesGillian Kilgour, MetalSmiths Jewellery CollectiveTamika Hicks, Manager and Founder, Cardinia lakes Early Learning CentreMarcus Erikson, Director of Intelligence, AUSTRAC

Could we have a travel bubble with Singapore and what are the advantages of getting it done? Plus, the economic consequences of something that affects so many of us — loneliness. And the massive financial intelligence trove gained from the Trojan Shield sting against organised crime should leave convicted criminals "broke".Guests:Nathan Lynch, Asia-Pacific Manager, Regulatory Intelligence, Thomson ReutersClaryn Kung, Research Fellow, Monash University, Centre of Health EconomicsSimon Baptist, Chief Economist, The Economist Intelligence Unit

COVID disaster payments for Melbourne residents who are unable to work will be part of a new national scheme available to other states if lockdowns last for more than a week. The latest blow to Victoria's economy follows GDP figures which show that Australia's economy has bounced back from the pandemic recession. Plus, the economic costs of racism and Australian researchers find that business leaders are more optimistic about their company's profit outlook when the sun is shining - investors might want to check the weather forecast before making financial decisions.Guests:Danielle Wood, CEO, Grattan InstituteAssociate Professor Edward Podolski, Deakin University Business SchoolAmanuel Elias, Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University

Meet an award winning, Aboriginal-owned construction and maintenance services business that’s part of the booming $4.8 billion Indigenous business sector. Plus, Newcastle City Council’s program to attract talented, community-minded workers. And the tough cost of Victoria’s latest lockdown.Guests: Gerard Matera, Director, building services company MarawarProfessor Michelle Evans, University of Melbourne Indigenous Business Research Group Felicia Mariani, CEO, Victoria Tourism Industry CouncilMajed Traboulsi, New Move applicantBuzzy Gray, New Move applicantDeclan Clausen, Deputy Lord Mayor, City of Newcastle

A stake in the famed New Zealand All Blacks is to be sold to a US private equity firm - with Rugby Australia in a dire financial situation, will private equity also offer the Wallabies a lifeline? Plus, as the International Energy Agency calls time on fossil fuel exploration and investment, and sets out the roadmap for a global energy transition, Australia fires-up plans for a gas led economic recovery.Guests:Hamish McLennan, Chair, Rugby AustraliaJohn Stensholt, business reporter, The AustralianSimon Chadwick, Professor of Eurasian Sport, Emlyon Business School, FranceNicki Hutley, economist, The Climate CouncilSamantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University

How low will unemployment have to go before Australians get a wage rise? Analysis of Federal Budget housing measures for single parents, first home buyers and older people thinking of selling the family home. Plus, beer, Superbowl tickets and a million-dollar lottery - can incentives boost rates of vaccination in the United States?Guests:Sarah Hunter, Chief Economist, BIS Oxford EconomicsProfessor Rachel Ong ViforJ, Curtin UniversityLloyd Edge, buyer’s agent, Director of Aus Property Professionals

The economic implications of India's second COVID wave. Plus, revenue is up at Netflix Australia after we binged on shows during pandemic lockdowns. Despite the boost in revenue, the streaming giant paid only $553,705 in local income tax. It’s legal but there may be tax changes on the way. And the power of quotas and why Australia needs them.Guests:Gabriela D’Souza, Senior Economist, Committee for Economic Development of AustraliaRodney Brown, UNSW Business SchoolProfessor Alison Pullen, Macquarie Business School

Most Australians use a tax agent or accountant to manage their returns and sort out complex deductions – it’s a deductable cost. What if everyone was entitled to a $3000 annual standard tax deduction? Plus, an unlikely coalition of parenting, union and business groups call on the Federal Government to prioritise economic security for women in next month's budget. And the value of trust in digital retail.Guests:Michelle O’Neil, President, Australian Council of Trade UnionsSteven Hamilton, Chief Economist, Blueprint Institute Emma Beal, Researcher, Blueprint InstituteProfessor Michael Rosemann, Director, QUT Centre for Future Enterprise

The island nation of Nauru has been readmitted to the World Bank’s high-income club. The turnaround in Nauru’s economic woes is partly due to increased income from fishing licences - but it is revenue from Australia’s Regional Processing Centre that's transformed the tiny economy. Plus, back in the penalty box – trade sanctions are expected as the Commonwealth cancels Victorian agreements with China’s Belt and Road project. And Menulog trials employing food delivery riders.Guests:Richard McGregor, Senior Fellow, Lowy InstituteProfessor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, Professor of Economics at the Crawford School, ANUTom Barratt, Lecturer, Centre for Work and Wellbeing, Edith Cowan UniversityMichael Kaine, National Secretary, Transport Workers Union

A big jump in consumer confidence to levels not seen since the resources boom have been described this week as “an extraordinary result.“ Westpac Chief Economist Bill Evans explains the latest data. Farmers also have a spring in their step as they go shopping in record numbers for tractors, helicopters and …coffee machines. Plus, the most unpopular tax, that we don’t have, might be a really good idea.Guests: Bill Evans, Chief Economist, WestpacJulie Rynski, NAB Executive, Regional and AgribusinessSaul Eslake, Independent economistIan Raspin, Managing Director, BNR PartnersDanielle Wood, Chief Executive, Grattan Institute

The Australian government has made it clear that after unprecedented spending last year, it's time to slow things down. In America, however, Joe Biden is going the other way, with a jobs and infrastructure package worth two trillion dollars. Also, how young people economically survived the pandemic, and what the price of your coffee can tell you.

As Brisbane emerges from another costly lockdown, there's pressure on the Federal Government to speed-up the vaccine roll-out. Plus, natural disasters are costing us more, so how about a new way to pay? And single parents, especially women, were far more likely than others to lose work at the height of the pandemic and are far more likely to still be out of work now.Guests:Professor Richard Holden, UNSW Business SchoolKate Griffiths, Policy Analyst, The Grattan InstituteMark Ogge, Principal Adviser, The Australia Institute

A container ship wedged in the Suez Canal adds to global supply chain disruptions. As the JobKeeper wage subsidy comes to an end, The Money revisits some of the tourism and hospitality business we heard from last winter. Plus, new measures to cool New Zealand's housing market and build more homes.

The pandemic and subsequent economic crisis has shown how good government matters. But what if the state aspired to do more? Leading economist, Mariana Mazzucato says governments need to rediscover ambition, confidence and in-house expertise to make capitalism solve problems like climate change and inequality. Plus, when it comes to ambition – what are China’s priorities as outlined in the latest 5-year plan?Guests: Professor Mariana Mazzucato, Director, Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, University College London. Author of Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism.Professor Jane Golley, Director, Australian Centre on China in the World, Australian National University, co-editor, The China Story Yearbook

Concerns that the Federal Government's $1.2 billion travel industry rescue package will "cannibalise tourism opportunities" in Victoria. How many people are expected to lose their jobs when JobKeeper ends? Plus, as demand for rare earths increases, might the US look to Australia to help break China's grip on the supply and processing of critical materials?Guests:Felicia Mariani, CEO, Victoria Tourism Industry CouncilKristina Clifton, Senior Economist, Commonwealth BankJeffrey Wilson, Research Director, Perth USAsia Centre

For most Australians, it has been quite a while since the last substantial pay rise. Why? When is it likely to change? Despite wage stagnation, some digital tech jobs are commanding premium salaries. Plus, behind the latest economic figures with Alan Kohler.Guests: Suzanne Steele, Managing Director, Adobe Australia. Also founder of Skills FinderAlison Pennington, Senior Economist, Centre for Future Work, Australia InstitutePaul, employee at air conditioning manufacturing firmChi Tran, General Market Data and Analytics Leader, MercerAlan Kohler, ABC presenter

Start-ups and small businesses previously priced out of Australian CBDs are taking advantage of lower rents and co-working spaces to relocate to city centres. Plus, your guide to quantitative easing and the promise of a 2032 Olympics in Queensland.Guests: Susan Harris Rimmer, Director, Griffith University Policy Innovation HubJeremy Thorpe, Chief Economist, PwC AustraliaLisa Qi, co-founder, Share with OscarBelinda Cheung, Director in Credit Strategy, Commonwealth Bank

The latest company results cast more light on how the Jobkeeper subsidy is padding out company profits, bonuses and dividends. A corporate governance advisor calls out “Jobkeeper utes, boats and holiday homes”. An unemployment insurance scheme is floated in a rethink of the dole. Plus, how social change happens – the new science of networks.Guests:Dean Paatsch, Director, Ownership MattersStephen Hamilton, Chief Economist, Blueprint InstituteProfessor Damon Centola, Director of Network Dynamics Group, University of Pennsylvania.

What’s the value of Google to the Australian economy? It a key question with different answers, as the tech giant promotes its economic value to Australian businesses and consumers in a self-commissioned report. Plus, new laws proposed to help fight money laundering in Australia and the possible extradition of two drug bosses suspected of laundering money through Crown Resorts.Guests: Joanne Gray, Chief Investigator, QUT Digital Media Research CentrePeter Lewis, Director, Australia Institute Centre for Responsible TechnologyLiam Harrison, Senior Industry Analyst, IBIS WorldJohn Coyne, Head of Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement, Australian Strategic Policy Institute

Jobkeeper and Jobseeker payments have reduced overall income inequality in Australia, but as they are wound back, how will children in our lowest income households fare? Tafes around the country are seeing strong demand for courses in cybersecurity, nursing, aged care and book keeping as workers retrain and upskill. Also, how can house prices continue to rise?Guests:Craig Robertson, CEO, TAFE Directors AustraliaWendy Field, head of policy and programs, The Smith FamilyJade SmithEliza Owen, head of residential research Australia, CoreLogic

President Joe Biden’s new economic team faces a huge task to respond to the pandemic and rising unemployment. How is the new administration dealing with the economic fallout of the pandemic and what are the longer term plans to close the racial wealth gap? Plus, a large portion of the banking Royal Commission's recommendations have been delayed or abandoned. Guests:Betsey Stevenson, Biden transition advisor, US Department of Treasury, former member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers, economist, University of Michigan.Helen Bird, senior lecturer in governance studies at Swinburne Law SchoolKatherine Temple, Director of Policy and Campaigns, Consumer Action Law Centre

Maria Konnikova learnt to play poker to explore the interplay between luck and skill. As she rose from rank novice to accomplished player, she also learnt how to make better decisions. Plus, how during lockdown we became the 20-minute neighbourhood.Guests:Maria Konnikova, author of The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win.Lucinda Hartley, co-founder of Neighbourlytics

Two business success stories from 2020 on The Money: Rapid diagnostics company Ellume began shipments of its COVID-19 test to the United States as part of a $US30m deal. And huge uptake in virtual doctor consultations has meant big business for Australian telehealth company Coviu. Plus, the Netflix of electric vehicles.Guests: Dr Sean Parsons, founder and CEO, EllumeDr Silvia Pfeiffer, CEO, CoviuJohn Chambers, Executive General Manager Future Business & Technology, AGLS. Travis Waller, Professor of Transport, founding Director Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation, UNSW

Meet the Australian philanthropists spending their funds on projects to tackle climate change. They’re not interested in drip feeding donations for decades, they want results and a legacy of helping to avoid catastrophic climate change. Plus, what is La Niña doing to the economy?Guests: Norman Pater, Chair of The Carbon Farming FoundationSue McKinnon, Director, McKinnon Family FoundationJeff Wicks, Director, ACME FoundationAmanda Martin, CEO, Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network Daniel Hynes, Senior Commodities Strategist, ANZ Bank

In the wake of lockdowns and working from home, business is rethinking how much office space is needed and where it's located. Plus, the economist who argues that governments should spend whatever it takes to drive a post-COVID economic recovery.

It’s been a quite year. At the end of it, Australia, through a combination of geography, our health system, and massive injections of cash from the government isn’t going too badly. There has even been surprising growth in some sectors like electronics manufacturing, as companies bring production back home. Plus, there’s new research showing high levels of financial stress amongst full time workers especially workers in poorer areas – is the pandemic recession making poverty worse?Guests:Serena Ross, CEO, CircuitwiseProfessor Abigail Payne, Director, Melbourne Institute, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social ResearchRichard Yetsenga, Chief Economist, ANZ ResearchKelly Fawcett, Research and Policy Lead, Foundation for Young Australians Martinique, university graduate

Australia’s ongoing housing inequalities are explored in new research on the financial stresses facing renters over 50 with an annual household income of less than $31,000. Plus, is cash dead? And the ups and downs of a rising Aussie dollar.Guests: Michele Bullock, Assistant Governor (Financial System), Reserve Bank of Australia Emma Power, Senior Lecturer in Geography and Urban Studies, Western Sydney UniversityIrene, renter from VictoriaDiana Mousina, Senior Economist, AMP Capital

Many Australian exporters are making plans to diversify away from China - what markets have we ignored and how can we do business better? Will the new regional free trade deal help? Plus, how to make insurance more affordable for people who can’t afford it – especially for residents in Northern Australia. And how to avoid unwanted Christmas gifts. Guests: Francis Wong, Managing Director, Encounter AustraliaPhil Turtle, President, Australia Indonesia Business CouncilDeborah Elms, Executive Director, Asian Trade CentreRade Musulin, Chair, Actuaries Institute’s General Insurance Affordability Working Group (see link below for Property Insurance Affordability: Challenges and Potential Solutions)Jana Bowden, Associate Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Macquarie University

For Australia, the story of the 21st century so far has been a mix of huge events: the GFC, the mining boom, the growth of China, and the current recession. There’s also been and slower important changes, like the digital transformation of industries and the rise of the service sector. The Money turns the spotlight on the first two decades.Guests: Jeff Borland, Truby Williams Professor of Economics, University of MelbourneRachel Ong ViforJ, Professor of Economics, School of Economics, Finance and Property, Curtin UniversityPaul D'Urso, Executive chairman and founder of AnatomicsAndrew Parker, Partner, PwC AustraliaProfessor Beth Webster, Director of the Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology

Class actions can provide justice and offer strength in numbers. They also generate huge fees for litigation funders. Why is Australia awash with class actions? Plus, the parcel pressures of Christmas and NSW takes the lead on stamp duty reform.Guests: Miranda Stewart, Director of Studies, International Tax and Tax, University of MelbourneProfessor Michael Legg, UNSW Law Peter Cashman, barrister, Adjunct Professor of Law at UNSW LawFlavio Romero Macau, Senior Lecturer in Supply Chain Management and Global Logistics, Edith Cowan University

An alliance of Industry Super, unions and social welfare groups will offer capital solutions to government to try to increase Australian’s affordable and social housing. As China bans Victorian timber in the latest escalation of trade tensions, are we in a new era of punishment strategy? Plus, our pandemic purchasing patterns.Guests: Professor Jane Golley, Director, Australian Centre on China in the WorldTim Hunt, Head of Food & Agribusiness, Rabobank Rod Fehring, Chair, National Affordable Housing AllianceJenny Child, Partner, McKinsey

Meet the Australian philanthropists spending their funds on projects to tackle climate change. They’re not interested in drip feeding donations for decades, they want bang for their buck and the legacy of helping to avoid catastrophic climate change. Plus, with the United States on edge, what will a Biden presidency mean for the US economy?Guests: Norman Pater, Chair of The Carbon Farming FoundationSue McKinnon, Director, McKinnon Family FoundationJeff Wicks, Director, ACME FoundationAmanda Martin, CEO, Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network Dr Stephen Kirchner, Program Director, Trade and Investment, US Studies Centre

Meet the Australian philanthropists pending their funds on projects to tackle climate change. They’re not interested in drip feeding donations for decades, they want bang for their buck and the legacy of helping to avoid catastrophic climate change. Plus, with the United States on edge, what will a Biden presidency mean for the US economy?Guests: Norman Pater, Chair of The Carbon Farming FoundationSue McKinnon, Director, McKinnon Family FoundationJeff Wicks, Director, ACME FoundationAmanda Martin, CEO, Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network Dr Stephen Kirchner, Program Director, Trade and Investment, US Studies Centre

Rapid diagnostics company Ellume has begun shipments of its COVID-19 test to the United States. The company is scaling up its Brisbane manufacturing facilities as part of a US push to develop rapid testing technology. Plus, governments will have little choice but to spend more to deal with the challenges of our times. And what lies ahead in next week’s RBA meeting?Guests: Dr Sean Parsons, founder and CEO, EllumeKristina Clifton, Senior Economist, CBAMarc Robinson, author of Bigger Government: The Future of Government Expenditure in Advanced Economies

If you’re working from home or you’ve been in lockdown, the local neighbourhood has become incredibly important. Could our increasingly local and digital lifestyle reshape our cities? Plus, the Crown Resorts AGM and governance failures. And will JobMaker really support 450,000 jobs?Guests: Professor Elizabeth Sheedy, risk expert, Macquarie Business School, Macquarie UniversityLucinda Hartley, co-founder of NeighbourlyticsPeter Strong, CEO, Council of Small Business of AustraliaPeter Davidson, Principal Advisor, Australian Council of Social Service

Australia sells a lot of coal to China. Both kinds – the one for making electricity and the one for making steel. But it looks as if we won’t be selling any more this year. So what is going on? Plus, the evolving implications of so many of us working from home and today’s unemployment figures. Guests:Felicity Emmett, ANZ Senior Economist Ian Neil SCJo Clarke, Asia Pacific correspondent, Argus Media

Will consumers and companies embrace the incentives contained in this week’s budget to save the economy from the effects of the Covid recession?Guests: Danielle Wood, CEO, The Grattan Institute + Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, University of New South Wales

Maria Konnikova learnt to play poker to explore the interplay between luck and skill. How did she go from rank novice to accomplished player? Plus, a recession recovery wish list from two leading economists ahead of next week’s federal budget.Guests: Sarah Hunter, chief economist, BIS Oxford EconomicsAndrew Charlton, Economist. Co-founder of AlphaBeta (part of Accenture)Maria Konnikova, author of The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win.

Income inequity across Australia has reduced as an unexpected outcome of government stimulus measures in response to COVID-19. Plus, as more and more people continue to dump private health insurance – what can be done to improve the sector and the overall efficiency of the health system?Guests:Professor Brenton Prosser, Director of the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM)Professor Yuting Zhang, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic & Social Research, University of MelbourneJennifer Doggert, Editor at Croakey, health policy analyst, Centre for Policy Development Alison, on attitudes to private health insurance

How the middle class got screwed by globalism and will be on the hook for the COVID recovery bill. Several Australian superfunds have pledged to reach net zero by 2050 across their portfolios as the commercial, physical and legal risks of global warming ramp up. Plus, a snap shot of the COVID downturn on the construction sector. Guests: Jeff Rubin, author of The Expendables: How the Middle Class Got Screwed By Globalization, Scribe PublicationsAmandine Denis-Ryan, head of national programs, ClimateWorks AustraliaJo Masters, Chief Economist, EY Oceania

Melbourne's CBD economy is forecast to contract by $110 billion over the next five years, and 79,000 jobs could be lost across the city over the same period. What are the plans to avoid this worse case scenario and help the city recover?How important are those delivery apps to restaurants and cafe owners? Plus, the 'Netflix' of electric vehicles - AGL offers a subscription service to EVs. Guests:Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally CappWes Lambert, CEO, Restaurant and Catering John Chambers, Executive General Manager Future Business & Technology, AGLS. Travis Waller, Professor of Transport, founding Director Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation, UNSW

As parts of the private sector struggle to survive the downturn, governments at all levels could do more to provide work and learning opportunities - especially for young people. An alliance of civil society leaders has some ideas for the Federal Government to help Australians get jobs. Plus, the economic fall-out of trade tensions with China. And the high-tech, high-value photonics industry that’s a roaring success.Guests: Lisa Fowkes, Director of Employment, Social Ventures Australia. Member of Australia Together Barry West, wool, wheat and barley farmer, Kuiln, WAStephanie Males, Partner, PWCDr Simon Poole, VP Cylite, co-author of Photonics in Australia & New Zealand: Lighting Economic Growth

For three decades many Australians have bought houses for capital gain and rental returns. In the decade up to 2019, Sydney houses earned the equivalent of the average wage. Will high prices continue after the pandemic? New research on how working from home might reshape housing demand. And RBA research has found that most household debt is held by those who can afford itGuests: Cameron Murray, Research Fellow, Henry Halloran Trust, University of SydneyJames Lennox, Senior Research Fellow, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria UniversityNassim Khadem, ABC business reporter

Australia has the beginnings of a deal to get access to the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine in development for Covid-19. But what does that mean and how much might it cost? Plus, how the Spanish flu of 1919 affected the economy and how this pandemic is likely to reshape Australian businesses and jobs.Guests: Bonny Parkinson, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Economics, Macquarie UniversitySimon Kennedy, Partner, McKinsey & CompanyJohn Tang, senior economics lecturer, University of Melbourne

The pandemic and Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety have put aged care in the spot light - both are making it clear that the sector is under resourced. What are some of the changes that are needed and are Australians willing to pay more for quality aged care?Guests: Professor John Pollaers, Chair, Aged Care Workforce StrategyJulie Ratcliffe, Professor of Health Economics, Caring Futures Institute, Flinders UniversityRachel Lane, author and Principal of Aged Care Gurus

What will level-4 restrictions will mean for Melbourne’s warehouses, supply chains and biggest port in the country? The logistics sector worldwide is worth more than $7 trillion dollars, in Australia it's north of $103 billion. At the heart of it are distribution centres. These are 10,000 square metres and up, about half the playing surface of the MCG. The Money's Richard Aedy has taken a dive into one of their deep freezers. Plus, the impact of Victoria’s stage-4 measures on the economy and jobs.Guests: Dr Brendan Rynne, Partner, Chief Economist, KPMGMike McClendon, President International Operations, LineageDory Kanaan, Logistics Services Manager, Lurnea, LineageKay Hassan, Safety Advisor, LineageVanessa Rader, Head of Research, Ray White Commercial Paul Alexander, Associate Professor in Supply Chain and Networks, Curtain University

An Australian telehealth start-up has taken off as virtual healthcare becomes the norm. The business was spun out of the CSIRO and is one of several start-ups helping solve problems caused by the pandemic. Plus, the paradox of thrift - households report record levels of financial comfort for June, that comfort could be short lived. Guests: Dr Silvia Pfeiffer, CEO, CoviuPhil Morle, Partner at the CSIRO's innovation fund, Main Sequence Ventures Jeff Oughton, Consulting Economist, ME Bank

The economic damage inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic in Australia has been laid bare. The Money examines the latest update on the economy, the budget, and the outlook for jobs, as Australia continues to deal with the uncertainties of a pandemic in Victoria.Guests: Danielle Wood, CEO Grattan Institute + Shane Oliver, Chief Economist, AMP Capital.

In the wake of lockdowns and working from home, business is rethinking how much office space is needed and where it's located. Plus, the economist who argues that governments should spend whatever it takes to drive a post-COVID economic recovery.

The arts sector was hit early and hard by the Covid-19 crisis. The Money visits Sydney Dance Company which switched to virtual classes to stay afloat and is now in rehearsals for an August show. Meanwhile, theatre producer Michael Cassel is moving ahead to stage Hamilton next year, but the Melbourne lockdown may delay the reopening of his successful production of Harry Potter and Cursed Child. Plus, what will the Victorian lockdown mean for the national economy? Guests: Anne Dunn, Executive Director, Sydney Dance CompanyJacopo Grabar, Company dancer Michael Cassel, CEO, Michael Cassel GroupShane Oliver, Head of Investment Strategy and Economics and Chief Economist, AMP Capital

Tour operators are trying to attract local visitors amid uncertainty over the reopening of state borders and the likelihood that international travel bans will remain until July 2021. Plus, what happens when inflation turns negative?Guests: Simon Westaway, Executive Director, Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) Sarah Hunter, Chief Economist, BIS Oxford EconomicsMark Treasure, Mirimar Cruises, BrisbaneJohn Thorburn, Chief Executive, Entrada Travel Group

Thousands of Australians lost their job this week - Qantas shed 6000 workers and Woolworths will cut 1,350. If you're lucky enough to still have a job, wages growth is forecast to collapse to almost zero according to ANZ Research. Also, how the hospitality sector is surviving the downturn. In addition to an extension of Job Keeper program, the industry wants the removal of the Fringe Benefits Tax on restaurant meals to revitalise CBD dining.Guests: Wes Lambert, CEO, Restaurant & Catering Industry AssociationCatherine Birch, Senior Economist, ANZ Lianna, Salad Days CaféDarren Khan, Area Manager, Mantle GroupJohn Gambaro, Director, Gambaro Group

Retail is a big employer and a part of the economy that most of us come into contact with all the time.  Well, we did until Covid-19. So what’s been happening to the sector?  And Australia's unemployment rate passes 7 per cent, as another 227,700 people lost their jobs last month.

The Federal Government is looking to local manufacturing to ensure crucial supplies and to drive economic recovery, after the pandemic exposed Australia's dependence on global supply chains. Andrew Liveris has been called on for advice on how to grow Australia's manufacturing sector. Plus, signs of increased spending from the CBA's latest credit and debit card data. And business is booming for a small Queensland manufacturer, supplying parts that usually come from China.

Study hard, go to uni, start an interesting, well-paid career. It used to be simple but these days, unless you’ve done a vocational degree, like medicine or teaching, it’s a long and winding road.  It takes a graduate an average 2.6 years to find a full-time job in the area that they’ve studied. So what’s that costing us and how can we do better?

When you have access to the entire world, can you find your narrow area of interest and make a living from it? Drawing on business case studies, award-winning writer and broadcaster Adam Davidson describes how the 21st century economy offers opportunities for people to combine the things they love with their careers. Guest: Adam Davidson, author, The Passion Economy: The New Rules for Thriving in the Twenty-First Century

Inflation is low in Australia at just 1.8 per cent. But lots of households are feeling that their budgets are tight. So what’s going on? Guests: Rachel Ong ViforJ, Professor of Economics, Curtin University Anthony Doyle, Cross Asset Investment Specialist, Fidelity InternationalJack Stevens, Chief Executive, EdstartJane Hall, Distinguished Professor of Health Economics, UTS Business School

It's not easy to estimate the total economic cost of Australia's bushfires that have burnt through vast areas of the country, especially as the fire season may continue as late as March. The total impact on human lives, the economy and environment is complicated and some costs may continue to grow for years to come. Guests: Amanda Findley, Mayor of Shoalhaven Shire, John Quiggin, Australian Laureate Fellow in Economics, University of QueenslandMehmet Ulubasoglu, Professor of Economics, Deakin Business School, Researcher, Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRCRichard Denniss, Chief Economist, The Australia Institute

What will shape the coming decade? This question concentrates the mind of the financial sector, which is trying to work out what to invest in and what to get out of. Climate change looms large, robots and automation will transform work and governments may have to further protect and stimulate their economies by investing. At the same time, more Asian economies are tipped to climb the global ladder.

Australian cities include high levels of car parking and it's priced into our buildings, shopping malls and housing. Can parking be done better?

Australian cities include high levels of car parking and it's priced into our buildings, shopping malls and housing. Can parking be done better?

How music streaming is changing music and how artists get paid.

Signed up to a monthly subscription lately? If so, you're part of a growing shift in the way we buy goods and services.

The humble 2-minute noodle is big business for Australian wheat growers. About 13 billion packets of instant noodles are eaten each year in Indonesia alone - and that's where most of our export wheat ends up. 

Forget credit cards - the future of finance is on your phone. You can split bills, seamlessly buy almost anything, book services and get loans.

We hear a lot about the huge differences between the wealthiest private schools and the public system: sports centres, state of the art libraries, manicured playing fields. But there are also big differences between public schools and most of it is down to how much parents at different schools earn and contribute.

Ten years ago, the Henry Tax Review made a whopping 138 recommendations to make Australia’s tax system less complex, fairer and more efficient.  Major suggestions that would benefit the nation remain in the too-hard basket. What needs to change and why?

Westpac is mired in scandal after allegations it committed 23 million money laundering breaches, some linked to child exploitation. Should the financial crime regulator AUSTRAC be better resourced to stop this happening again? 

Study hard, go to uni, start an interesting, well-paid career. It used to be simple but these days, unless you’ve done a vocational degree, like medicine or teaching, it’s a long and winding road.  On average, it takes a graduate 2.6 years to find a full-time job in the area that they’ve studied.  So what’s that costing us?  And how can we do better?

How women made the West rich.

If you work hard enough anyone can break free from poverty. That’s what 50 per cent of people think, according to the ABC’s Australia Talks survey. But is it true?

A recent Harvard University study puts Australia at the bottom of the pile for economic complexity and yet we're one of the richest nations in the world.

'Run a million miles' - the pitfalls of buying off-the-plan properties via one-stop-shop seminars.

Australians have the second highest household debt burden in the world, and there’s increasing evidence it’s shaping how we live.

School zones, crime, aircraft noise, public housing and people like us — the local issues that drive house prices.

For a wealthy country, Australia's population is growing fast. But why? And are the forecasts for global population right?

What type of sector makes the most money, what's the most profitable company there’s ever been, and what is the most profitable company right now?

We’re not recovering the value we should from recycling – not even close.

It's finals season. There's the AFL, the NRL and netball's grand final is this weekend. All these games have financial consequences for the codes, clubs and host cities - but how much?

Australian cities include high levels of car parking and it's priced into our buildings, shopping malls and housing. Can parking be done better?

A Free Trade Agreement with the EU has the potential to open up a market for Australian goods and services of half a billion people and a GDP of US$18.7 trillion. But gaining more access might involve Australia giving up on some of the names of foods and drinks we've become used to.

Forget credit cards - the future of finance is on your phone. You can split bills, seamlessly buy almost anything, book services and get loans.

Reggae songs, cartoons, slightly clearer language. Central bankers are finding new ways to explain themselves to even the most lay observers.

We live a throw-away society, but there's help out there to repair broken items. With some leadership and tweaking of economic leavers, it could be so much better.

The humble instant noodle is big business for Australian wheat growers. About 13 billion packets of instant noodles are eaten each year in Indonesia alone - and that's where most of our export wheat ends up. 

How music streaming is changing music and how artists get paid.

The little known history of the computer geeks, utopians and anarchists who created cryptocurrencies.

There's been a collapse in the number of people choosing apprenticeships and traineeships. Why?

Behind rosy employment figures in many countries, including Australia, lies the painful experience of underemployment — people working less than they want to. It could be the reason wage growth hasn't picked up.

How do you get trees to grow money? There’s traditional forestry; agroforestry, and increasingly, carbon abatement. 

You're divorcing or separating. It’s emotional, confusing and the consequences for your finances, home and children can be significant.

Columbian coffee growers should be prospering thanks to a historic 2016 peace deal that put an end to decades of civil conflict, but global coffee prices are now at a record lows. For copyright reasons the online audio is not available. Click here to go to the original BBC program.

What makes a small town or regional centre thrive? Is it a busy main street, markets, good shops with switched-on traders and creative ideas? The Money heads to England with the BBC to look at what works and what doesn't. For copyright reasons the online audio is not available. Click here to go to the original BBC program.

Winning's not everything. Hear from a top racehorse trainer, a syndicate manager and the auction house that runs Australia's most prestigious yearling sale.

Most of us overlook our feet, but at what cost?

The big, small and downright weird economic consequences of Brexit.

There's just over a $18 billon in forgotten money waiting to be claimed ranging from a few dollars to over a million.

The push to bring women back into the profession.

After decades of analysis, plans to connect some of Australia’s busiest regions with high-speed rail are on the table again in Victoria, Queensland and NSW.

Mental illness is the single largest cause of long-term ill-health in Australia. But what are the financial consequences for individuals, families and the broader economy?

Signed up to a monthly subscription lately? If so, you're part of a growing shift in the way we buy goods and services.

In February 2009, the worst bushfire disaster in Australian history ripped through Victoria in a series of firestorms. Lives, homes and livelihoods were lost. Can the costs be calculated?

Bees are worth about $14.2 billion to the Australian economy, most of it in pollination services. They pollinate about a third of the food we eat such as almonds, cherries, apples and crops like canola.

Back to the future: a call for America to return to its ‘trustbusting’ laws to break up overly dominant corporations and fight inequality.

From the basic rip-off to the complexities of modern market crimes, economist Dan Davies explores the inner workings of commercial fraud.

Comic-Con - you can hang out with your tribe, dress-up, talk to writers and artists behind your favourite shows and it's all based on fictional worlds. The Money takes a look at Comic-Con.

Computer or video games is the fastest growing part of the global entertainment market.

Australia is a pet mad nation. We spend about 12 billion dollars a year on them, but we also save a lot with health related benefits we're only just beginning to understand.

Australia has more poker machines than anywhere else in the world, and we lose around 15 billion dollars a year on them.

Christmas is coming.  For all the shops, this time of year is really important, and they will do everything they can to get you to spend more. 

How do you get trees to grow money? There’s traditional forestry; agroforestry, and increasingly, carbon abatement. 

The night time economy is increasingly a big deal, and around the world cities are trying to foster it. But how much is it worth, which places are doing it best and what are the costs and benefits?