Budget
The truth behind Australia's fiscal recovery
A closer look at Australia's budget surplus reveals a mix of fiscal accidents, hidden tax hikes, and misguided government spending that could leave the country facing a decade of deficits.
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
Hydrogen headstart, or headache?
The Albanese government's Hydrogen Headstart was always going to struggle, as even generous subsidies can't overcome the high costs and inefficiencies of green hydrogen production.
News
Friday Fodder (38/24)
Australia gets less productive; Qatar Airways flies over Qantas' protectionist wall; Xi Jinping's big bazooka; why so many kids have peanut allergies; fraud, fraud, everywhere; AI's huge boom and likely bust; and Australia's boys and young men are struggling.
Housing
The federal government won't solve the housing crisis
Australia's housing crisis won't be solved by federal policies alone, and demand-side measures from both major parties risk pushing prices even higher, while critical supply-side barriers—like restrictive zoning laws and regulations—remain largely unaddressed.
Housing
The Greens are deeply unserious
The Labor government's potential deal with the Greens to eliminate negative gearing and reduce the capital gains tax discount may ultimately be more symbolic than effective in tackling Australia's housing affordability crisis.
News
Thursday Thinkers (37/24)
Coles and Woolworths aren't to blame for inflation; the productivity impacts of artificial intelligence; how zoning makes housing less affordable and other bad stuff; China's monetary easing won't fix the mess its local governments have created; and who spends the most on healthcare.
Housing
Lessons from the Old Country
As Britain grapples with institutional decay and economic stagnation, Australia must learn from its mistakes—especially in housing, infrastructure, and energy—before we face the same fate.
News
Friday Fodder (36/24)
Will we have an early election; in defence of Qantas; Amazon's attempt to regain productivity; are AI job losses inevitable; and how good are self-driving cars?
China
China's deflationary spiral
China's economic woes, driven by past stimulus, misguided industrial policies, and excessively tight monetary policy, are pushing the country toward deflation and a Japanification of its economy.
News
Monday Musings (35/24)
Dealing with the Greens might be worse than no deal at all; the student caps will come with large costs; has Strawberry revolutionised AI; what to do about Qantas; and European innovation in all the wrong places.
Technology
It's not about the children
The Australian government's proposed ban on social media for children is a misguided attempt to address the perceived harms, and along with the new misinformation bill, will infringe on freedom of expression and privacy while failing to address the real issues.
Inflation
Gittins it wrong on inflation
Ross Gittins' recent column misunderstands basic economics, resulting in a confused narrative that oversimplifies inflation, misreads corporate profits, and misinterprets the relationship between industry concentration and competition.