Economics Explored

Most tax debates focus on the what: rates, base, and who pays. This episode is about the how: the process by which economic policy gets made. Drawing on his time in the Australian Treasury, host Gene Tunny argues that...

Housing affordability, congestion and rising living costs are putting pressure on Australia's major cities. Could stronger regional development provide part of the solution? Gene Tunny shares highlights from a recent...

Australia has endured nearly a decade of weak productivity growth, and living standards are under pressure. In this episode, Gene Tunny and John Humphreys explore the common thread connecting several major economic...

Debt and deficits used to be political dealbreakers. So why don’t they seem to matter anymore? In this episode, Gene Tunny explores the concept of fiscal illusion with John Humphreys and Professor Sinclair Davidson...

Free trade has long been a cornerstone of economic thinking, but is it still fit for purpose in a more dangerous and uncertain world? Gene Tunny is joined by Dan Ryan and John Humphreys to debate tariffs, industrial...

What happens when geopolitical tensions collide with domestic economic pressures? In this episode, Gene Tunny is joined by John Humphreys and Tom Switzer to unpack the economic fallout from escalating tensions with...

Are fears of fuel shortages in Australia overblown—or are we underestimating the risks? Gene Tunny is joined by Dr John Humphreys and farmer Peter Rothwell to explore how rising diesel prices, fertiliser shortages, and...

AI can write essays, generate code, and assist with research, but does that mean it will replace human workers? Economist Benjamin Shiller, author of AI Economics, joins show host Gene to discuss how AI may instead make...

Australia’s productivity growth has slowed to its weakest rate in decades — and that matters because productivity ultimately drives rising living standards. In this episode, Gene Tunny explores why productivity is so...

Argentina was on the brink: inflation near 300% a year, real wages collapsing, poverty rising, and a large fiscal deficit. Voters elected libertarian economist Javier Milei, who promised deep spending cuts and radical...

What would tax reform look like if the goal were higher wages and stronger long-term growth — rather than more revenue? In this episode, Gene Tunny and John Humphreys examine capital gains tax, bracket creep, and income...

Adam Smith is often invoked as the intellectual godfather of modern capitalism — but he was also a moral philosopher. Judo Bank founder and former CEO Joseph Healy joins Gene Tunny to argue that Australia’s market...

What do we actually count as economic activity — and what do we leave out? In this episode, Gene speaks with economist Misty Heggeness about Swiftynomics, her new book on women’s work, unpaid care, and the limits of...

What does free speech have to do with economics? A lot more than you might think. In this episode, Gene Tunny is joined by John Humphreys to explore free speech as a core institutional pillar of prosperous societies...

Auckland’s upzoning reforms have become a global case study in housing policy. Gene Tunny and John August dig into the data behind claims that loosening zoning rules boosted housing supply and eased rent pressures. They...