News
Friday Fodder (21/24)
Why we shouldn't worry about migration; interpreting the monthly inflation figures; will AI displace financial market traders; should we worry about the 'pink tax'; and Albo's gift, on our behalves, to PNG's elites.
Latest
Population
Australia's demographic dilemma
Australia's migration slowdown will ease housing issues but exacerbate its ageing population and fiscal problems, requiring unpopular entitlement reform and improved fertility rates to sustainably fund old-age benefits.
Trade
The return of the Tariff Man
Biden's new China tariffs are driven by politics, not economics or national security. But protectionism tends to beget more protectionism, risking trade wars that could cause significant damage to the global economy.
News
Friday Fodder (20/24)
The federal government wants to create a big new database to protect us from ourselves; who would an autonomous vehicle choose to save, a pedestrian or its passengers; a tale of two central banks; and the UK election in one chart (it's not looking good for Rishi).
Wages
Why real wages had to fall
Real wages in Australia have stagnated because the pandemic made us all poorer; a lack of wage growth just reflects that reality. If we push wages further above productivity, we risk disemployment, a wage-price spiral, and even a painful recession.
Migration
Cutting migration won't solve the housing crisis
Peter Dutton claims cutting migration will free up over 100,000 homes and fix Australia's housing crisis. But his numbers don't add up and the impact will likely be minimal. Dutton's playing to anti-migration sentiment rather than addressing the real policy drivers behind unaffordable housing.
News
Friday Fodder (19/24)
Biden's tariffs are a glimpse into our Future Made in Australia; the Americans are an innovative bunch (no wonder they're so productive); who benefits from the welfare state; the post-pandemic war on prices; and how the Jevons Paradox is shaping artificial intelligence.
Housing
Let's not make the housing crisis even worse
The government's policies are unlikely to solve Australia's current housing crisis, which stems from both long-term zoning issues and a recent spike in construction costs. But it could be worse - at least they've avoided reckless ideas like rent freezes, which would devastate the housing market.
Monetary policy
An independent RBA is better than the alternative
An independent Reserve Bank of Australia is crucial for economic stability and low inflation. However, a big-spending Budget and attempts to politicise the central bank would jeopardise its independence, leading to higher inflation.
News
Friday Fodder (18/24)
Are smartphones poison to young people; why the Victorian and Western Australian Budgets really irk me; the yanks may have finally spent all their pandemic savings; Europe is confronting the realities of industrial policy; and if you think housing is bad in Australia, at least it's not this bad.
Education
Albo's HECS changes: fairer and cheaper, or regressive and expensive?
Rather than fairer and cheaper, Albo's HECS changes will make the scheme more regressive and expensive, benefiting middle-to-upper income households, distorting work-study incentives, and failing to address real barriers faced by disadvantaged groups.
Japan
What's up with Japan?
The yen's collapse has made Japan a tourist hotspot, but it has also sparked crisis fears. While a full-blown crisis is unlikely due to Japan's relatively low interest costs and its ability to raise taxes, an ever-aging population and repeated policy missteps are only increasing the risks.