Australia’s unemployment rate is at 4.2% - the lowest in more than a decade. And it’s not too far off slipping below 4%, something that hasn’t happened for half a century. 

But who deserves the credit? Economic management during pandemic by the Prime Minister and Reserve Bank governor? Or to quote ACTU Secretary Sally McManus in her tweet, that “the reason why unemployment rates are low is because the borders are closed.” 

Senior associates Alex Ballantyne and Will Mackey fact check these assertions on the podcast, using rigorous data evaluation. Hosted by Kat Clay, Head of Digital Communications. 

Read the article: https://grattan.edu.au/news/shutting-down-migration-did-not-kickstart-the-economy/

Why are the unemployment figures so low?

Everything you need to know about Australian public policy.

Grattan Institute is dedicated to developing high quality public policy for Australia’s future. Our podcasts cover a range of public policy topics focusing on the main issues facing Australia. 

Our podcasts concentrate on budget policy, economic growth, energy, health, institutional reform, household finances, school education, and disability policy.

Government

Skilled migrants contribute greatly to Australia's prosperity, shaping our diverse society, making us more productive, and boosting Australians' earnings and government's budgets. Points-tested visas account for almost two thirds of all permanent skilled visas issued by Australia over the past decade.

 These visas allocate points to potential migrants based on characteristics such as  their age, proficiency in English, education and work experience.  Following current trends, 800, 000 people will be granted permanent residency through points-tested visas over the next decade.  But points-tested visas aren't working as well as they should.

In this podcast, Brendan Coates, Trent Wiltshire, and Natasha Bradshaw discuss their new report, It all adds up: Reforming points-tested visas. They explain how reforming the points test and abolishing state and regional points-tested visa programs could yield big economic benefits for Australia.

How to reform points-tested visas

What's Grattan's verdict on Budget 2024? 

CEO Aruna Sathanapally and a panel of Grattan experts, including Dr. Sam Bennett, Alison Reeve, and Brendan Coates, critically assess Australia's 2024 federal Budget. 

Has the government got the balance right in supporting people who are doing it tough, without exacerbating inflation? Does the Budget do enough to help fix the broken housing market and tackle Australia’s structural budget deficit? And will the government’s ‘Future Made in Australia’ investments help or hinder our transition to net-zero emissions? 

Find out what the Budget means for you and the nation in this special podcast.

Budget 2024: The Grattan verdict

Australia: it's time for a sugary drinks tax. 

Sugary drinks are the biggest single source of sugar in our diets, and they increase people’s risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes.

While Australian health experts have been calling for a tax on sugary drinks for many years, our new report Sickly sweet: It's time for a sugary drinks tax, outlines why now and why Australia is lagging behind our international peers. 

In this podcast, report authors Peter Breadon and Jessica Geraghty discuss how a sugary drinks tax can improve Australians’ health, with host Kat Clay. 

Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/sickly-sweet/ 

Donate to Grattan: https://grattan.edu.au/donate/

Why Australia needs a sugary drinks tax

Most Australians don't spend much time thinking about the electricity system, as long as the lights turn on. But the National Energy Market (NEM) is going through big changes as it moves away from coal generation towards renewables. And Australia’s future prosperity depends on governments getting this transformation right.

On this podcast, Grattan energy experts Tony Wood, Alison Reeve, and Richard Yan, discuss their latest report, Keeping the lights on: How Australia should navigate the era of coal closures and prepare for what comes next. 

Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/keeping-the-lights-on/

How Australia can navigate to a post-coal future

The future of the NDIS – Australia’s world-leading scheme to support people with disability – is in doubt because the costs are exploding.

Now the federal government is acting. The Getting the NDIS Back on Track Bill proposes a massive overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, in order to rein in costs and provide greater clarity on program delivery. 

While the bill has been pitched as an improvement to access, program sustainability, and protections from unethical practices, many people with disabilities are concerned about whether their support will be continued, and if they are still eligible for the program.

Disability Program experts Sam Bennett and Hannah Orban are joined by host Kat Clay, to discuss how the proposed changes will affect the NDIS. 

More information on the Bill from the NDIS: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/9975-getting-ndis-back-track

Sam Bennett and Hannah Orban assess the Bill: https://grattan.edu.au/news/battle-to-save-the-ndis-has-begun/

Full transcript of the podcast: https://grattan.edu.au/news/will-this-bill-get-the-ndis-back-on-track/

Why are the unemployment figures so low?

Download our free app to listen on your phone