Dollars & Sense

By lifting the rate of Jobseeker, the Australian government could save lives.
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the shocking number of Australians dying on Jobseeker, the government’s immigration policy announcements, and why inequality is a political choice. Then, a bittersweet Dollars & Sense announcement.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 17 September 2026.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.
Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek
Show notes:
Extreme inequality is not a given. It is a political choice and we can unmake it by Joseph Stiglitz, The Point (September 2026)
In such a rich country, it is shameful how many Australians on jobseeker are dying in desperate poverty by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)
Recycled fuss about migrants is just a painful hot-button topic looking for an issue by Amy Remeikis, The New Daily (September 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 Dollars & Sense & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/44tIACB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early super access proposals would ultimately make people worse off – but the government could do more to help Australians currently in need.
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss One Nation’s superannuation proposal, ways the government could provide genuine cost-of-living support, the Reserve Bank’s twisted thinking over inflation and interest rates, and Barnaby Joyce’s run-from-Jesus moment.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 10 September 2026.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.
Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek
Show notes:
Horror warnings about Australia’s ‘collapsing’ housing market are absurd – and very much in bad faith by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)
The fight on super misses the point by Greg Jericho, The Point (September 2026)
Superannuation tax concessions are making inequality worse by Greg Jericho, the Australia Institute (July 2024)
Why a rate rise is now looking increasingly likely by Greg Jericho, The Point (September 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 Dollars & Sense & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/44tIACB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s economy is not overheating, so why are experts predicting a rate hike?
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg gets triggered by the growth figures, before he and Elinor discuss how the states and territories have missed out on a lazy quarter-trillion and why access to specialist healthcare is slipping out of reach for many Australians.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 3 September 2026.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.
Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek
Show notes:
Australia’s economy limps along, but the RBA should take a closer look before raising interest rates again by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)
RBA's own research shows that profits drove post-pandemic inflation, not wages by Greg Jericho, The Point (September 2026)
The quarter of a trillion dollar shortfall leaving states and territories scrambling, the Australia Institute (September 2026)
How can Australia ensure universal access to medical specialist care? by Luke Slawomirski, The Point (August 2026)
Millions delay or skip appointments as specialist care become too expensive for many Australians – new research, the Australia Institute (August 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 Dollars & Sense & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/44tIACB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Profits are surging and living standards are not. Will the AI boom be any different?
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Angus discuss the carve-out for Queensland and Northern Territory data centres that’ll allow them to run off coal and gas, the skyrocketing profits of some of Australia’s biggest companies, and the east coast vs west coast beef over GST revenue.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 27 August 2026.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.
Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB
Show notes:
What will we get out of the AI boom? The data suggests lots of noisy, energy-hungry datacentres and not much else by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)
What do they mean by "energy agnostic?" by Fiona Katauskas, The Point (August 2026)
Wages are not to blame for rising inflation by David Richardson, Greg Jericho & Matt Saunders, the Australia Institute (February 2026)
Australia’s gas giveaway, the Australia Institute
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 Dollars & Sense & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/44tIACB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest data show real wages are going backwards, but Reserve Bank keeps seeing ghosts.
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss another quarter of no “wage-price spiral”, plus the passage of massive NDIS cuts and gambling legislation through parliament.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 20 August 2026.
If this episode raised issues for you, you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 for free, professional and confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or visit Gambling Help Online at www.gamblinghelponline.org.au.
If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or online at www.lifeline.org.au.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek
Show notes:
Australia’s drop in real wages is a disaster. But the profits of major corporations are doing just fine by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)
Polling – banning gambling advertisements, the Australia Institute (May 2026)
National Gambling Toll, the Australia Institute
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 Dollars & Sense & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/44tIACB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.