Watchdog sues Microsoft after AI price-hike complaints
Thu 30 Oct 2025 16.30 AEDT
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
Plenty of big tech companies are losing money on their artificial intelligence investments, begging the question: do people actually want the products?
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the “shock” inflation figures, what energy subsidies have to do with the larger-than-expected increase, and why the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is suing Microsoft.
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This discussion was recorded on Thursday 30 October 2025.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek
Show notes:
So it’s goodbye to lower interest rates – to be honest, the RBA was always looking for an excuse not to cut by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (October 2025)
Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions
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Under One Nation’s policy, the gas industry would not pay anything for at minimum 10 years – which is why it hasn’t kicked up a fuss. What Hanson has done, is show that Labor and Liberal are the only ones who see the status quo as the way forward. The gas industry knows that, so it is supporting the circuit breaker, which makes it seem like something is being done.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing backlash after quoting inaccurate statistics from the gas lobby, while defending his decision not to impose a 25% tax on gas exports in the federal budget. Mr Albanese was interviewed on radio during a post-budget trip to Perth, during which he claimed that “gas companies paid $22 billion of tax last year”. The $22 billion figure is not an official estimate by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), but a figure produced by a gas lobby group.
