Growth
It's not as bad as you might think
Despite Australia's sluggish economic growth and record-high government spending, a closer look at the data reveals that the situation may not be quite as dire as it seems.
Justin Pyvis
Justin has a PhD in Economics and over 20 years of experience in applied economic, policy and investment analysis with the WA Treasury and AECOM in Perth, and Aletheia Capital in Hong Kong.
Energy
Energy abundance, the price of ethnonationalism, and the dystopian myID
How not to do energy policy; the problems with acknowledgements to country; your ID or your facial data; the costs of land use zoning; and the war in Ukraine may not last much longer.
Reform
Parliament's hectic week, a new era in policymaking, and a glimpse into Australia's future
The Albanese government took the guillotine to democracy; Argentina is getting a good old-fashioned dose of microeconomic reform; what Victoria can teach the rest of Australia; prediction markets and the future of forecasting; and trade works in roundabout ways.
Energy
Saving the planet could make some of us rich
Transforming Australia into a green manufacturing "superpower" won't automatically generate widespread prosperity, and is more likely to enrich only a select few while imposing broader economic costs on the majority.
Energy
Australia's nuclear energy debate
A recent nuclear energy debate highlighted the potential limitations of relying solely on renewables, sparking concerns about the economic viability of Australia's energy transition.
Migration
A policy win, Albanese's inflation challenge, and Housing's silver lining
No quotas on international students (good riddance); how people think of money could cost Albanese at the next election; at least Australia's housing market still functions like a market; why Europe stagnates; the not-so Future Fund, trade thoughts, Elon Musk's incentives, and the future of war.
Reform
Milei and the nest of rats
Javier Milei's bold reforms aim to revive Argentina's economy, but political hurdles and lingering Peronist-era policies threaten his long-term success.
Infrastructure
Australia isn't ready for high-speed rail
Despite the allure of Japan's Shinkansen, Australia is just too different to make high-speed rail viable down under any time soon.
News
Friday Fodder (43/24)
The best case scenario for Trump; the end of polling; AI's first major victim; breaking the science cartel; and incentives matter, retirement edition.
Elections
The Albanese government is toast
The Albanese government's hasty push for social media age restrictions, coupled with inflation-driven economic pain, is alienating voters and stoking a perfect storm that could spell its downfall in the next election.
Monetary policy
High interest rates are here to stay
Persistent inflation, sluggish productivity growth and expansionary fiscal policy have trapped Australia in a precarious economic position, with big implications for the next federal election.
News
Thursday Thinkers (42/24)
President Donald Trump 2.0; cutting HECS debt is a bad idea; what is the right size of government; Australia's tobacco and vape wars; AI (probably) won't take your job; and Europe against change.