The federal government’s policy enabling five per cent house deposits is just a backdoor first homebuyer’s grant that’ll pump up prices.
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss whether Emirati supermarket chain Lulu will take on Colesworth, the Reserve Bank’s decision to keep rates on hold, Trump’s unworkable tariffs on foreign films, and how the government could actually address the housing crisis.
Use the code ‘podcast’ to get 50% off tickets to the Australia Institute’s Revenue Summit. Featuring Hon Steven Miles MP, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator David Pocock, Dr Kate Chaney MP, Greg Jericho and more, the Summit is on Wednesday 29 October at Parliament House in Canberra. Discount available for Dollars & Sense listeners while stocks last.
Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 2 October 2025.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek
Show notes:
Save Tuvalu, Save the World, the Australia Institute on YouTube (September 2025)
The RBA seems unlikely to do another rate cut – meaning they’re betting the economy is better than the data says by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (September 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.
The RBA got it wrong when it decided to leave rates on hold at its September meeting. Here are the three important graphs that show why.
“The Reserve Bank has once again chosen to be content with rising unemployment", says economist
Last week the Australian Financial Review’s wealth column advised wealthy Australians of a way to put more money into superannuation, but which in truth was just another example of how the system is being abused.
Two decades ago, the total household wealth of all Australian was equal to 5.7 times household income. Today it’s 8.8. That jump isn’t because workers got lazy.
