The Good Oil with Scott Phillips

The 2026 Budget (and Budget Reply) gave us one of the more potentially consequential weeks in politics and economics in many years. And the GOAT of Budget economics is Chris Richardson, who returns to The Good Oil.

In a wide-ranging chat, Chris and Scott talk deficits, negative gearing, capital gains tax, indexation of tax brackets, the NDIS, tobacco excise (and the Laffer Curve), and how to improve policy outcomes.

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Sometimes, economics is topical. Sometimes, topics give us a chance to delve into economics. Returning guest Dr. Cameron Murray weighs in with his first-principles thoughts on some of the biggest issues we’re facing today, and gives us a ‘How would an economist think about this’ perspective that will help you think about some better solutions, too.

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Women's sport is having its (overdue) time in the sun. And that includes the reborn Women’s National Basketball League. From a standing start just over a year ago, a partial privatisation and a new CEO has the competition thriving, and Sager has big plans for the future.

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From axes to algebra, and steam to steel, innovation has been at the forefront of our development as a society and improved living standards. Scott chats to Federal MP and Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, Andrew Leigh, about his new book, The Shortest History of Innovation.

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House prices jumped last year, thanks in part to interest rate reductions. But not that alone. And housing affordability has worsened… but not everywhere. Scott chats to former Head of Residential Research (and now independent property analyst) Eliza Owen about all of that and more.

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There’s never a dull moment in investing, and right now, gold and rare earths are in the spotlight. Then there’s the longer-term trend towards ETFs and overseas investing, too. Scott is joined by Gemma Dale, nabtrade’s Director of SMSF and Investor Behaviour to unpack just what’s happening, and why.

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How should we make decisions? What frameworks should guide us? And can organisations truly be ethical? The study and application of ethics is at the core of what it means to be human, as Dr Simon Longstaff of The Ethics Centre tells host Scott Phillips.

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In this special episode Scott speaks with Motley Fool co-founder, co-Chairman and Chief Rule Breaker, David Gardner, about his long term investing success, achieved by breaking many of the accepted investing ‘rules’, a process he’s laid down in his new book Rule Breaker Investing.

(You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Rule-Breaker-Investing-Stocks-Lasting/dp/1804091820/)

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What do you get when you have the fourth generation of a family running a business that dates back the the 1870s, is the second-oldest company on the ASX, and believes in doing the right things the right way?

Long term outperformance and 122 consecutive years of dividends, the last 27 increasing each year.

The company is Washington H. Soul Pattinson, and that fourth generation is the man who’s been there for more than 40 years, executive chairman Robert Millner.

Take a listen… you’ll come away a better investor.

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There are some trends (disruptions?) impacting our society, and they’re doing us harm. The good news is that we can all be part of the solution. Host Scott Phillips talks to social psychologist and researcher Hugh Mackay AO to understand what’s going wrong and what we can do to improve our lives – and those of others. The good news? It starts in our street.

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