About this episode

Sylvia Jeffreys and Luci Ellis discuss the current state of Australia's economy, focusing on interest rates, housing prices, and the impact of migration and AI on the workforce.

Interest rates remain at 4.35%, house prices are falling across much of Australia, and households are still feeling the cost-of-living squeeze. So, what happens next? Westpac Chief Economist and former Reserve Bank Assistant Governor Luci Ellis joins Sylvia Jeffreys to unpack the RBA’s latest decision, what it means for mortgage holders and why Australia’s housing downturn isn’t necessarily a crash. They examine what’s keeping inflation elevated, whether government spending is part of the problem, the complicated relationship between migration and housing affordability, and why Australia needs more skilled workers to build the homes and infrastructure we need. In this episode: What the RBA's latest decision means for interest rates Why falling house prices don't necessarily mean a housing crash Whether migration is really to blame for housing unaffordability When interest rates could begin falling Whether government spending and data centres are adding to inflationary pressure Why Australia needs more skilled tradies How women and older Australians are reshaping the workforce Whether AI will destroy jobs — or create new ones Subscribe for more…

People in this episode

Host: Sylvia Jeffreys

Guest: Luci Ellis

Topics covered

• interest rates
• housing market
• cost of living
• inflation
• migration
• skilled workforce
• AI impact on jobs

Keywords

• interest rates
• housing prices
• inflation
• migration
• cost of living
• skilled workers
• AI jobs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Westpac, Reserve Bank

Places: Australia

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