Society & Inequality
What if we just gave people money? The economics of time and freedom
The idea that there’s only so much money to go around makes a bastard kind of sense to the poor. If impossible decisions abound in their lives, it must be true of governments, too. Certainly, that’s how federal budgets are framed. But beyond impressionism, we know the household budget is not analogous to state budgets in any meaningful way.
If unemployment is the cure for inflation, who pays the price?
In recent weeks, economists have argued that a certain level unemployment is a necessary condition for the economy to function. They have argued that the Reserve Bank of Australia may need to raise interest rates higher, to increase unemployment, which is currently too low, in order to bring inflation under control.
Why Meta should shoulder the burden of stopping deep fake adverts
AI deepfakes used in online fraud are a global problem. In Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States, the EU, and Southeast Asia, scammers often use deepfake images of public figures to trick people into handing over money. But Australia has been at the forefront of many of the regulation discussions.
Economists warn war will push up energy bills unless Australia ends gas giveaway
Economists are warning the Albanese Government must act immediately to end “Australia’s enormous gas giveaway” as households begin to see – and feel – the economic fallout of war in the Middle East.
A Fair Go for Pacific Workers: The Case for Mobility and Employer Readiness
As you enjoy the fruits of Australia’s autumn harvest, spare a thought for the hands that likely picked it. Thousands of workers from across the Pacific are currently here under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme, working hard to earn an honest living and provide a better future for their families back home.
Australia actually has more than enough houses, they’re just owned by investors
Over the past 10 years, the number of new homes has been growing faster than the population. Read that sentence again if you need to, but doing so won’t change the facts.
The absurd tax laws holding Australian charities back
What do preparing for climate disasters, preventing cruelty to animals, and building social connection have in common? Charities engaged in these activities are often locked out of receiving tax deductible donations and philanthropy.
Land of the long weekend? Hardly – Australia has fewer public holidays than most other OECD countries
Only six OECD nations lag behind Australia's public holiday count at the national level
If you win most literary prizes, you pay tax. If you win The Block, you don't. How is this fair?
When Goorie and Koori poet Evelyn Araluen won last week’s $100,000 Victorian Prize for Literature, along with the $25,000 Indigenous Writing prize, she called on the Australian government to change the way it taxes arts prizes.
Gender pay gap narrows, yet men out-earn women in almost every occupation
Earlier this week the Finance Minister and Minister for Women, Senator Katy Gallagher released the latest data of the gender pay gap by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
