• What is 'middle income' in Australia?
    Jun 18 2026

    A new data drop by the Australian Tax Office has A) brought Greg great joy and B) shed new light on Australians’ incomes.

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the latest interest rates decision, Greg and Matt Grudnoff’s field trip to a Senate committee, and why one newspaper is running a front-page story about Pokémon card collectors and capital gains.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 18 June 2026.

    Support the research powerful interests fear. Make a tax-deductible donation to the Australia Institute's End of Financial Year Appeal before 30 June.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

    Show notes:

    The bleak view that unemployment needs to rise shows the RBA acts firstly in the interests of companies, not workers by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (June 2026)

    Ninety millionaires paid no tax in 2023–24. New ATO data shows why tax reform matters by Greg Jericho & Matt Grudnoff, The Point (June 2026)

    The housing reforms are cooling investor demand and slowing the market. That's the point by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (June 2026)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    34 mins
  • The impact of the government’s massive NDIS cuts
    Jun 11 2026

    Cuts to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding would have a serious, lasting impact on people living with disabilities and their families.

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the latest house price data and the ongoing fearmongering around the changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing. Then, Greg shares the positive impact NDIS funding as had on his family – and what it could mean if the government’s proposed cuts pass through the parliament.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 11 June 2026.

    Support the research powerful interests fear. Make a tax-deductible donation to the Australia Institute's End of Financial Year Appeal before 30 June.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

    Show notes:

    For those shedding a tear over house prices falling, these numbers may change your mind by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (June 2026)

    Health minister wants to cut disability support by 99% without legislation by Greg Jericho, Deepcut News (June 2026)

    Are we being misled about NDIS fraud? Yes, we are. by Chris Coombes, The Point (June 2026)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    32 mins
  • Data centre boom widens gap between growth figures and reality
    Jun 4 2026

    With what little economic growth there is being driven by data centres, is it really a net positive for most Australians?

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the decision to lift minimum and award wages and what the latest GDP figures mean for Australian households.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 4 June 2026.

    Support the research powerful interests fear. Make a tax-deductible donation to the Australia Institute's End of Financial Year Appeal before 30 June.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

    Show notes:

    Australia’s GDP figures are meaningless when the boom in datacentres means destroying jobs and the climate by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (May 2026)

    Clouded Future: Managing the risks of the data centre boom, Climate Council (June 2026)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    28 mins
  • How about we just tax gas? Examining One Nation’s gas policy
    May 28 2026

    Coverage of One Nation’s gas policy made it sound like the beginning of some kind of people’s revolution, but without a 25% gas export tax, Australians will get short-changed.

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss Pauline Hanson’s gas policy announcement, the failure at the heart of Australia’s employment services system, and what the latest inflation data could mean for interest rates.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 28 May 2026.

    Support the research powerful interests fear. Make a tax-deductible donation to the Australia Institute's End of Financial Year Appeal before 30 June.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

    Show notes:

    Australians with disabilities copped the biggest cuts in the budget. Yet conservative media’s heart bleeds only for the wealthy by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (May 2026)

    The case for a gas export tax, explained by Richard Denniss, The Point (May 2026)

    Australia's Gas Giveaway, the Australia Institute

    Why the industry loves Hanson’s gas policy – and Labor won’t by Amy Remeikis, The Point (May 2026)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    34 mins
  • Fair dinkum! The Prime Minister called us out over a gas tax
    May 21 2026

    Australia could raise around $17 billion a year with a 25% gas export tax – enough to put dental in Medicare or fund free childcare – but the government is choosing not to.

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Angus discuss why Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Australia Institute needs to get “fair dinkum” about gas exports, the post-budget meme-wars over capital gains tax, and the “death tax” scare campaign.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 21 May 2026.

    Visit The Point for research, analysis, explainers and factchecks from experts at the Australia Institute and beyond.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, Podcasts, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB

    Show notes:

    Death, taxes and scare campaigns: here’s the truth about Labor’s budget changes by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (May 2026)

    Keating backs CGT reforms, says Howard changes made house prices "blast off" by Greg Jericho, The Point (May 2026)

    Government CGT Changes – Structurally Sound, statement by former Prime Minister Paul Keating (May 2026)

    Conservative newspapers are stoking fears CGT changes will hurt young Australians — despite very few being affected by Greg Jericho, The Point (May 2026)

    The case for a gas export tax, explained by Richard Denniss, The Point (May 2026)

    Australia's Gas Giveaway, the Australia Institute

    Richard Denniss responds to Anthony Albanese, the Australia Institute on BlueSky (May 2026)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    34 mins
  • Budget 2026: housing changes to slowly reverse decades of damage
    May 14 2026

    The government’s changes to capital gains and negative gearing will begin to undo decades of damage to the housing market caused by Howard-era policies – so will Elinor actually be able to buy a house?

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the federal budget, the latest wages data, and why the government is making Australian workers wait-o for the WATO.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 14 May 2026.

    Visit The Point for research, analysis, explainers and factchecks from experts at the Australia Institute and beyond.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

    Show notes:

    Australian workers have been hard done by and tax reforms in the budget only begin to return some fairness by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (May 2026)

    The budget in seven graphs: no big surprises but this may be one of the most ambitious moves to fix Australia’s finances by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (May 2026)

    Budget 2026: serious housing reforms but a missed opportunity to tax gas exports, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (May 2026)

    Budget 2026: Treasurer's speech, annotated by Greg Jericho, The Point (May 2026)

    Submission to the Select Committee on the Operation of the Capital Gains Tax Discount by Matt Grudnoff and Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (December 2025)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    30 mins
  • More pain coming as RBA hikes rates again
    May 8 2026

    Interest rates won’t affect the global oil price shock brought about by the illegal US war on Iran – so why did the Reserve Bank hike them again?

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the rationale for the Reserve Bank’s third interest rate hike for 2026 and how changing the way trusts are taxed could reduce inequality.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 7 May 2026.

    Visit The Point for research, analysis, explainers and factchecks from experts at the Australia Institute and beyond.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

    Show notes:

    In this budget, all eyes are on CGT. But Labor’s rumoured family trust tweaks might also help fight tax inequality by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (May 2026)

    RBA’s decision to raise rates hurts Australians for no reason by Greg Jericho, The Point (May 2026)

    Monetary Policy Decision – May 2026, Reserve Bank of Australia

    A tragic birth, and death, in a tent – and still our poorest must pay by Amy Remeikis, The Point (May 2026)

    Profit-Price Inflation: Theory, International Evidence, and Policy Implications, the Australia Institute (September 2023)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    29 mins
  • Inflation soars, but it's not as bad as it seems
    Apr 30 2026

    The big jump for the CPI has created some dramatic headlines, but digging just a bit deeper into the data reveals a different story.

    On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the latest inflation figures, which are the first to include the impact of the war in Iran, and why the RBA should take a step back and look at all the data, before they meet to assess interest rates next week.

    This discussion was recorded on Thursday 30 April 2026.

    Visit The Point for research, analysis, explainers and factchecks from experts at the Australia Institute and beyond.

    Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

    Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

    Show notes:

    Another RBA rate rise won’t fix inflation – it will just smash households already hit by soaring fuel costs, by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (April 2026)

    Rate hikes won’t fix inflation caused by fuel prices, by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (April 2026)

    Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

    We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

    Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/430U1Rv

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    20 mins