Inflation has surged to its highest level in years, driven by soaring fuel prices, higher energy costs and global instability.

For households already squeezed by rate rises, the pressure is mounting. Is this a short‑term shock the Reserve Bank can look through or the start of another prolonged inflation fight?

What happens next for interest rates, wages, jobs, and the economy as a whole just one week before the Budget?

Guests:Diana Mousina, Deputy Chief Economist, AMPDavid Bassanese, Chief Economist, BetaShares

Show links:

See how the price of everything has changed, ABC News StoryLab, March 30, 2026

Consumer Price Index, Australian Bureau of Statistics, March 29, 2026

Why the official inflation rate feels wrong, The Economy Stupid, October 30, 2025

Stagflation is about to push unemployment higher: here's what to expect, The Economy Stupid, March 26, 2026