From Hawke’s 1983 economic summit to Rudd’s 2020 vision, big gatherings have sometimes sparked big reforms. Now Anthony Albanese wants to try again - this time to tackle Australia’s stagnating productivity. Within months, the Australian government will have to present the United Nations climate convention with an updated target for 2035. How are we doing with the target we’ve got? Guests: Michael Janda - ABC News Business Editor Ben Potter - Contributing Editor at The Energy Get in touch: We rea...
Jun 12, 2025•29 min
This week we heard GDP growth has dropped, yet we’ve just given ourselves a pay rise. Does it really matter if the economy isn’t growing as much as we would like and is GDP the best measure anyway? What will this mean for inflation? This week we give the economy a health check and look at what this all means for the future of jobs.
Jun 05, 2025•29 min
This week, the chair of the Australian Energy Regulator, Claire Savage, advised us to “shop around” for a better deal as energy prices are set to rise by almost ten per cent, in some places. But how easy is it to shop around? And what happens when supplies don’t make it an even playing field for consumers?
May 29, 2025•29 min
The Reserve Bank has cut interest rates. Inflation is under control, unemployment is low, and the forecasts say ‘steady as she goes.’ What do we do when everything works out the way we’ve planned? Guests: Myriam Robin - Senior Writer for the Australian Financial Review Tom Crowley - ABC federal political reporter and previously an economist with the federal treasury Get in touch: We read all of your emails, and appreciate each one. Please keep them coming [email protected] or use the ...
May 22, 2025•33 min
What if the real problem these days isn’t monopoly, but monopsony? Big buyers are lording over small suppliers; are we seeing low prices as good, no matter how they are achieved? And should our pay increase if we prove to be more productive? Guests: Emilia Terzon - ABC national business reporter Matthew McKenzie - Energy and economics reporter with the West Australian Get in touch: We read all of your emails, and appreciate each one. Please keep them coming [email protected] or use th...
May 15, 2025•28 min
Welcome to the world of monopsony - where sellers, not buyers, get the raw deal. So, how does this impact me as a consumer? Then, the link between productivity and a pay increase. Guests: Emilia Terzon - ABC national business reporter Matthew McKenzie - Energy and economics reporter with the West Australian Get in touch: We read all of your emails, and appreciate each one. Please keep them coming [email protected] or use the #PeterMartinEconomy on Instagram to get our attention....
May 15, 2025•28 min
Welcome to the world of monopsony - where sellers, not buyers, get the raw deal. So, how does this impact me as a consumer? Then, the link between productivity and a pay increase. Guests: Emilia Terzon - ABC national business reporter Matthew McKenzie - Energy and economics reporter with the West Australian Get in touch: We read all of your emails, and appreciate each one. Please keep them coming [email protected] or use the #PeterMartinEconomy on Instagram to get our attention....
May 15, 2025•28 min
With a strong second-term mandate, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has a rare chance to drive real change. From tax to housing to climate policy, the moment is ripe for long-term reform that could shape Australia’s future for decades. But where to begin? Plus, listener Alex challenges the narrative around government debt and household budgets. Guests: Aruna Sathanapally - Chief executive, and economic prosperity director, of the Grattan Institute Michael Janda - ABC News Business Editor Get in t...
May 08, 2025•34 min
Australia’s inflation rate is now firmly in the RBA’s target band, but groceries, rent, and daily essentials still feel painfully expensive. Why is there a disconnect between the data and what we think is our lived reality? The Opposition leader, Peter Dutton, says he wants to cut Australia’s permanent migration program. Is such a cut possible? And could it stem the total net overseas migration? And, costings. We spend $9 million a year on the Parliamentary Budget Office. Shouldn't we get its in...
May 01, 2025•29 min
It's more than job losses. It's dreams deferred and careers that never get off the ground. Why do the scars last a lifetime? Then, why does the Justice Department want to break up Google? Plus, penalty rates are under the spotlight again, but do they really cost the economy jobs? Guests: Dan Ziffer - ABC national business reporter Rachel Clayton - Business reporter Get in touch: We read all of your emails, and appreciate each one. Please keep them coming [email protected] or use the #...
Apr 24, 2025•29 min
What do luxury handbags and kids’ colouring books have in common? They're both caught up in the latest economic crossfire. Then, we unpack the economic chaos of an election campaign full of promises, including a $1,000 no-questions-asked tax deduction. Plus, Australia’s very own Future Fund fantasies: who's really winning, and are you one of them? Guests: Megan Flamer - Innovation specialist with Monash Business School Emilia Terzon - ABC national business reporter Get in touch: We read all of y...
Apr 17, 2025•29 min
Super falling. Mortgage stress rising. Retirement plans, once solid, now blurred by uncertainty. There is an anxiety currently shaking Australian financial confidence. We unpack what Trump's latest tariffs mean for your financial future, and how to steady the ship in turbulent times. Guests: Nicki Hutley - Independent economist Michael Janda - ABC Business editor Get in touch: We read all of your emails, and appreciate each one. Please keep them coming [email protected] or use the #Pe...
Apr 10, 2025•29 min
President Trump is promising more than the world has ever seen. What impact will the US tariff move have on Australian producers, businesses, shoppers, and the broader economic landscape?
Apr 03, 2025•29 min
The budget week that began with an unexpected tax cut has evolved into a debate about what we pay at the pump. What's better for you in the long run?
Mar 27, 2025•29 min
Electricity makes up a smaller slice of household spending than beer or takeaway – yet power bills spark outrage like nothing else. With prices set to jump 30%, is the government trapped in an endless cycle of rebates? Plus, a restaurant collapse leaves workers unpaid, exposing a major flaw in Australia’s wage safety net. Meanwhile, cash is dying, and the Reserve Bank says it might not last another decade. Will you still be using it in 10 years? Emilia Terzon - ABC national business reporter Jam...
Mar 20, 2025•29 min
The US and Australian markets are in freefall, and now we face steep tariffs on steel and aluminium. That’s right, no special treatment for us down under!
Mar 13, 2025•30 min
The US and Australian markets are in freefall, and now we face steep tariffs on steel and aluminium. That’s right, no special treatment for us down under!
Mar 13, 2025•30 min
Why destruction isn't counted against GDP, but the replacement is.
Mar 06, 2025•29 min
Your super is funding U.S roads and data centres. Is it simply, too big for Australia?
Feb 27, 2025•29 min
The RBA dropped interest rates this week - smart move? Or is the RBA kicking the financial can down the road? Plus, the South Australian government has forced the Whyalla Steelworks into administration. Then, the economic fallout of the family trust trial.
Feb 20, 2025•29 min
Tariffs are on the rise — so what does this mean for ultra-cheap sites like Temu? Then, is Elon Musk behind the recent slump in electric car sales? Plus, the question of whether Australia has slain the inflation dragon remains on the table.
Feb 13, 2025•29 min
Trump's tariffs are here, but do those voting for them really understand how they work? Plus, the housing market is cooling down, but should we take it further and push prices down even more? And, we’re taxing tobacco heavily, but surprisingly, the tax revenue is dropping. Turns out, it’s not because people are quitting. Could we be facing a self-defeating tax? Taj Pabari - social entrepreneur and author of Young, Dumb and Financially Independent: What school didn't teach you about money. Emilia...
Feb 06, 2025•29 min
With inflation down and right within the Reserve Bank's target band, is there any reason why we shouldn't now expect a cut in interest rates? Plus, a deep dive into DeepSeek, the Chinese AI firm that shook the US stock market this week; and the economics of the Australian Open - turns out there's more than a Grand Slam title at stake. Guests: Myriam Robin - Senior writer with the Australian Financial Review. Isaac Gross - former Reserve Bank economist, now lecturer in economics at Monash Univers...
Jan 30, 2025•29 min
With Donald Trump back in the White House, it's boom time for billionaires and tech bros. How much will these changes trickle down to Australia? Plus, you’ve probably noticed those fees racking up, every time you tap your debit card. A push is now on to ban them, but this might have some unexpected - and expensive - consequences. Guests: Megan Flamer - Innovation and organisational development specialist with Monash Business School (and founder of Excited Adults) Michael Janda - ABC News Busines...
Jan 23, 2025•29 min
The Economy, Stupid is your weekly guide to the world of business, economics and finance. Every Thursday, economist Peter Martin is joined by a team of sharp young thinkers for a fresh conversation about the financial stories making headlines and how they might affect you.
Jan 20, 2025•2 min
The Economy, Stupid is your weekly guide to the world of business, economics and finance. Every Thursday, economist Peter Martin is joined by a team of sharp young thinkers for a fresh conversation about the financial stories making headlines and how they might affect you.
Jan 16, 2025•2 min
Australians have a sleeping problem. The most conservative estimates show one in 10 have a sleep disorder, which is having an impact on their safety, wellbeing and productivity. This ends up costing almost a $1 billion a week. And that’s not all. The total cost of inadequate sleep is thought to be as high as $75 billion a year. We’re not alone either. International research shows places like the US, the UK and Europe are facing similar problems, with similar costs. Guests: Shanthakumar Rajaratna...
Dec 26, 2024•29 min
Journalist Ed Conway went on a journey to discover where the things we use in everyday life come from. He narrowed that search down to six vital materials: sand, salt, iron, copper, oil and lithium. These materials, he says, are like a gateway allowing us to see the spectrum of different things around us that really do matter. These materials from the ground that have enabled us to connect with each other, to provide energy and make machines. Guest: Ed Conway, Economics and Data Editor of Sky Ne...
Dec 19, 2024•29 min
After nine terrific years explaining how the economy and everything in it works, Richard Aedy looks back at the highlights of the decade as well as Australia's economic future with Danielle Wood, Chair of the Productivity Commission. Guest - Danielle Wood, Chair of the Productivity Commission
Dec 12, 2024•29 min
The NDIS is vitally important, but because it was not designed to do everything, there are many areas where disabled Australians need more philanthropic support, assistance for those who want to start their own businesses or enjoy easeful, diverse travel experiences. A story for IDPWD (International Day of People with a Disability) 3rd December Guests: Simon Darcy, Professor of Management, UTS Business School Emma Dawson, Executive Director of PerCapita Kirsty Nowlan, Executive Director of The A...
Dec 05, 2024•29 min
