#gotmoney?

Regular guest Terry Ryder (founder hotspotting.com.au) joins Elizabeth to talk about the big disconnect between the mainstream media “doom and gloom” narrative about real estate and what’s really happening for the 2/3rds of the population, who live outside the major capital cities. According to Terry, outside the big cities, where there are strong markets and low vacancy rates, its just about the best time ever for new home buyers or renters. They take a data trip around the capital cities to see where the recovery is happening fastest (spoiler alert its Hobart and Perth) and try to gauge when Sydney and Melbourne (and the MSM) will catch up.

Elizabeths guest this week is Senator Katy Gallager, Senator for the ACT, Shadow Minister for Finance, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate and Chair of the Select Committee on Covid19.  In a wide ranging discussion they talk about the work of the Select Committee in scrutinising the Government approach to Covid19; the need for substance over spin; how poor decisions hurt people; the as yet unknown shape of the recovery and what needs to be done moving forwards. Katy is positive about our capacity to recover from the pandemic if we see it as an opportunity to fix some long standing problems and make the economy work better for all Australians.

Elizabeth talks with regular guest Nicki Hutley, Partner, Deloitte Access Economics on where the economy is up to at this stage of the pandemic. They discuss the impact on GDP, how the different states are faring, the future of Jobkeeper and Jobseeker and the disproportional impact on young people and women.

Professor Steve Worthington is adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Business and Law, Swinburne University. His speciality is payments systems including the electronic distribution of financial services. He talks with Elizabeth about whether we will become a cashless society and the future of payment systems such as cryptocurrency and Afterpay in a post Covid19 economy.

 

This is the first in a series of podcasts about financial abuse and how it is being exacerbated by Covid19. In this episode Elizabeth talks with Courtney Salter, Senior Family Lawyer from SE Lawyers about the legal definition of financial abuse, your rights and how to deal with the legal issues that arise around shared finances, hidden money, the ATO and the best way to protect yourself through a difficult and sometimes traumatic situation.

This week Hayley Mitchell, Director, Geelong Property Managers and Cate Bakos, Independent Buyer’s Advocate,  Cate Bakos Property give us the latest on whats happening in the property market – whether you are renting or purchasing. In a nutshell, it depends where you are, financially and geographically. Rental properties and some sales are going like hot cakes in the regions. While in inner city Melbourne property sales have slowed during the Stage 4 lock down and there are assessment queues for loan approvals. But, there is pent up demand from people ready to buy at the right time, so green shoots are on the way.

This week’s guest is Sally McManus, Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU); the first ever women to fill that role.  Sally and Elizabeth discuss the impact of Covid19 on jobs, government policies to stimulate the economy and the systemic problems of casualisation of the workforce, gender inequality and wage parity that Covid has revealed. Sally admits it can take generations to achieve victories in these areas but we need to be relentless as “the only thing that can stop you from winning is giving up.”

In the time of Covid many people are rewriting their wills so this week Elizabeth talks to regular guest Melanie Heffernan (Principal, SE Lawyers) about what rights you have if someone wants to challenge your Will. They talk about who is allowed to challenge you, who you can safely leave out of your will, why the relative needs of your beneficiaries matter and the complexities that can arise from bequests in blended families.

This week Elizabeth and regular Melanie Heffernan, Principal, SE Lawyers talk to the Victorian Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Louise Staley MP about the level of debt being accumulated by the Victorian Government during the lock-down. Louise has no dispute with the need to spend whatever is needed to keep the economy afloat during the pandemic; however, she will be looking closely at October’s budget to see what the plan is for repaying the debt. In the meantime, her party is developing an approach that will see Victoria back to work and back in business asap.

Melanie Heffernan, Principal, South East  Lawyers  and Elizabeth go through the detail of the Homebuilder Grants partnership agreement to be entered into by each state on an individual basis and attempt to figure out what it means for Victorians looking to buy a new home or upgrade an existing home. In a nutshell, it will vary according to your specific circumstances but if you qualify and can get cracking within the tight time-frame it can be a welcome bonus.