Essays

China's stimulus under-whelms; the laws of mathematics trump the laws of Australia's former Prime Minister; what the future holds for AI and autonomous vehicles; protectionism and industrial policy are failing the world; and India's institutional limits under Modi.

As Australia grapples with declining productivity and mounting economic challenges, the government continues to favour gimmicks over crucial reforms to housing, regulation and fiscal policy.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?