Migration

Australians dying of poverty

Inequality is a political choice

Show announcement

By lifting the rate of Jobseeker, the Australian government could save lives.

On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the shocking number of Australians dying on Jobseeker, the government’s immigration policy announcements, and why inequality is a political choice. Then, a bittersweet Dollars & Sense announcement.

This discussion was recorded on Thursday 17 September 2026.

More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.

Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.

Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut

Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek

Show notes:

Extreme inequality is not a given. It is a political choice and we can unmake it by Joseph Stiglitz, The Point (September 2026)

In such a rich country, it is shameful how many Australians on jobseeker are dying in desperate poverty by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)

Recycled fuss about migrants is just a painful hot-button topic looking for an issue by Amy Remeikis, The New Daily (September 2026)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

By lifting the rate of Jobseeker, the Australian government could save lives.
On this episode of Dollars &amp; Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the shocking number of Australians dying on Jobseeker, the government&rsquo;s immigration policy announcements, and why inequality is a political choice. Then, a bittersweet Dollars &amp; Sense announcement.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 17 September 2026.
<a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/store/more-fool-me-vantage-point-issue-6">More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia</a> by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now.
Use the code &lsquo;FOOLME&rsquo; on <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/store/vantage-point-subscription">a four-edition Vantage Point subscription</a> to receive a free copy of Richard&rsquo;s book, Econobabble.
Host:&nbsp;Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/grogsgamut.bsky.social">@grogsgamut</a>
Host:&nbsp;Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/elinorjohnstonleek.bsky.social">@elinorjohnstonleek</a>
Show notes:
<a href="https://thepoint.com.au/opinions/260916-extreme-inequality-is-not-a-given-it-is-a-political-choice-and-we-can-unmake-it">Extreme inequality is not a given. It is a political choice and we can unmake it</a> by Joseph Stiglitz, The Point (September 2026)
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2026/sep/17/australians-jobseeker-dying-in-poverty">In such a rich country, it is shameful how many Australians on jobseeker are dying in desperate poverty</a> by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (August 2026)
<a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2026/09/16/migrants-jobs-housing-nazis-politics">Recycled fuss about migrants is just a painful hot-button topic looking for an issue</a> by Amy Remeikis, The New Daily (September 2026)
Theme music:&nbsp;Blue Dot Sessions
We&rsquo;d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to <a href="mailto:podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au">podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au</a>. Subscribe to&nbsp;Dollars&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Sense&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/dollars-sense/id1717300562">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5FWzwVKWUR2tZCbXSKuBE2?si=1c2f3558cc6d44ab">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/dollars-sense/9cc37d00-6a4f-013c-9f4c-0acc26574db2">Pocket Casts</a>&nbsp;or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Economic data can tell us a lot about what's happening the economy and society, but it's easy to get lost in data. Dollars and Sense dives into the latest economic figures to explain how they impact you and what they tell us about the state of the Australian economy, with host Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia.

Economic data can tell us a lot about what's happening the economy and society, but it's easy to get lost in data. Dollars and Sense dives into the latest economic figures to explain how they impact you and what they tell us about the state of the Australian economy, with host Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia.

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Dollars &amp; Sense demystifies the latest economic figures, how they impact you and what they can tell us about the economy, with host with Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and Centre for Future Work, and author of Guardian Australia's Grogonomics column.

By lifting the rate of Jobseeker, the Australian government could save lives.