Skip to main content
Advanced search
The Point - home
DonateSubscribe
HomeWhat's NewOpinionOff the ChartsExplainersFactcheckAbout Us
The Point — home
DonateSubscribe
The Point — home
Advanced search
  • Home
  • What's New
  • Opinion
  • Off the Charts
  • Explainers
  • Factcheck
  • About Us
DonateSubscribe
Subscribe
  • Home
  • What's New
  • Opinion
  • Off the Charts
  • Explainers
  • Factcheck
  • About Us
The Point - home
Privacy PolicySitemapComplaints & CorrectionsNewsletter

The Point recognises the ancestral connections and custodianship of Traditional Owners throughout Australia. We pay respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present.

©2025–2026 The Point, an initiative of The Australia Institute

PODCAST

What is 'middle income' in Australia?

Thu 18 Jun 2026 16.10 AEST

Economy
What is 'middle income' in Australia?

AAP Image/Jay Kogler

Listen on appleListen on spotify

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.

Related Articles

WHAT'S NEW

Australia’s rate hikes outpace major economies as RBA tipped to increase rates again

By Tegan George

The Australia Institute’s chief economist is betting on a Melbourne Cup interest rate rise, after RBA governor Michele Bullock confirmed Australia’s rate hikes this year have outpaced those of other major advanced economies.

Economy
Australia’s rate hikes outpace major economies as RBA tipped to increase rates again

OPINION

Shoebridge has diagnosed Australia’s economic problems, but tax cuts miss the point

By Maiy Azize

Senator David Shoebridge's first National Press Club address as Greens leader got a lot right. He spoke about an economy that is failing ordinary people, decades of privatisation, and a housing crisis that has pushed people into despair and insecurity. On each of these fronts, he's right.

Economy
Shoebridge has diagnosed Australia’s economic problems, but tax cuts miss the point

OPINION

Confessions of the Inflation Dragon

By Fiona Katauskas

Economy
Confessions of the Inflation Dragon

OFF THE CHARTS

Rate rises won’t bring down oil prices or stop the data centre boom

By Matt Grudnoff

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of September has just been released, and it shows that inflation has gone up to 4.6%. This increase has been driven by increasing fuel prices.

Economy
Rate rises won’t bring down oil prices or stop the data centre boom