The Economy, Stupid

Home prices are falling for the first time in more than three years. Is Labor's housing policy starting to work? And if prices come down, who wins and who loses? 


We unpack what's really driving the market, whether the budget's tax changes will make it easier to buy a home, what they mean for renters, and why Australia's housing affordability crisis can't be explained by immigration alone. 


Guests:


Matthew Bowes, Senior Associate, Grattan Institute


Maria Yanotti, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Tasmania


Referred to:


Housing market downturn deepens as demand headwinds build, Cotality, July 1, 2026


The housing crisis that Australia built, Brendan Coates, Grattan Institute, March 11, 2026


More homes, better cities: Letting more people live where they want, Brendan Coates, Joey Moloney, Matthew Bowes, Grattan Institute, November 5, 2025


Housing submarket spillovers and COVID-19: the increasing influence of Australia’s regional cities, María Yanotti et al, December 31, 2025


Housing Q&A, Diana Mousina, AMP, June 18, 2026


Statement 4: Tax reform for workers, businesses and future generations, Commonwealth Budget, May 2026

Now that the dust is beginning to settle, what has happened to Labor's tax reform? 


And what does the way the debate played out tell us about the limits to what governments can do in the future? 

We are reliving the 1930s, according to author Viktor Shvets. Is there a peaceful way out?

If Australian taxpayers were given the choice, would we be willing to pay for the services we need?