PODCAST · society
Fresh Economic Thinking
by Cameron Murray
Cameron Murray is famous for questioning sacred cows and conventional wisdoms of both left and right. We chat about Cameron's latest Twitter battle and then delve into a controversy. Wide-ranging analysis - no topic out of bounds - inequality, regulation, housing, superannuation, lockdowns, tax, war, the meaning of life. www.fresheconomicthinking.com
Episodes
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FET #81: Debunking all the arguments in favour of Australia’s superannuation system
The debate about super is heating up again. Pauline Hanson announced in September that One Nation’s policy is to allow renters or mortgage holders to keep 3% of their salary out of superannuation to spend now, making them put away 9% instead of 12% in their retirement account. With regular…
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FET #80: Why are the experts now speaking up about Artificial Intelligence (AI) risks?
In the past few weeks, some of the world’s leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts have spoken up about the risks of letting AI models loose. Whether that is hijacking our heavily connected communications and infrastructure systems or triggering further geopolitical conflict, handing over...
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FET #79: Welfare for the well-off costs Australians over $20 billion a year! Henry Williams explains how to fix it
Henry Williams is the Director of Policy at a new Melbourne-based think tank called Policy Institute Australia. They have done detailed analysis of how to tweak Australia’s welfare system to provide for those in need, rather than giving away billions to high-wealth households. It is all in their...
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Aziz Sunderji makes housing Great Again
I sat down last week for a long conversation with Aziz Sunderji, data wizard and author of the Home Economics Substack. Subscribe to Aziz now. You won’t regret it. With a background in banking and finance, Aziz comes to the question of housing with a focus on asset pricing and investment...
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FET #78: Reddit finance discovers superannuation's failures, plus Reddit responses and a note on One Nation
Regular co-host Jonathan Gadir encounters a heated debate on the AusFinance subreddit about the merits of Australia’s superannuation system, something Cameron often raises. Also, we comment on the emergence of culture within subreddits and respond to some of the comments on Reddit about Cameron’s...
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FET #77: What's the modern monetary theory (MMT) view on inflation and the interest burden of public debt?
Friend of the show Mike Fellman joins me to chat about all things macroeconomic. We pick up on a previous conversation I had with Moses Sternstein about the interest burden from public debt. Mike has a deep understanding of bond markets, macro policy, and money. It was a good chance to ask him...
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FET #76: Moses Sternstein on the housing shortage myth, demographics, and debt
Moses Sterstein runs the terrific Random Walk substack. I stumbled across his creative insights a couple of years ago when someone sent me an article he wrote about the mythical housing shortage. Since then, I have kept track of his views on evolving macro-economic and demographic trends. This...
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FET #75: Inheritance taxes seem fair, but policing them seems unfair. Why?
This week, regular co-host Jonathan Gadir is back to discuss inheritance taxes. Are they the fairest tax that helps everyone start life on a more even footing? Or are they a nightmare of rules that require intrusive monitoring of gifts and that destroy family businesses? We take some initial…
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FET #74: How to think about scenarios in the Iran as an economist and scientist, with Paul Frijters
Economics can be thought of as the study of human conflict. Prices are one way to settle conflicts over who gets what. So how does an economist think about war, and emergent cultural and political forces that create conflicts amongst groups? Paul Frijters runs Academia Libera Mentis, a new...
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FET #73: Steve Keen on why economists are often blind to the macro cycle (plus housing and more)
One of the most requested guests on FET has been Professor Steve Keen. Steve has been a student of economics since the 1970s, and a critic of the oversimplifications of the neoclassical economic school. He was an academic at the University of Western Sydney for many years, and Head of School at...
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FET #72: Jim Penman on zoning, politics and fertility
Most Aussie’s know Jim Penman’s face from the side of green trailers dragged through the suburbs as his franchisees mow lawns. But Jim is more than a businessman. He has written multiple books, has a PhD, and will run for election in Northcote, Victoria with the Libertarian party in November…
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FET #71: Crémieux on how bad science and fraud lead to bad policy
Jay Lasker, aka Crémieux on Twitter/X, has spent the past few years digging into bad science and its bad data, especially in health science. For example, the rise in autism is almost solely due to expanded diagnosis and the incentives to get a diagnosis. This is especially relevant for policies...
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FET #70: Tim Sneesby is a real life town planner. Why is he making housing so unaffordable?
You may have heard that our town planning system of rules and institutions that govern land uses in cities and often across the country is stifling new housing production, causing high prices. But much of the commentary misunderstands how town planning rules operate. I chat with Sydney town…
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FET #69: David Maywald explains how the war on masculinity affects health, education, and families
Has the cultural and political pendulum swung too far in favour of women? That’s the argument made by David Maywald in his new book, The Relentless War on Masculinity. He doesn’t argue that women have done this. But even men in power are still fighting the battles of many decades ago. David looks...
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FET #68: Mark Changizi on the Hidden Logic Behind Emotion, Language, and Social Order
During the COVID panic one of the sane voices was congitive scientist Mark Changizi. He saw the resulting panic as an emergent social and cultural phenomenon, and went as far as to sue the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for directing social media companies to censor what they…
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Supply starts when speculation ends: Searching for a theory of housing production
Wouldn’t it be great if we had a coherent way of understanding the economics of housing supply? You might be surprised, given the confidence of the prognostications of public commentators, that most don’t have a broadly accepted economic theory of why homes are built. It’s all ad hoc and often...
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FET #67: The story of building a new academy for free thinkers, in a castle, X-Men style
Previously, I have described an educational experiment happening in a castle in Belgium, called Academia Libera Mentis (ALM). It is run by my friend and co-author, Paul Frijters, with his wife Erika Turkstra, and alongside Gigi Foster and many others. In this episode, we discuss the story of this...
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FET #66: Energy, economics, and policy blindspots with Ben Beattie
A long chat with power engineer Ben Beattie about Australia’s energy conversation, some of the muddled economics and arguments in favour of privatisation, public provision, and more. Check out Ben’s Baseload Podcast here. As always, please like, share, comment, and subscribe. Thanks for your...
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FET #65: Reaction to "There is no housing crisis"
Is Australia’s housing market REALLY functioning normally? Regular co-host Jonathan Gadir pushes back on my recent statements about the housing market doing exactly what we should expect it to do in a conversation with Josh Szeps at his Uncomfortable Conversations podcast. I also respond to Steve...
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FET #64: Woke university cancels man for health science research - a chat with James Nuzzo
James Nuzzo’s sports science and health research shows the gap between perception and reality when it comes to gender issues. This research, and especially his public comments about his various studies, got him cancelled and squeezed out by Edith Cowan University. You can read about it here in...
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Economist Cameron Murray on Housing
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com/subscribe
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FET #63: Is Canada's housing market a glimpse into the future for Australia?
Would you believe that the same stories told in Australian housing debates about a lack of supply were dominant in Toronto, Canada, right up until the bust? I speak with Canadian real estate analyst and broker John Pasalis about how the market has changed in the past few years in Canada—from a...
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FET #62: Does economic complexity mean good jobs and high wages?
Regular co-host Jonathan Gadir pushes back on my claim that Australia’s economic complexity is fine. Can a more complex economy generate better job choices and higher wages? Is it really okay to outsource the production of fundamental ingredients to a modern economy to other nations? Is Cameron...
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FET #61: How investment returns shape housing markets with Mike Fellman
Too often, the public debate about housing focuses on costs and ignores investment returns to property owners. Mike Fellman was an economist at Freddie Mac and is now a property investor. He explains in this conversation how important the investment dynamics in housing are for understanding what...
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FET #60: The shakedown business
How do organisations that emerge to help people end up degrading over time and becoming a plain old shakedown? That’s the topic I discuss with regular co-host Jonathan Gadir. Although we don’t mention it, my book Rigged, co-authored with Paul Frijters, explains many of the economic mechanisms...
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FET #59: Unlearning Economics explains the rent control taboo
Will rent control destroy your city? Or is this a slogan economists use to signal their tribal allegiance? Cahal Moran, aka Unlearning Economics, discusses his intellectual journey into economics and the discovery of many shortcomings of how economics is taught and practised. Cahal’s latest…
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FET #58: How to beat the "cost of living crisis" and get financially independent
With all the cost-of-living crisis talk these days, you might wonder if it is possible for young Aussies to get ahead financially. But there is a group of people out there winning the financial game of life with their approach to financial independence. The perfect guest to discuss personal...
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FET #57: Is it crazy to tax unrealised gains in superannuation? Talking tax with John Humphreys
Taxpayers Alliance Chief Economist John Humphreys joins the FET podcast to talk all things tax. Is it possible to tax unrealised gains, as is proposed on superannuation accounts over $3 million in value? Maybe. But why bother doing it when it mostly changes the timing of taxation rather than the...
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FET #56: Why does Ben Phillips reckon there is no Australian housing crisis?
Given the Australian media’s obsession with the housing crisis, it would come as a shock to many that the share of after-tax disposable income spent on rent by renter households is lower in 2025 than it has been for most of the last decade. But that’s what ANU Professor Ben Phillips found in his...
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FET #55: Daniel Hess on whether housing density destroys fertility
There is an interesting debate taking place in urbanist circles. Is more density good for families because it helps reduce housing costs, or bad for families because it creates a lifestyle and environment that is not conducive to large families? Indeed, we might consider changing our policies and...
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FET #54: Aussie political elections just work
Was voting easy and efficient for you? This is something we should all appreciate. Australia’s electoral commission makes voting easy. Our preferential system improves on first-past-the-post single-member electoral systems. And all of this happens quietly and quickly for $30 per vote, thanks to…
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FET #53: How foreign aid fails and why scrapping USAID could empower development
Anna Samson has had a decade-long career in aid, was a US State Department-funded Fulbright Scholar, and has a PhD in international relations and American foreign policy. In this episode we discuss the inadvertent economic and political outcomes of foreign aid on receiving nations. What surprised...
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FET #52: Can we save 300 lives and $20 billion a year using basic economics to reduce road fatalities?
Richard Tooth has a plan—save 300 lives a year on Australian roads. How? By using economic ideas to align risks and incentives better. Take a look at the chart below. People who die on Australia’s roads are young. Preventing a road death would save 40-50 years of life on average. That’s big.…
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FET #51: Paul Frijters on the CORONA PANIC DEBACLE after FIVE years
Paul Frijters runs Academia Libera Mentis from a castle in Belgium. After a distinguished academic career in Australia and Europe, he is creating an academic oasis in the Ardennes for thinking, learning and growing. I’ve written before about this project. Today, we reflect on five years of the...
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FET #50: Mark Diesendorf on why a renewables grid is economical
A few weeks back, I had engineer Ben Beattie on the podcast to explain some of the unappreciated costs of transitioning to a renewable electricity grid. Before this, Aidan Morrison had explained how many of the costs required to deal with variation in when and where energy is produced from wind…
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FET #49: Explaining rental inflation
In a recent FET article, I explained how the rental market adjusts to inflation arising in non-housing goods and services. Find that article here: The key quote is this: Another insight from the rental equilibrium is that inflation in non-housing goods means that renter households can pay more…
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 12 & 13 - Consequences and Costs)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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FET #48: The "cheap renewables grid" myth with Ben Beattie
Electrical engineer Ben Beattie runs The Baseload Podcast, providing “common sense and unfiltered commentary” on Australia’s energy sector. Given the enormous investments taking place now (and planned in the next decade) to transition Australia’s electricity grid to predominantly renewables, it…
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 11 - Other mates)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 10 - Myths)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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FET #47: Should you leave Australia? The economics of lifestyle arbitrage
Cameron and Jonathan discuss the trend of moving from Australia to cheaper countries abroad to beat the cost of living and the apparent inability to get ahead down under. —————— Follow Cameron and Jonathan on X/Twitter. Buy The Great Housing Hijack here. Please like, comment, share, and…
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 9 - Banking)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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FET #46: World-first kids social media ban is unworkable and silly
Cameron and Jonathan examine Australia’s proposed social media ban for kids aged 16 and find it hard not to be critical of it. —————— Follow Cameron and Jonathan on X/Twitter. Buy The Great Housing Hijack here. Please like, comment, share, and subscribe. Theme music: Happy Swing by Serge Quadrado...
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 8 - Burning Money)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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FET #45: Why the Aussie construction sector is defying predictions with Rob Sobyra
Robert Sobyra is the research lead at BuildSkills Australia. Earlier this year Rob predicted that Australian unemployment in December would be above 4.7%. I took the other side of the bet and that now seems to be the winning side. Hear about why that unemployment uptick was forecast and the...
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 7 - Mining Games)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 6 - Mates)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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FET #44: Why bicycle helmet laws are BAD and other violations of Aussie "common sense"
Robert is an insightful Aussie commentator who has written at Fresh Economic Thinking before about the puzzle of the Labor party refusing to move left politically. Hear Robert’s thoughts on bicycle helmets, superannuation, school lunches and public transport fares and see if you are convinced by...
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Audiobook: Rigged (Ch 5- Superannuation)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com Paid Fresh Economic Thinking subscribers can enjoy the audiobook version of Rigged: How networks of powerful mates rip off everyday Australians via their favourite podcast app. Chapters will be released...
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FET #43: Australia's burnout economy with Tarric Brooker
Today we talk about the ongoing mystery of how to get sustained economic growth in Australia and peer nations and some of the political challenges we face trying to break out of this stagnation. Australian journalist and economic commentator Tarric Brooker coined the term “Burnout Economics” and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Cameron Murray is famous for questioning sacred cows and conventional wisdoms of both left and right. We chat about Cameron's latest Twitter battle and then delve into a controversy. Wide-ranging analysis - no topic out of bounds - inequality, regulation, housing, superannuation, lockdowns, tax, war, the meaning of life.
www.fresheconomicthinking.com
HOSTED BY
Cameron Murray
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Fresh Economic Thinking currently has 132 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fresh Economic Thinking about?
Cameron Murray is famous for questioning sacred cows and conventional wisdoms of both left and right. We chat about Cameron's latest Twitter battle and then delve into a controversy. Wide-ranging analysis - no topic out of bounds - inequality, regulation, housing, superannuation, lockdowns, tax,...
How often does Fresh Economic Thinking release new episodes?
Fresh Economic Thinking publishes regularly with 132 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Who hosts Fresh Economic Thinking?
Fresh Economic Thinking is created and hosted by Cameron Murray.
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