Archive

Taylor Swift is in town, and so is government spin about the huge economic benefits she brings. But once you account for leakages and opportunity costs, the net impacts are probably negative. Enjoy the show, but don't buy the hype!

Here are a few short takes for you to chew over on the weekend, from the week’s happenings that probably didn’t need a full post.

Japan's "lost decades" of low growth are due to its declining working-age population, not necessarily failed policies. With aging populations, policymakers in developed nations such as Australia will need to focus on right metrics, not just GDP growth, to craft effective policies.

Dick Smith wants to cap Australia's population at 30 million over concerns about a lack of resources and housing costs. In doing so he falls for the 'lump of labour' fallacy, and fails Econ 101: it's poor planning, not immigrants, that erodes housing affordability in Australia.

Here are a few short takes for you to chew over on the weekend, from the week’s happenings that probably didn’t need a full post.

We desperately need tax reform in this country and fixing bracket creep for good would be an excellent feather for Chalmers to put in his rather empty reformist cap.

Queensland's Premier Steven Miles appears to be out of his depth. Last week he called for RBA rate cuts, and announced reviews into supermarket pricing and homelessness. On Sunday he released a rental package that risks making the situation worse.

Here are a few short takes for you to chew over on the weekend, from the week’s happenings that probably didn’t need a full post._

NSW, WA and SA have all announced steps that will increase housing supply. But to improve housing affordability for good, we need to ensure it's politically sustainable. That means communicating with locals and lifting density across entire cities, not just in 'well-located' areas.

The vaping crackdown will impose huge costs on users, drive some to the black market and force others to smoke more cigarettes, despite vapes being far less harmful than smoking. Instead of prohibition, regulate vapes like alcohol.