Economics Explored
252 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsHard-headed economic analysis applied to important economic, social, and environmental issues.
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Episodes
The ESG puppet show & taking Liberty seriously w/ Nicholas Gruen - EP199
August 01, 2023 10:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBNicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economics, and host Gene Tunny discuss the topics of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) mandates and Liberty. They explore how ESG mandates can create confusion among executives and investors, and delve into Nicholas' perspective on Liberty, how to take it seriously and the best way to think about it. Nicholas tells a story from the early 1980s about how he tried to change Australia’s laws which allow Parliament to lock people up for contempt of Parlia...
Sir David Hendry on economic forecasting & the net zero transition - EP198
July 25, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBSir David Hendry, the renowned British econometrician, talks to hosts Gene Tunny and Tim Hughes about the state of economic forecasting and the transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Among other things, Sir David talks about how to avoid major economic forecasting failures (e.g. UK productivity), forecasting global temperatures after volcanic eruptions, and the role of nuclear energy in the net zero transition. Sir David is currently Deputy Director of the Climate Econometrics grou...
Democratizing VC Investment Opportunities w/ James Kwan, VentureCrowd - EP197
July 18, 2023 10:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBShow host Gene Tunny chats with James Kwan, in-house counsel at VentureCrowd, about venture capital. VentureCrowd describes itself as “Australia's leading equity crowdfunding investment platform, leveraging the power of crowdfunding for investments that back a better future.” Gene and James discuss how VentureCrowd is bringing venture capital investment opportunities to a wider audience through equity crowdfunding. Tune in to learn about the significance of venture capital in financing and ...
Do central banks stabilize or destabilize economies? w/ Addison Wiggin, NYT-bestselling-author - EP196
July 11, 2023 10:00 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MBThe episode delves into the effectiveness of monetary policy by central banks in managing the economy over the business cycle. Do the actions of central banks stabilize or destabilize economies? Show host Gene Tunny chats with Addison Wiggin, a bestselling author, market economist, and host of the Wiggin Sessions podcast, about monetary policy and financial crises. Addison also shares some reflections on the US debt ceiling drama. This is part 2 of the conversation Gene held with Addison in ...
The Paradox of Debt w/ Richard Vague, ex-Sec. of Banking & Securities, Pennsylvania - EP195
July 04, 2023 10:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBEconomics Explored host Gene Tunny chats with Richard Vague, a prominent American businessman and investor, about his new book, "The Paradox of Debt: A New Path to Prosperity Without Crisis." Richard, who has previously written about “The Case for a Debt Jubilee”, shares powerful insights into the benefits and drawbacks of debt, discussing how it can help grow household wealth while also promoting economic instability and rising inequality. He also offers thought-provoking ideas for helping ...
Invisible Hand, social media, Goldbacks, crypto & CBDC w/ John August - thoughts on recent episodes - EP194
June 27, 2023 10:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBIn this episode of the Economics Explored podcast, host Gene Tunny chats with John August, Treasurer of the Pirate Party of Australia and host of the Roving Spotlight show on Radio Skid Row in Sydney. Together, they discuss previous episodes on topics such as the invisible hand, Goldbacks, and cryptocurrencies. Listeners are encouraged to share their thoughts on these topics. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at [email protected] or ...
The importance of physical & mental health for top CEO performance w/ Andrew May - EP193
June 20, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBAndrew May, a leading Australian performance coach and host of the Performance Intelligence podcast, discusses the relationship between physical & mental fitness and CEO & business performance with show host Gene Tunny and his colleague Tim Hughes. Andrew shares insights into the areas he focuses on when coaching top performers, including CEOs and elite athletes. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at [email protected] or sending a vo...
Exploring the US Banking Crisis with Addison Wiggin - EP192
June 13, 2023 10:00 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MBEconomics Explored host Gene Tunny interviews Addison Wiggin, a New York Times bestselling author and market economist, about the US banking crisis. Addison shares insights into the origins and impacts of the crisis, and discusses the future of the US economy and financial markets. Listeners can download Addison's recent report "Anatomy of a Bust: Winners and Losers in the Banking Crisis of 2023" for free via a link in the show notes. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and su...
Immigration & Australia’s housing crisis w/ Alan Kohler - EP191
June 06, 2023 10:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBThis episode delves into the pressing issues of housing and immigration in Australia, featuring a conversation with renowned financial journalist, Alan Kohler. The discussion revolves around the impact of high immigration rates on housing demand and affordability, emphasizing the need for coordination between immigration and housing policies. The episode also highlights the supply-side factors contributing to the housing crisis, such as restrictions on housing development and protections for...
US debt ceiling & Gene’s Aussie debt ceiling experience in the GFC | Emerging economies debt crisis - EP190
May 30, 2023 10:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBHost Gene Tunny discusses the US debt ceiling and the emerging economies debt crisis with his Adept Economics colleague Arturo Espinoza. Gene shares a memory of his own experience with the debt ceiling the Australian Government had at the time of the 2008 global financial crisis (GFC). Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at [email protected] or sending a voice message via https://www.speakpipe.com/economicsexplored. What’s covered i...
French Journalist Guillaume Pitron argues the Digital World is Costing the Earth - EP189
May 23, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBFrench journalist Guillaume Pitron discusses his book "The Dark Cloud: How the Digital World is Costing the Earth" with guest host Tim Hughes. The book explores the environmental impact of the digital world. Pitron delves into concerns about energy usage, e-waste, and the carbon footprint of the internet. The episode concludes with a debrief of Tim by regular host Gene Tunny on the conversation. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at contact@econ...
Seaweed: the next big thing in sustainable agriculture? w/ Scott Spillias, University of Queensland - EP188
May 16, 2023 10:00 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBSeaweed is being advanced as a potentially important future food source, the greater farming and consumption of which could avoid environmental impacts associated with other agricultural production, especially of beef. Scott Spillias has recently submitted a PhD thesis at the University of Queensland on seaweed farming, and he’s been getting a lot of attention regarding his findings on seaweed’s potential. Show host Gene Tunny and Tim Hughes talk with Scott about the potential of using seawe...
Gov’t wellbeing budgets & frameworks: useful or useless? w/ Nicholas Gruen - EP187
May 09, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 52 MBShow host Gene Tunny talks with Dr. Nicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economics, about the increasing focus of governments on wellbeing. For instance, former NZ PM Jacinda Ardern rebranded the national budget as a Wellbeing Budget, Wales has a Futures Generations Commissioner, and Australia is developing a new wellbeing framework, Measuring What Matters. Gene and Nicholas discuss the limitations of the current top-down approaches and platitudes, and consider potential solutions for better integ...
The Greedflation hypothesis - EP186
May 02, 2023 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBEconomics Explored host Gene Tunny talks about the “greedflation” (greed + inflation) hypothesis with his colleague Arturo Espinosa from Adept Economics. They discuss whether greedy corporations might be responsible for high inflation rates in advanced economies such as Australia and the United States. Gene talks about how the excessive fiscal and monetary stimulus during the pandemic has been a major contributor to higher inflation. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and sug...
The Invisible Hand: economic, religious, or mystical concept? w/ Dan Sanchez, FEE - EP185
April 25, 2023 10:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBThe Foundation for Economic Education’s Dan Sanchez argues that the invisible hand is a legitimate economic concept and not a religious or mystical one, as some critics of economics claim. Dan and show host Gene Tunny discuss the efficient organization of economic activities by the market mechanism in a decentralized way, without the need for a central planner. The conversation turns to TikTok and economic engagement with China. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggesti...
A new Monetary Policy tool to end Inflation and avoid Recession w/ Prof. Larry Marsh, Notre Dame - EP184
April 18, 2023 10:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBIn this episode of the Economics Explored podcast, host Gene Tunny interviews Professor Larry Marsh about his proposal for a new monetary policy tool that uses a central bank digital currency (CBDC) to end inflation without causing a recession. They also discuss the disconnect between the financial sector and the real economy. Larry Marsh is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Economics at the University of Notre Dame and author of the book "Optimal Money Flow." Please get in touch wit...
What are Goldbacks and who’s buying them - e.g. preppers, libertarians, collectors? w/ Goldback Founder Jeremy Cordon - EP183
April 11, 2023 10:00 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBThe Goldback is a local commodity currency operating in several US states, including Nevada and Utah. The Goldback is described as “the world’s first physical, interchangeable, gold money that is designed to accommodate even small transactions”. Each Goldback is embedded with 1/1,000th of a Troy Oz of 24 karat gold. Show host Gene Tunny is joined in this episode by the Founder and CEO of the Goldback company, Jeremy Cordon. According to Jeremy, “Gold is money. Everything else is credit.” Am...
Why we’re in the Decisive Decade with China & what the West should do w/ Dr Jonathan D. T. Ward - EP182
April 04, 2023 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBDr Jonathan D. T. Ward discusses his new book “The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph Over China” with show host Gene Tunny. Dr Ward argues the US should adopt “a two-pronged strategy of economic containment toward China alongside the revitalization and evolution of American industrial and technological power.” Dr. Ward is an internationally recognized expert on Chinese global strategy and U.S.-China competition. He earned his PhD in China-India relations at Oxford and his ...
Using Coase’s 1937 theory to explain Hutchies doing its own concrete formwork - EP181
March 28, 2023 10:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBWhy do firms do some activities “in house” and contract out others? British-American economist Ronald Coase gave a cogent explanation in a classic 1937 paper on the nature of the firm. Show host Gene Tunny explains to his colleague Tim Hughes how Coase’s insights (e.g. the concept of transaction costs) can be applied to understand the actions of an Australian construction firm Hutchinson’s deciding to employ people to do concrete formwork rather than relying on subcontractors. Please get i...
Odd way to fix housing crisis proposed by Aus. Gov’t: invest in stocks first w/ Dr Cameron Murray, Sydney Uni.
March 25, 2023 00:00 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MBThe Australian Government has been having trouble getting its proposed Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) passed by the Senate. The policy looks odd. With some justification, the Australian Greens have commented: “In its current form the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) legislation will see the housing crisis get worse. We can't fix the housing crisis by gambling money on the stock market and not guaranteeing a single cent will be spent on housing.” In their dissenting report on the bi...
How to Defeat the Dictators w/ Charles Dunst, Asia Group - EP180
March 21, 2023 10:00 - 43 minutes - 40.3 MBHow can democracies reinvigorate themselves to triumph over authoritarianism? Does the West need to decouple from China? These and other questions are considered in Economics Explored episode 180. Foreign affairs expert Charles Dunst talks about his new book Defeating the Dictators with show host Gene Tunny. Among other things, Charles and Gene talk about the potential benefits of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), such as Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s COVID-19 vaccine pl...
SVB & Credit Suisse | Bank runs & Moral hazard - Bonus episode
March 15, 2023 22:24 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBSilicon Valley Bank (SVB) has collapsed and now Credit Suisse is in trouble. Should we be worried about Global Financial Crisis 2.0? Have the policy responses been sensible? Economics Explored host Gene Tunny provides his initial thoughts. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at [email protected] or sending a voice message via https://www.speakpipe.com/economicsexplored. Links relevant to the episode: Chris Joye's article on SVB: ht...
Why fiat money means higher inflation & why a radical Reserve Bank review is needed w/ Darren Brady Nelson - EP179
March 14, 2023 10:10 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBIn his recent Spectator Australia article, Darren Brady Nelson argues for a radical, not a reserved review of Australia’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which he describes as reckless. In Economics Explored episode 179, Darren provides an Austrian economics perspective on central banks, fiat money, and inflation. Show host Gene Tunny wraps up the episode with a discussion of the historical evidence on different monetary systems and inflation, evidence which confirms econo...
Crypto arbitrage searcher Dave Belvedere on crypto and dApps such as Wizards & Dragons - EP178
March 07, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBDave Belvedere is a software engineer who searches for opportunities to make the crypto market more efficient and to make money at the same time - e.g. by exploiting arbitrage opportunities. Dave gives show host Gene Tunny and his colleague Tim Hughes an overview of cryptocurrency and also talks about NFTs and decentralized applications (dApps), such as Wizards & Dragons. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at [email protected] or send...
How performance-based pay can motivate employees, but there are risks - EP177
February 28, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 52.1 MBCan we get people to work harder and perform better if we make their pay performance-related - e.g. with performance bonuses or commissions? Does this work? Are individual or group incentives better? What does the evidence say? We know that people respond to incentives, but, as Gene Tunny and Tim Hughes discuss this episode, getting those incentives right can be tricky. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at [email protected] or sendi...
How to be a Superforecaster w/ Warren Hatch, CEO of Good Judgment - EP176
February 21, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MBWhat are the characteristics of superforecasters? How can a superforecasting team be developed? Hear from Warren Hatch, CEO of Good Judgment, a leading global forecasting business based in NYC. Accurate forecasts from Good Judgment superforecasters have included the scale of the pandemic. In early 2020, Good Judgment superforecasters estimated the United States would have over 200,000 deaths from COVID-19 with 99 percent certainty, an estimate that was considered by many as excessive at the ...
Values-based Capitalism: What is the Aussie Treasurer planning? w/ John Humphreys - EP175
February 14, 2023 10:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBAustralian Treasurer Jim Chalmers argues for values-based capitalism and against neoliberalism in a January 2023 essay in the Australian Monthly magazine. In this episode, show host Gene Tunny discusses the Treasurer’s essay with Dr John Humphreys. John is the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance (ATA) Chief Economist and the founder of the Australian Liberal Democrats. Gene and John discuss just how literally we should take the Treasurer, the risks of the so-called co-investment approach, and whe...
China’s falling population & global population update - EP174
February 07, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBThe world’s population keeps growing and passed 8 billion in late 2022, but China’s population is now falling. There are concerns over what that means for its economy and the wider global economy. Is Paul Krugman right that a falling population means a weak Chinese economy? Show host Gene Tunny and his colleague Tim Hughes discuss the possible implications of a shrinking China, as well as global population projections out to 2100. The conversation touches on the environmental impact of a gro...
Normalization of interest rates & monetary policy - EP173
January 31, 2023 10:00 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBLast year we saw the beginning of the normalization of interest rates and monetary policy, as central banks responded to accelerating inflation. Show host Gene Tunny talks about the current tightening cycle and when it might end with his colleague Arturo Espinoza. Among other things, Gene and Arturo discuss what history tells us about typical interest rates and returns on capital, referencing UK bank rate since 1694, interest rates on UK government consols, and returns on land written about ...
Do environmental and business sustainability go hand in hand? w/ John Engelander - EP172
December 30, 2022 20:31 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBPlanet Earth Cleaning Co. and Ecobin founder John Engelander proposes that environmental and business sustainability can go hand-in-hand. Show host Gene Tunny asks John about the benefits and costs of businesses adopting more environmentally-friendly practices. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at [email protected] or sending a voice message via https://www.speakpipe.com/economicsexplored. What we discuss with John Engelander, fou...
Enterprise China: what western businesses need to know w/ Prof. Allen Morrison - EP171
December 23, 2022 20:09 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBProfessor Allen Morrison has been studying China for over three decades and he’s an expert on the Enterprise China model, the close relationship between business and state in China. Chinese companies take the lead from Beijing to help meet state objectives, including reduced dependency on the west. In return they get competitive advantages over western businesses trying to break into China. In this episode, Prof. Morrison, from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State Uni...
Aussie energy crisis & Net Zero transition w/ Joshua Stabler, Energy Edge - EP170
December 16, 2022 21:12 - 1 hour - 74.3 MBEnergy market expert Joshua Stabler shares his views on the current Aussie energy crisis and how well placed Australia and other countries are to transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Learn why Josh thinks that transition could be disorderly, and learn about the role self-driving EVs could play and whether Josh thinks nuclear energy and hydrogen are realistic options for Australia. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at contact@economi...
Chokepoint Capitalism w/ Rebecca Giblin - EP169
December 09, 2022 19:19 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBCorporations such as Google, Amazon, and Live Nation are allegedly taking advantage of chokepoints in the economy, earning excessive profits. That’s the thesis of a new book, Chokepoint Capitalism: how big tech and big content captured creative labour markets, and how we'll win them back. The authors are Uni. of Melbourne Law Professor Rebecca Giblin and writer and activist Cory Doctorow. Show host Gene Tunny speaks with Prof. Giblin about Chokepoint Capitalism in this episode. Please get ...
Understandable Economics w/ Howard Yaruss, NYU - EP168
December 02, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBIn his new book, Understandable Economics, Howard Yaruss from NYU argues “Understanding Our Economy Is Easier Than You Think and More Important Than You Know.” Howard is an Adjunct Instructor in economics and business at NYU. Previously, he was Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Radian Group, a mortgage insurance company. Howard lives in Manhattan and serves on his local community board. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at contact...
Modern markets for all w/ Wingham Rowan - EP167
November 26, 2022 20:31 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBIn The New Yorker, Wingham Rowan was described as a “labor reformer” who “wants to reimagine labor markets for the digital age.” In episode 167 of Economics Explored, Wingham talks to host Gene Tunny about the potential of Public Official e-Markets. Wingham is a former British TV presenter who is now the managing director at Modern Markets for All (MM4A), a non-profit seeking to advise governments on the possibilities of new market technologies. Please get in touch with any questions, comm...
The Progress Illusion w/ Prof. Jon Erickson, University of Vermont - EP166
November 18, 2022 20:54 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MBProfessor Jon Erickson is an ecological economist and advisor to policymakers including Senator Bernie Sanders. In his new book The Progress Illusion, he criticizes what he calls “the fairytale of economics” and argues we are failing “to design an economy that is socially just and ecologically balanced.” Show host Gene Tunny discusses Prof. Erickson’s new book with him in this episode of Economics Explored. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestions by emailing us at ...
Innovative cities, coffee shops & entrepreneurs w/ Christopher Hire - EP165
November 11, 2022 14:00 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBCities worldwide want to be more innovative because innovation is a driver of economic growth. The Innovation Cities Index shows cities where they’re doing well and where they’re doing badly relative to other cities. Hear from Index creator Christopher Hire about the importance of having policies that are good for entrepreneurs and just how bad red tape is for innovation. You’ll also learn how the prevalence of coffee shops is a good predictor of innovation. And you’ll hear from Christopher ...
Structural budget deficits - EP164
November 04, 2022 21:49 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBThe governments of many countries have structural budget deficits, so even as their economies recover from the COVID-recession they are still running deficits. In many countries, the fundamental structure of the budget is bad. There is too much spending relative to revenue, even in normal or good times, not just in recession. In this episode we explore how economists can calculate structural budget balances. We look specifically at what the Australian Treasury does, given that a new Australi...
Slouching Towards Utopia w/ Brad DeLong - EP163
October 28, 2022 19:53 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBSlouching Towards Utopia is the new book from Brad DeLong, Professor of Economics at University of California, Berkeley. Professor DeLong joins show host Gene Tunny to discuss the long twentieth century from 1870 to 2010. The conversation considers the three factors which came together to massively raise living standards post-1870, and how nonetheless we’ve struggled to achieve the Utopia that once appeared possible. The “neoliberal turn” beginning in the 1970s and 1980s is considered, and D...
Preparing the National Accounts w/ Robert Ewing, Australian Bureau of Statistics - EP162
October 21, 2022 19:17 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBThe National Accounts is the comprehensive data set on a country’s economic performance. It gives us GDP growth estimates and a whole bunch of other important indicators. Australian Bureau of Statistics Principal Advisor Robert Ewing takes us behind the scenes at the ABS and provides some great info and insights into how the GDP figures are prepared. Learn about the huge range of economic data from households, businesses, and governments that go into the National Accounts, the roles played b...
White Elephant Stampede w/ Scott Prasser - EP161
October 14, 2022 19:10 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBVarious projects worldwide have been labeled White Elephants. These projects include the Gold Coast desalination plant and the Berlin Brandenburg Airport, among many others. What exactly is a White Elephant? How can we identify them and how can we stop them from happening in the future? In this episode, Scott Prasser joins show host Gene Tunny to talk about White Elephants. Scott is a former academic and ministerial adviser, and is one of the editors of the new book from Connor Court titled ...
Regional divergence: why cities are growing faster than regions w/ Robert Sobyra | EP160
October 07, 2022 14:00 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBWhy are cities growing faster than regional areas in many economies around the world, including in Australia, the US, and UK? Robert Sobyra of Construction Skills Queensland explains his recent research findings to show host Gene Tunny. Robert and Gene discuss what the predominance of high-skilled employment growth in cities means for regional economies, and whether policy measures to address the regional divergence would be desirable. Please get in touch with any questions, comments and su...
The future US fiscal crisis & how to avert it w/ Romina Boccia, Cato Institute | EP159
September 30, 2022 15:05 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBThe Cato Institute’s Romina Boccia explains why she’s concerned about a future US fiscal crisis. She explains how entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare are the source of the problem. This episode’s guest Romina Boccia is Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy at the Cato Institute, where she specializes in federal spending, budget process, economic implications of rising debt, and Social Security and Medicare reform. Please get in touch with any questions, comments ...
Hyperinflation: what causes it, how to prevent it & how to stop it - EP158
September 23, 2022 22:34 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBWhat causes hyperinflation and how can it be avoided in the first place or stopped if it occurs? What characterizes countries which fall victim to hyperinflation? A conversation between show host Gene Tunny and his colleague Arturo Espinoza which explores the economic theory and evidence around hyperinflation, and discusses peculiarities which can arise in hyperinflation-afflicted economies - e.g. pensions denominated in cows in Zimbabwe. Please get in touch with any questions, comments a...
Bitcoin & books w/ author & ex-fighter pilot Lars Emmerich - EP157
September 16, 2022 14:22 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBAuthor and ex-fighter pilot Lars Emmerich explains why he’s so excited about the future of Bitcoin. And you’ll hear how he responds to the criticism that Bitcoin mining wastes a lot of energy. Lars also tells show host Gene Tunny about his experience as an author operating in a disrupted book industry. Lars explains how the internet can give authors a better deal than traditional book royalties, and he tells us about the importance of Facebook Ads for acquiring new readers. Notes: a) Th...
The Aussie electricity market malfunction of June 2022 - EP156
September 09, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 61.4 MBAustralia’s National Electricity Market was suspended by the market operator for nine days in June 2022. For a brief period, authorities were worried there would have to be widespread blackouts to balance supply and demand, so the market operator stepped in to direct generators to produce the power that was needed. In this episode, Andrew Murdoch, Managing Director of Arche Energy, explains what went wrong in June, and he talks to show host Gene Tunny about whether it could happen again. Are...
EV taxes, congestion charges & taking high-polluting trucks off the roads w/ Marion Terrill - EP155
September 02, 2022 20:41 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBAn electrified vehicle fleet will mean lower fuel tax revenues for governments and possibly greater traffic congestion as EVs are cheaper to run. Governments around the world are having to reassess how they charge for road use and one Australian state, Victoria, has introduced an EV tax based on distance traveled. In Economics Explored EP155, Marion Terrill from the Grattan Institute discusses what a rational road user charging system would look like. She also talks about Grattan’s truck pla...
Fuel prices & electric vehicles (EVs) - EP154
August 26, 2022 15:06 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBA wide-ranging conversation on petrol/gasoline prices and electric vehicles (EVs). The conversation explores the peculiar economic phenomenon that is Australia’s petrol price cycle. What drives it and how can consumers make it work for them? Show host Gene Tunny and his guest Tim Hughes then discuss the big issues around replacing petrol-powered vehicles with EVs. What does it mean for total electricity demand and what challenges do we face in adopting EVs? Links relevant to the conversatio...
GDP & the National Accounts: What they are and why they matter w/ Brendan Markey-Towler - EP153
August 19, 2022 14:48 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBThe National Accounts are a huge intellectual achievement and an incredibly useful set of data, including GDP and its components. Chatting about the National Accounts with Economics Explored host Gene Tunny is fellow economist Dr Brendan Markey-Towler, author of the Substack newsletter Australian Economy Tracker. Brendan explains how the National Accounts help us track the current state of the economy as well as longer-term trends, such as shrinking manufacturing sectors and growing services...
ROI of education: how economists estimate it + US economic update - EP152
August 12, 2022 20:34 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MBDo you get a return on investment if you get a university or college degree? Does the taxpayer get an ROI for any subsidies provided? Economics Explored host Gene Tunny discusses how economists crunch the numbers on the ROI of education with his colleague Arturo Espinoza. Gene also gives an update on the US economy, covering the strong jobs growth figure for July 2022 among other indicators. Links relevant to the conversation Macrobond charts and commentary on the US economy https://dri...