Grattan Institute

Two years on from the start of the pandemic, Australia’s unemployment rate is now at a near 50-year low of just 4 per cent. The share of under-employed Australians – those in work but who want more hours – is at its lowest level in more than a decade. But what is full employment? Who benefits most when unemployment is low? And what lessons should we learn from our rapid economic recovery from the pandemic? Kat Clay, Head of Digital Communications, discusses the latest Grattan report, No one left behind: why Australia should lock in full employment, with Brendan Coates, Economic Policy Program Director, and Alex Ballantyne, Senior Associate. Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/no-one-left-behind-why-australia-should-lock-in-full-employment/

15 Mai 202221min

There are three words that strike fear into the heart of any homeowner, and those are: interest rate rise. On Tuesday, the RBA raised the official cash rate by 0.25% to 0.35% and signalled there was more to come. This was swiftly passed onto homeowners, with several banks raising their interest rates on the same day. But should you be worried? Well, it depends on who you are. Join Joey Moloney, Alex Ballantyne, in conversation with Kat Clay, on what the interest rate rise means for homeowners. Articles discussed in the podcast: https://grattan.edu.au/news/australia-is-not-having-the-housing-debate-we-have-to-have/ https://grattan.edu.au/news/interest-rates-are-about-to-rise-how-worried-should-you-be/

8 Mai 202215min

The federal election is on. Billboards are plastered with party slogans, campaign ads are all around us, and our social media feeds are flaring up with political spin. Political advertising is a major feature of Australian election campaigns. But sometimes it can be difficult to separate facts from scare campaigns, or even to distinguish a government ad from a party ad. Kat Clay is joined by Deputy Program Director Kate Griffiths, and associate Anika Stobart, to discuss political advertising rules in Australia. Further reading: https://grattan.edu.au/news/the-rules-or-lack-thereof-for-political-advertising/

1 Mai 202215min

One of the big winners of last Tuesday’s federal budget were motorists, when Josh Frydenberg announced a 22 cent per litre cut in fuel excise. But what really is the fuel excise tax, and what is it used for? Was it the right economic choice to cut back on fuel excise while petrol is expensive? Kat Clay, Head of Digital Communications, discusses fuel excise and what governments could do to bring down petrol prices with Marion Terrill, Transport and Cities Program Director, and Lachlan Fox, Associate. For more information, visit: https://grattan.edu.au/

3 Apr 202214min

It’s been a big week in federal politics with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handing down his fourth budget on Tuesday night. Listen to Kate Griffiths, Deputy Director Budgets and Government, as she examines the Budget with Grattan's CEO, Danielle Wood.

31 Mar 202219min

Everyone knows a politician loves a hard hat photo. And no more are hard hat photos - and pork-barrelling - seen than in the world of transport projects. The winners are often concentrated in a single electorate, whereas the losers are taxpayers dispersed across the state or country. Listen to Marion Terrill discuss her latest report with Kat Clay, about why there should be stronger guardrails on federal transport spending. For more information, visit: https://grattan.edu.au/

20 Mar 202221min

Australia is squandering the potential benefits of temporary skilled migration. Politically unpopular, politicians often restrict visa sponsorship to fewer, low-skill, low-wage jobs. Instead, governments should be evaluating how best to improve the system to attract global talent, boost the budget, and reduce exploitation. Join Henry Sherrell, Deputy Director, Migration, Will Mackey, Senior Associate, and Kat Clay, Head of Digital Communications, as they discuss the new Grattan report on how to fix temporary skilled migration. For more information, visit: https://grattan.edu.au/

15 Mar 202227min

Australia has an enviable universal healthcare system, but there are still gaps where people miss out. Listen to Anika Stobart, Linda Lin, and Kat Clay in conversation on how to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs in Australia and create a fairer health system for those who need it most. Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/not-so-universal-how-to-reduce-out-of-pocket-healthcare-payments

6 Mar 202213min