Journalist Ed Conway went on a journey to discover where the things we use in everyday life come from. He narrowed that search down to six vital materials: sand, salt, iron, copper, oil and lithium. These materials, he says, are like a gateway allowing us to see the spectrum of different things around us that really do matter. These materials from the ground that have enabled us to connect with each other, to provide energy and make machines. 

Guest: 

Ed Conway, Economics and Data Editor of Sky News and columnist for The Times and Sunday Times. He is the author of: 

Material World: a substantial story of our past and future published by Penguin.

Credits: 

Presenter: Richard Aedy

Producer: Kate MacDonald

This program was first broadcast on 15th February, 2024

After nine terrific years explaining how the economy and everything in it works, Richard Aedy looks back at the highlights of the decade as well as Australia's economic future with Danielle Wood, Chair of the Productivity Commission. 

Guest - Danielle Wood, Chair of the Productivity Commission

The NDIS is vitally important, but because it was not designed to do everything, there are many areas where disabled Australians need more philanthropic support, assistance for those who want to start their own businesses or enjoy easeful, diverse travel experiences.

A story for IDPWD (International Day of People with a Disability) 3rd December 

Guests:

Simon Darcy, Professor of Management, UTS Business School

Emma Dawson, Executive Director of PerCapita

Kirsty Nowlan, Executive Director of The Achieve Foundation

Lorna Hallahan, Associate Professor at Flinders Uni and non-executive board member of The Achieve Foundation

Not many of us care for Mondays, and statistically it really is the most dangerous day of the week as opposed to Black Friday where the biggest danger is watching your money disappear.

Guest:

Fleur Brown from the Australian Retailer's Association

Milad Hagani from the University of NSW

Also, why are we not spending more on upskilling and training our workforce?

Andrew Barker Head of Research at CEDA

Germany's economic dominance as Europe's biggest economy is in danger. A new book argues that the weaknesses have been brewing for decades, leaving Germany over-reliant on Russian gas, too focused on old industries and unable to adapt to the digital realities of the 21st century. 

Guest: Wolfgang Munchau, former Financial Times associate editor, and author of Kaput: The End of the German Miracle, outlines the myriad economic problems and a possible way out. 

Kaput will be published by Allen and Unwin on February 4, 2025

And the Federal Government has decided to mandate keeping cash available for essential business, but this will come at a cost to small business.

Guest: Steve Worthington, Professor at Swinburne University of Technology

Donald Trump's economic agenda is clear: less taxation and regulation; more tariffs. But some of his programs will require a lot of money, which means America will need to borrow more. Those borrowings and the impact of tariffs will affect small, open trading economies, like Australia.

Guests

Professor Susan Stone, Credit Union SA Chair of Economics, University of South Australia

Win-Li Toh, Principal, Taylor Fry

Australians fork out much more on dental care than any other kind of health care. Which is why increasingly, people are delaying or skipping dental care, and 27% of kids aged between 5 and 10 had untreated decayed or missing teeth.   

So should, or could dental care be brought under the Medicare umbrella, and what might this cost? 

Guests:

Peter Breadon, Program Director for Health and Aged Care at the Grattan Institute

Dr Angie Nisson, Board Member of the Australia Dental Association and Clinical Director of Oral Health in Northern NSW

Dr Elizabeth Deveny, CEO of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia

One of the factors determining how people vote is the economy, and while America's is doing incredibly well right now, consumer confidence has slumped and most Americans are not feeling at all happy.  

Guests: 

• Betsey Stevenson, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan
• Robert Armstrong, US Financial commentator at the Financial Times
• Christopher Rugaber, covers the US economy and Federal Reserve for Associated Press

There's a seismic change heading our way that will drive up electricity and water usage and it has to do with the uptake of generative AI, including Chat GPT. 

Giant tech companies are investing in nuclear power for their AI-fuelled race, however data centres also need clean, drinking-quality water. 

Guests:

Ben Geman, energy reporter at Axios.com and the author of the daily Axios Generate newsletter, covering the world of energy business and politics.

David Berreby, science writer based in New York

Gordon Noble, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

Obesity and associated health problems cause a significant burden on health systems, but should weight-loss drugs be offered under our PBS just for weight loss?  

In Britain, there is to be a trial of the weight loss drug Mounjaro, that will also seek to measure the economic impact of those benefits.  Britain's Health Minister argues that weight loss drugs will be '"life-changing, help them get back to work and ease the demands on our NHS". 

Guests:

Dr Norman Swan, co-presenter of ABC Radio National's Health Report, and the podcast 'What's That Rash?'

Jonathan Karnon, Professor of Health Economics at Flinders University

Nial Wheate, Pharmaceutical Chemist and Professor of Academic Excellence at Macquarie University 

And the Albanese Government this week announced a crack down on unfair and excessive card surcharges, promising to get a better deal for Australians and small business.  The declining use of cash and the rise of electronic payments means more Australians are getting hit by often hidden surcharges.  

Guest:

Brad Kelly, Co-founder of the Independent Payment Forum