The Fin
Australian Financial Review
A weekly podcast from The Australian Financial Review that examines the biggest stories in business, markets and politics, and why they matter, explained by the best financial journalists in the country.
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Did the Reserve Bank cut interest rates too soon?
This week on The Fin podcast, editor-at-large Michael Stutchbury and economics correspondent Michael Read on why the Reserve Bank cut rates this week, whether Bullock is ‘one and done’ and how this affects the timing of the election.This podcast is sponsored by IG.Further reading:RBA rate cut more about politics than economicsAfter roughing up the central bank, Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers should take whatever sliver of bacon the RBA will give financially squeezed vote
Inside the fight to keep girls out of boys' schools
This week on The Fin podcast, AFR Magazine contributor Brook Turner on why Sydney has become the epicentre of this battle and whether there is still a place in Australia for single-sex schools. This podcast is sponsored by IG. Further reading:‘We became a pinata’: The culture war tearing a school apartHow its decision to go co-ed made Newington College in Sydney the country’s most talked-about school.‘We did not expect the intensity’: Newington hits back at co-ed rowCoeducation is seen as the fu
DeepSeek drama: what the Chinese startup means for the AI race & markets
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporter Jonathan Shapiro and technology editor Paul Smith on DeepSeek’s breakthrough, why Australia has banned its use on government devices and what this all means for 'the magnificent seven' US tech stocks that have been pushing markets to record highs.Further reading: DeepSeek drama: are markets all-in on the most dangerous idea in history?While investors fret about what the arrival of DeepSeek means for their all-in bet on American artificial
Dispatch from Davos: Trump hasn’t killed DEI (yet)
This week on The Fin podcast, Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen on how companies and governments are responding to Trump, 2.0, whether diversity programs are under threat and why Australians have stopped going to Davos.Further reading: Trump slams Europe, threatens ‘trillions’ in tariffsThe president lambasted Canada’s trade surplus with the US and also fired a verbal volley at the European Union’s restrictions on his country.CEOs at Davos feel ready, even heady,
Summer special: Back from holidays? Time to plan the next one
This week on The Fin, Travel editor Fiona Carruthers discusses the outlook for tourism, why flights are getting cheaper, which airlines are likely to give you the best deal and why Greenland is suddenly on everyone’s list.Further reading: Europe calling? A guide to predicting the cheapest faresIf you’re wondering whether to book your 2025 flights now or to wait, recent average prices are a handy benchmark.
Summer special: AFR critics on what to watch, read and listen to this summer
In the first of a two-part series, The Fin podcast talks to the critics around the Financial Review newsroom to get their recommendations for film, television, books and music. Further reading: The 10 best albums of 2024 (if Taylor Swift isn’t your jam)Soulful singer songwriters, rising indie superstars, Australian up-and-comers and a floor-filling techno god. Welcome to the year’s best sounds.12 books fiction lovers will give (or hope to receive)We asked prominent Australian writers
Rear Window’s year in review: the scoops, the scandals, the power plays
Outgoing Rear Window editor Myriam Robin tells us about the megalomaniac trying to solve Australia’s housing crisis, the column’s biggest scoop and the rebellion underway at the country’s most exclusive clubs.This podcast is sponsored by Aussie Broadband. Further reading:Peter V’landys bogged down in a multibillion-dollar property playThe influential CEO of Racing NSW is staring down allegations aired confidentially by purported whistleblowers to a parliamentary inquiry.
Bitcoin has broken through US$100,000. Now what?
This week on The Fin podcast, James Eyers on why Donald Trump is a crypto bro, whether Bitcoin’s price will stay at these record levels and how regulators are playing catch up. This podcast is sponsored by Aussie Broadband. Further reading:ASIC moves to expand its oversight of crypto and digital assetsThe corporate regulator’s new guidance outlines more than a dozen examples of how it intends to assess what is in – and out – of financial services laws.
Big super reckoning: Are Australians losing faith in the system?
This week on The Fin podcast, Chanticleer columnist James Thomson and reporter Hannah Wootton on why ASIC is suing Cbus, what it means for industry funds and whether the ‘super wars’ are back.This podcast is sponsored by Aussie Broadband. Further reading:How Cbus’ big party year went horribly wrongIt’s not the biggest or the worst performing of the super funds. So why has Cbus become the poster child for the $4 trillion sector’s problems?Big Super’s reckoning has arrivedAfter 32 years of guarant
Social media ban: screen time fix, magic wand or a waste of time?
This week on The Fin podcast, Technology editor Paul Smith and media and marketing reporter Sam Buckingham-Jones on why the ban is being introduced, what it means for children and parents and whether it could cause a rift with the new US President.This podcast is sponsored by UNSWFurther reading:
'Chussia Anxiety': Why Donald Trump wants to “un-unite” China and Russia
This week on The Fin podcast, Australian Financial Review contributor and former diplomat Geoff Raby on Trump’s world and what it means for Australia and why China and Russia are less close than you might think.This podcast is sponsored by UNSWFurther reading: Xi is thumping Putin in the Great GameFormer Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby takes a deep dive into the “Chussia” partnership. His conclusions about a rising Sinostan would not please the Kremlin.Civil servants to flee as Trump ‘
MinRes investigation: a secret tax deal, company cash and a boat named Anya
This week on The Fin podcast, investigative reporter Neil Chenoweth and Rear Window columnist Mark Di Stefano on how Chris Ellison’s secret deal with the tax office came to light, why some investors want the founder to stay on and whether Mineral Resources can draw a line in the sand. This podcast is sponsored by UNSWFurther reading:
Luxury property & unpaid bills: the two worlds of Sanjeev Gupta
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporter Simon Evans and Rear Window editor Myriam Robin on Sanjeev Gupta’s flashy property purchase, his financial troubles and the South Australian town caught in the middle.This podcast is sponsored by UNSWFurther reading:Whyalla steelworks running out of options as taxpayer rescue resistedThe SA premier says it’s time Sanjeev Gupta took some action, with governments wary of taxpayer funds being siphoned off to overseas parts of GFG Alliance.The town beari
Joe Aston on Qantas: ‘This is a story about power in the shadows’
This week on The Fin podcast, Joe Aston, former Rear Window editor and author of The Chairmain's Lounge, discusses what went wrong for the Qantas, its oversized influence in Canberra, and the extraordinary perks of a Qantas board seat.Editors note: On Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denied ever contacting Alan Joyce to seek a flight upgrade.This podcast is sponsored by IGFurther reading:The incredible financial value of a Qantas board seatThe lavish and fudged flight perks of the airli
Trump v Harris: Is it too little, too late for the Democrats?
This week on The Fin podcast, International editor James Curran and US correspondent Matthew Cranston on how Trump has managed to claw back Harris’ lead in the final weeks of the campaign and what Canberra is worried about.This podcast is sponsored by IGFurther reading:Trade wars, market jolts: What a Trump win means for AustraliaThe tax and economic policies of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will have profound effects for Australian investors, exporters and US subsidiaries.
Richard White: The billionaire, the beauty entrepreneur and the $90k debt
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporters Jonathan Shapiro and Jemima Whyte discuss the rise of an unusual tech billionaire, what happens when personal matters become public, and what it means for his listed company, Wisetech. This podcast is sponsored by IG Further reading:Richard White’s alleged lover claims he expected sex for investmentIn documents filed with the Federal Court, the wellness entrepreneur said a business trip to New York changed when the billionaire booked only one hotel
Will cutting negative gearing fix the property crisis?
This week on The Fin podcast, economics correspondent Michael Read and political correspondent Tom McIlroy discuss whether winding-back the two big tax advantages to buying property – negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount – will help solve Australia’s housing crisis. This podcast is sponsored by IGFurther reading:These Australians are most likely to negatively gear their propertiesThe housing policy choices facing votersWe’re more nuanced on negative gearing than five years agoA qu
Australia’s most powerful & influential people revealed
This week on The Fin podcast, political editor Phillip Coorey and AFR Magazine editor Matthew Drummond discuss what was behind this year's power moves. And AFR cartoonist David Rowe tells us who is his favourite prime minister to draw.This podcast is sponsored by IGFurther reading: Election season and rates angst are behind this year’s power shifts Someone wasn’t happy to be on this year’s Power list. But even Power listers have no say in the process. Power list reveals diminished influence o
Succession part 2: The Pratts
This week on The Fin podcast, BOSS deputy editor Patrick Durkin and senior reporter Max Mason discuss the legal fight over the Pratt packaging fortune. This podcast is sponsored by IG Further reading: Family trust: Inside the Pratts’ legal soap opera Richard Pratt carefully designed a succession plan for his three children, Anthony, Heloise and Fiona. But even the best-laid plans can wind up in court. Anthony Pratt a witness to father’s love for half-sister: court claim Billionaire Anthony P
Succession part 1: The Murdochs
This week on The Fin podcast, senior writer Neil Chenoweth and media and marketing reporter Sam Buckingham Jones on why Lachlan’s position as successor is in doubt, what Rupert is trying to do about it and whether he can win. This podcast is sponsored by IG Further reading:The three headaches of Rupert Murdoch in his battle for controlA bombshell lawsuit between Rupert, Lachlan and his other children begins in Reno, Nevada, next week. Meanwhile, shareholders want change and Foxtel’s for sale.The
Inside the AirTrunk deal: how to build a $24 billion business in nine years
This week on The Fin podcast, Technology editor Paul Smith and Chanticleer columnist Anthony Macdonald discuss the rise of AirTrunk, whether Robin Khuda can grow it to a $100 billion business and what might get in his way. This podcast is sponsored by IG Further reading:Robin Khuda is the ringleader of this year’s biggest M&A dealThe founder of AirTrunk has cashed in on the inexorable rise in demand for processing power and built a vast fortune on the rise of cloud computing.Inside Project Amida
Where and why house prices are falling this Spring
This week on The Fin, deputy property editor Michael Bleby and luxury property writer Bonnie Campbell discuss why property listings are up as the Spring selling season takes hold and address the all-important question - is now a good time to buy?This podcast is sponsored by IGFurther reading:https://www.afr.com/property/residential/a-5m-sydney-home-that-failed-to-sell-shows-level-headedness-is-back-20240818-p5k39yhttps://www.afr.com/property/residential/first-look-inside-the-50m-sirius-penthouse
Why it's so hard to ban gambling ads
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporter Ronald Mizen and media and marketing reporter Sam Buckingham-Jones on the case for and against gambling ad reform, what the government is likely to do and whether it will be enough. This podcast is sponsored by Team Global ExpressFurther reading:Rowland wins some, loses more in gambling advertising debatePointless non-disclosure agreements, an agitated backbench – miscalculations have marred long-overdue reform to wagering advertising rulesTV ad ban
US election 2024: The next big test for Kamala Harris
This week on The Fin podcast, United States correspondent Matthew Cranston and International editor James Curran on why the presidential race has been turned on its head, how the candidates and their running mates match up and what they would mean for the world if they make it to the White House.This podcast is sponsored by Team Global ExpressFurther reading: Obamas ignite Harris campaign but warn of tight raceThe former president told a roaring crowd the vice president would not be a self-centr
Why PwC can't move on from the tax leaks scandal
This week on The Fin podcast, professional services editor Edmund Tadros on the rise of a sales-driven culture at PwC, why the firm bungled its response to the tax leaks scandal, and why it has failed to move on. This podcast is sponsored by Team Global Express Further reading: ‘We couldn’t believe it’: Insiders reveal how PwC unravelled as scandal broke The inside story of how PwC transformed from dull accountant into a sales-driven firm that would tear itself apart.‘I’ll make you more money’:
‘A scandal of epic proportions’: why heads could roll at ANZ
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporter Jonathan Shapiro on ANZ’s bond trading scandal, whether the bank lied about its market activity to get on the deal in the first place and who should be accountable. This podcast is sponsored by Team Global Express Further reading:ANZ bond trading scandal ‘risks unknown’: MacquarieMacquarie analysts have run the numbers on what ANZ’s bond scandal could do to its profits whilst conceding some costs are hard to measure.ANZ says bond trading scandal fall
From evangelist to pragmatist: Andrew Forrest’s green hydrogen pivot
This week on The Fin podcast, resources reporter Peter Ker discusses whether Andrew Forrest's green hydrogen dream was a fantasy and what his retreat means for the government’s green energy plans and Fortescue’s future. This podcast is sponsored by Team Global ExpressFurther reading: Green hydrogen too ‘expensive and inefficient’: Finkel Former chief scientist Alan Finkel – who devised Australia’s first clean hydrogen strategy – now says we are “unlikely to use hydrogen for storage of electrici
Building bad: Inside the explosive CFMEU investigation
This week on The Fin, Financial Review workplace correspondent David Marin-Guzman on what was uncovered in his nine-month investigation into the CFMEU, why the response shocked union insiders and whether this time, there might be lasting change. This podcast is sponsored by Smartsheet. Further reading: ‘The dam is breaking’: Setka resignation blow to culture of fear The CFMEU boss’ departure was a shock even to his own officials, but it is a watershed moment for the culture of silence and intim
Bonus episode: Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump?
In this special bonus episode of The Fin, United States correspondent Matthew Cranston on why Joe Biden pulled out of the presidential race, what happens next and whether Kamala Harris is the candidate to take on Donald Trump. This podcast is sponsored by Smartsheet. Further reading: Harris is younger and fitter than Biden, but that’s the easy bit The vice president is a more physically and mentally capable campaigner who might cut through to some voters who Biden didn’t reach, but is that eno
Is a 14th rate rise the solution to Australia’s inflation problem?
This week on The Fin, economics correspondent Michael Read explains why inflation has proved stickier than expected and raised the stakes for the Reserve Banks's big policy gamble. This podcast is sponsored by Smartsheet. Further reading:https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/inflation-hits-six-month-high-raising-risk-of-a-rate-rise-20240626-p5jot7Investors say there is now a one-in-three chance of an August interest rate rise after inflation accelerated to its highest rate in six months and econom
Inside Australia's $200b unregulated private credit boom
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporters Jonathan Shapiro and Aaron Weinman on why private credit is booming, who’s making money from it and what happens if the golden age comes to an end. This podcast is sponsored by Smartsheet. Further reading: ‘Marking their own homework’: Inside Australia’s $200b unregulated private credit boomCredit products are being launched a mile-a-minute, promising plenty of returns buoyed by high rates. But behind the euphoria, there’s plenty of disquiet. Fortun
Why AUKUS might cost billions & leave us with nothing
This week on The Fin, International editor James Curran on why a group of former navy commanders, defence officials and submarine officers believe AUKUS has been set up to fail.This podcast is sponsored by Smartsheet. Further reading:‘A cruel joke’: Why AUKUS might leave Australia strandedA group of defence experts says that the Albanese government is on course for a financial and strategic AUKUS disaster, in the final part of an exclusive series.AUKUS ‘moonshot’ may be a tragically expensive fa
Why the Guzman y Gomez float was 'the story with the lot'
Inside the most talked-about stock market float in over a decade. This week on the Fin, Chanticleer columnist Anthony Macdonald and senior reporter Primrose Riordan on the story behind Guzman y Gomez, why it was one of the most talked-about floats in years and whether the hype is justified.Further reading: Guzman y Gomez IPO pop to $3b lifts hopes for listingsThe Mexican-themed restaurant chain’s value topped $3 billion on its debut, and there are hopes this will rekindle a stagnating market for
Europe tilts right. Australia is watching.
This week on The Fin podcast, Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen on why Emmanuel Macron has rolled the dice and whether politics is being dragged to the right.Further reading:
Macron has poured on the petrol. Someone will get burntThe President hopes to prove that votes for the right in Europe were just voters venting steam. If he’s wrong, the consequences will be felt far beyond France.
UK’s likely next PM copies Albanese election playbookLabour leader Keir Starmer unveiled a policy manifest
Why native title hasn’t lived up to its promise
Only 9% of indigenous Australians have native title & they "don't walk around like billionaires". This week on The Fin podcast, Peter Ker and Ronald Mizen talk about whether it’s delivering for Indigenous Australians and why there are now calls for reform.Further reading:
Call to reform Mabo’s $1b native title dividendNative title groups hosting Australia’s iron ore industry are holding more than $1 billion of net assets in trusts, but after 32 years of the native title regime, there is little t
AI is moving to 'the edge'. Here’s why that matters
This week on The Fin, technology editor Paul Smith and columnist and senior writer John Davidson explain how AI is moving to the edge and what that means for jobs, energy use and investor returns.
Further reading:Apple’s Siri to get its shot at AI redemptionOnce the best (and only) AI assistant on phones and other devices, Siri has fallen into disrepair. Next week, Apple is expected to announce a host of improvements.
Alex Pollak is already investing in ‘the very next’ NvidiaA shift in where AI
Would cutting migration really solve the housing crisis?
This week on The Fin podcast, economics correspondent Michael Read and education editor Julie Hare explain why net migration spiked, how the government and the opposition plan to rein it in and what deep cuts would mean for universities, the jobs market and economic growth. This podcast is sponsored by AICD Further reading: Hard truths: What immigration cuts really mean for the economy The latest migration debate has so far been framed in terms of its benefits, but little regard has been given
Inside the Bonza bust & what it means for airline competition
This week on The Fin podcast, aviation reporter Ayesha de Kretser on the dramatic downfall of Bonza, the future of regional air travel in Australia and whether it’s possible for another airline to ever thrive in this market.
This podcast is sponsored by AICD
Further reading:
Better slot access at Sydney might have saved Bonza, says regulator
The ACCC warns that regional travellers risk being left behind by the entrenched duopoly of Qantas and Virgin Australia.
PE firm behind Bonza, Melbourne
What happens when Australia’s Boomers hand $5 trillion to their heirs
This week on The Fin podcast, wealth reporter Lucy Dean and wealth editor Joanna Mather explain what’s happening in the great wealth transfer and how it will shape the economy, politics and intergenerational rivalry.
This podcast is sponsored by AICD
Further reading:
Forget Boomers. Millennials, your next landlord could be a best mate
For decades, Millennials and Generation Z have blamed Baby Boomers for locking them out of the housing market. But what happens when wealthy Boomers start to giv
Budget 2024: rates watch, tax breaks & the NDIS ticking bomb
This week on The Fin podcast, political editor Phillip Coorey talks about what the government is likely to announce in the federal budget, what that means for inflation and interest rates, and gives his assessment of how Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are faring as we count down to the next election.
This podcast is sponsored by ANZListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Spotify hereListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Apple here
Further reading:
Labor election plans start blowing smoke
Labor is banking on a
Nuclear power: Could we? Should we?
This week on The Fin podcast, Ben Potter and Jacob Greber talk about Peter Dutton’s atomic bet, the economics of nuclear energy and whether the power requirements of the AI revolution change the debate.This podcast is sponsored by ANZListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Spotify hereListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Apple here
Further reading:
Dutton’s atomic bet threatens Coalition chain reaction over climate
Rather than keep the heat on Labor’s handling of the cost-of-living pain as inflation stays high,
Why China's slowing economy is Australia's problem
This week on The Fin podcast, before heading home after more than six years based in Shanghai and then Tokyo, Michael Smith talks about the changes in China over that time, what its slowing economy means for Australian prosperity and Japan's new role on the world stage.
This podcast is sponsored by ANZListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Spotify hereListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Apple here
Further reading:
In six and a half years I witnessed a dark pivot in ChinaWhen I first landed in Shanghai on a fr
The death of cash & the company caught in the middle
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporter James Eyers takes us inside the high-stakes negotiations over Armaguard's financial future, talks about the big personalities involved and gives his view on whether we are witnessing the death of cash. This podcast is sponsored by ANZListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Spotify hereListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Apple here Further reading: Inside the battle for Armaguard and the future of cashThe high-stakes negotiations over the financial future for the ca
How Zoë Foster Blake bought back her business (for a tenth of the price)
This week on The Fin podcast, Lauren Sams talks about the rise of Zoë Foster Blake, takes us inside the deal to regain control of her skincare business and tells us why there is so much takeover activity in the beauty industry.
This podcast is sponsored by ANZListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Spotify hereListen to 5-in-5 with ANZ on Apple here
Further reading:
Zoë Foster Blake: ‘I still think it’s hilarious that I’m in business’
This beauty entrepreneur sold her business for a fortune. And then sh
The relentless rise of Australian house prices
This week on The Fin podcast, property editor Nick Lenaghan and Chanticleer columnist James Thomson on the relentless rise of house prices and the dilemma it poses for the RBA.
Further reading:
Record-breaking house prices make early rate cuts ‘less likely’
Home values nationwide hit new peaks in March, boosted by strong gains in the more affordable markets, but rising prices could also delay rate cuts.
Why good intentions are no match for housing’s grim reality
Big house price gains in 2025
We spent $1300 shopping at Cettire. Here’s what happened
This week on The Fin podcast, Jonathan Shapiro and Carrie LaFrenz take us inside their shopping experiment and talk about what happens in the luxury grey market and why investors are so polarised when it comes to the high-end retailer, Cettire.
Further reading:
Cettire’s Texas hold ’em reveals questions about the value of luxury
The red-hot ASX-listed retailer appears to have one figure for customs and another for customers when it comes to its products.
The market battle over secretive e-com
Tech Zero: Formula 1 and the future of fuel
This week, we are bringing you the first episode of season 3 of Tech Zero, a podcast from resources reporter and regular on The Fin Peter Ker.
Ker and producer Lap Phan talk to Formula 1’s Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds about the championship’s existential threat, what they are doing about it and whether there is a future in zero-carbon fuel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Sam Kerr's legal troubles won’t derail the Matildas movement
This week on The Fin podcast, Zoe Samios on the Matildas' Olympic campaign, the bankability of women’s sport and Captain Sam Kerr’s legal case.
Further reading:
Australia’s favourite sports team is no longer male. Will the dollars follow?
Matildas merchandise already outsells the Socceroos’ by a factor of two to one. But in the big-money world of major sport, scoring goals doesn’t always move the dial.
Australia in the box seat to host the 2026 women’s Asian Cup
With money flowing into women
Why the gender pay gap will get worse before it gets better
This week on The Fin podcast, Boss editor Sally Patten and reporter Hannah Wootton on why the gender pay gap exists, who are the worst offenders and what can be done to fix it.
Further reading:
Bonuses, overtime drive 19pc gender pay gap
The median pay gap at businesses with 100-plus employees has been revealed for the first time and professional services and banks recorded some of the worst disparities.
These companies nailed the gender pay challenge. It wasn’t easy
Companies such as Super
US election: Why this Trump-Biden race will be different to the last
This week on The Fin podcast, United States correspondent Matthew Cranston and senior writer Jacob Greber, who covered the last Biden-Trump race, give their predictions for the US election. They discuss why Nikki Haley is staying in the Republican contest, whether the legal cases will help or hurt Trump and how Canberra is preparing for the result.
This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia.
Further reading:
Biden suffers strong protest vote in primary win
The US president
The work-from-home showdown as companies push back
This week on The Fin podcast, workplace correspondent David Marin-Guzman and Boss deputy editor Patrick Durkin discuss the blurred lines between work and home, the push by some companies to get staff back in the office and whether the new right-to-disconnect laws will ever be used.
This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia.
Further reading:
Why we still can’t agree on how to work from home Four years on from the onset of COVID-19, companies and individuals are as far apart
The $7b hangover: How IAG was sucked into Lex Greensill’s vortex
This week on The Fin podcast, Financial Review reporters Jenny Wiggins and Liam Walsh on how IAG became entangled in the Greensill Capital collapse, what’s next in the legal stoush, and why billions of dollars and corporate reputations are at stake.
This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia.
Further reading:
The $7b hangover: How IAG was sucked into Lex Greensill’s vortex One of Australia’s most expensive corporate fights is in court. But how did the insurer targeted in the
Indonesia votes: dynasties, democracy & nickel
This week on The Fin podcast, senior writer Emma Connors joins us from Jakarta to talk about who is in the race to be the next president of Indonesia and what that will mean for the region and Australia’s nickel miners.
This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia.
Further reading:
Indonesia’s poll frontrunner has bad news for Australian nickel miners
Prabowo Subianto has vowed to continue the turbocharged industry development backed by Chinese investment that has flooded the
Albanese's tax cut gamble & what it means for the next election
This week on The Fin podcast, Political editor Phillip Coorey on the government’s gamble on stage-3 tax cuts, why it will dominate this year’s political agenda and whether there could be an early election.
Further reading:Albanese’s version of integrity comes with a means test Aspiration is not part of this government’s vernacular – not right now at least.Tax cut for top earners halved under stage three changes The federal government will slash the stage three tax cuts for those earning $200,000
Summer Series: How Bernard Arnault became the world's richest man
The podcast is on holiday right now so we are replaying some of our favourite episodes as part of a summer series.
In March, The Fin spoke with the Australian Financial Review’s Fashion editor Lauren Sams, who was in Paris for fashion week at the time, about the rising fortunes of Bernard Arnault. The founder of luxury fashion powerhouse LVMH, had recently become the first European to rise to the top of the world’s rich lists, knocking tech titan Elon Musk off his perch.
Alas, his time at the to
Summer Series: Joe Aston on 12 years of Rear Window
The podcast is on holiday right now so we are replaying some of our favourite episodes as part of a summer series.
Former Rear Window editor Joe Aston was one of the Australian Financial Review’s most loved and most feared columnists. He had people turning to the back page every morning before they had poured out their coffee. In October, after a twelve-year reign, he decided to call it a day.
The Fin spoke with Joe about his evolution from gossip columnist to campaigning journalist, his struggl
Summer Series: Why all restaurant menus are starting to look the same
The podcast is on holiday right now so we are replaying some of our favourite episodes as part of a summer series.
In June, The Fin spoke with AFR Magazine culinary editor Jill Dupleix about a trend in Australian dining that was bugging her.
All the restaurant menus looked the same.
She wrote a story for the magazine about this and on the cover was a photograph of a cracked plate with Kingfish crudo prepared in four different ways.
So please enjoy this discussion with Jill about the broken busi
Chemist Warehouse: Inside 'the deal of 2023'
This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporter Carrie LaFrenz and Chanticleer columnist James Thomson on the story behind the rise of Chemist Warehouse, how the deal with Sigma will work and whether the business’ low-profile founders will cope with being out in the open.This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors
Further reading:
Inside the Chemist franchisee world There are over 200 managing partners who are shareholders in the discount chain. They are all ambitious pharmacy owners, man
Bowen’s green energy plan: Ponzi scheme or grid saviour?
This week on The Fin podcast, senior correspondent Jacob Greber talks about whether the government’s new plan will work, how much it will cost and what are the political stakes for the country’s ambitious climate change minister. And Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen reports from Dubai on Australia’s role at this year’s COP28 summit.
This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors
Further reading:
Bowen's energy plan might cost 'tens of billions' The cost of Labor’s freshly minted Capa
How a $20 billion energy deal fell over at the finish line
This week on The Fin podcast, Chanticleer columnist Anthony Macdonald and senior resources writer Angela Macdonald-Smith on the twists and turns of the Origin takeover saga, why the bid failed and where those billions of dollars might be headed next.This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors
Further reading:
Origin shareholders demand demerger, higher dividends in deal fallout Origin Energy’s board is facing demands to consider a demerger, a beefed-up transition plan and higher divide
Is a university degree really worth it?
This week on The Fin podcast, education editor Julie Hare on why young Australians are losing faith in the value of uni and whether the government can turn it around.
This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors
Further reading:
Have young Australians lost faith in uni? The number of Australian students studying for a bachelor’s degree has fallen more than 13 per cent since 2016, new data reveals, as rising student debt and the booming jobs market turn young people off higher education.
‘Intergenerational tragedy’: Will the kids be alright?
This week on The Fin, economics editor John Kehoe on why young Australians are at risk of a poorer future and what can be done to lighten their load.
This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors
Further reading: Why younger Australians are at risk of a poorer future The nation will become older, more indebted, and tax working-age people more over coming decades unless something dramatic changes.
The penny has finally dropped on income tax burden There are at least three achievable ways t
Will the Israel-Hamas war spread across the Middle East?
This week on The Fin podcast, Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen on the war between Israel and Hamas and whether it could spread across the Middle East. And political editor Phillip Coorey on Australia’s complicated response.This podcast is sponsored by SAP.Further reading:Netanyahu's dilemma Israel, as ever, is caught between its hard-won capacity to fight militarily on its own terms, and its inability to achieve lasting security without the collusion of Washington, and the major Arab capita
Sam Bankman-Fried: the downfall of crypto's golden boy
This week on The Fin podcast, technology reporter Jessica Sier and United States correspondent Matthew Cranston on the great unravelling of Sam Bankman-Fried, what it was like inside the courtroom and why his legal troubles aren’t yet over.
This podcast is sponsored by SAP.Further reading:
Sam Bankman-Fried: the villain in a cinema near you His defence lawyer said the government tried to show the jury “the movie of Sam the villain.” He might have been ahead of his time.
Sam Bankman-Fried squirm
Albanese heads to China with 'eyes wide open'
This week on The Fin podcast, political editor Phillip Coorey and North Asia correspondent Michael Smith on why Albanese’s China trip is so important, the challenges facing Xi Jinping at home and how China’s slowing economy is changing the game.This podcast is sponsored by SAP.Further reading:
Taiwan warns Albanese - don't be blindsided by China Taiwan’s Foreign Minister has warned Anthony Albanese ahead of his visit to Beijing that China may take advantage of warmer ties with Western democrac
Billionaires v BHP: who is right about lithium?
This week on The Fin podcast, resources reporters Peter Ker and Elouise Fowler on lithium’s rise and fall and rise again, why the Liontown deal collapsed and whether the critical mineral could become the next iron ore for Australia.This podcast is sponsored by SAP.Further reading:
Can brains disrupt Australia's lithium mining brawn Some of the world’s biggest and smallest companies reckon technology can disrupt Australia’s lithium boom by unlocking vast new supplies and crushing prices.
Deal off
Joe Aston on 12 years of Rear Window
This week on The Fin, Joe Aston on his evolution from gossip columnist to campaigning journalist, what happened when he went too far and life after Rear Window.
Further reading:
Joe's farewell column Rear Window’s style evolved (and its rigour improved), but my primary motivation never really changed, and that was to entertain.
Richard Goyder's pantomime swan song The Qantas chairman has elected to take an excruciating route to the inevitable.
Sobering thoughts from Rehab Riviera Resisting alco
The Voice - Australia votes
This week on The Fin podcast, political correspondent Tom McIlroy and political editor Phillip Coorey on what the result is likely to be, where the campaign will be won and lost and what happens next.This podcast is sponsored by SuperloopFurther reading:
Albanese cries over Voice to parliament chance Anthony Albanese has urged Australians preparing to vote No in Saturday’s referendum on the Indigenous Voice to parliament to reconsider, saying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are “reaching
Has Lachlan Murdoch won the battle to succeed Rupert?
This week on The Fin, senior writer Neil Chenoweth and Chanticleer columnist James Thomson explain how family politics within the Murdoch empire could shape politics at large in some of the world's major democracies.
This podcast is sponsored by Australian Unity.
Further reading:https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/the-murdoch-succession-saga-is-far-from-over-20230922-p5e6r5https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/what-lachlan-murdoch-told-fundies-in-sydney-two-weeks-ago-20230922-p5e6t1http
The bipartisan assault on sports betting advertising
This week on The Fin podcast, media writers Sam Buckingham-Jones and Mark Di Stefano take us inside the crackdown on gambling advertisements, and what it could mean for the future of Australia's biggest sporting codes. This podcast is sponsored by Australian Unity.Further reading:https://www.afr.com/rear-window/sydney-swans-no-d-ckheads-policy-stretches-thin-20230807-p5dujrafr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/how-the-big-banks-help-australians-stop-themselves-from-gambling-20230404-p5cxv3https:
Introducing: 15 Minutes with the Boss (episode 1 preview)
Follow The Australia Financial Review’s newest podcast offering called 15 Minutes with the Boss.
It’s a weekly podcast, in which AFR’s Boss Editor Sally Patten sits down with one of the country's top CEOs and asks them to share all the valuable advice and wisdom they’ve gained during the course of their careers.
They’ll chat about their successes and failures and everything in between.
Here’s a little preview of episode 1 featuring AMP CEO Alexis George, where she chats about everything from h
The great divide in Australian housing and what to do about it
This week in The Fin podcast, property editor Nick Lenaghan on the great divide in Australian housing, what the government and industry need to do to fix the supply problem and those explosive comments that made the AFR property summit news around the world.This podcast is sponsored by Australian Unity.Further reading:
Developers scoff at 1.2 m new homes housing target A dysfunctional planning system and huge labour shortage will cripple the Albanese government’s target of 1.2 million new homes
Fortescue’s wild week: Jimmy Barnes, lethal humidity & executive churn
This week of The Fin, Brad Thompson and Peter Ker on what’s behind the executive churn at Fortescue, how it will affect the company's green energy reinvention and whether Andrew Forrest is just too hard to work for.
This podcast is sponsored by Australian Unity.
Further reading:Fortescue partied, then parted ways with its CEO Saturday was the party, Sunday was the departure of a chief executive of just six months. By Monday, hard questions were being asked.
Fortescue Metals CFO quits Fortescue M
The real story behind Qantas' rapid descent - and what's next
This week on The Fin, aviation reporter Ayesha de Kretser and Rear Window columnist Joe Aston on the early departure and legacy of Alan Joyce, who else should be held to account for the mess Qantas finds itself in and whether the government will have to revisit its decision on Qatar Airways.
This podcast is sponsored by Australian Unity.
Further reading:
Hudson to focus on customers after Joyce exit Vanessa Hudson has vowed to focus on customers as she tries to repair the national carrier’s batt
Can PwC's Australian business survive the tax leaks scandal?
This week in The Fin podcast, senior writer Neil Chenoweth, professional services editor Edmund Tadros and Rear Window columnist Joe Aston on the tax leaks scandal nine months on, why it can never be business as usual for the big four consulting firms and whether PwC’s Australian business can survive.Further reading:
Why fixing PwC gets harder with every passing week The week in the tax leaks saga where it became clear the culture that had developed in PwC’s tax division over the past decade or
Why Australia needs millions more people - and is getting there fast
This week on The Fin, senior correspondent Jacob Greber on the intergenerational report, why Australia is far from full and what needs to change to make a bigger population work.Further reading:
Why Australia needs millions more people - and is getting there fast Angst over house and rental prices is fracturing the fragile bigger-Australia consensus. Yet walking away from a larger population is not an option.
Ageing population driving $140b blowout in spending A doubling of people older than 65
Why RBA's new boss could be 'the borrower's best friend'
This week on The Fin, economics correspondent Michael Read on the changing of the guard at the RBA, whether interest rates have peaked and the number one problem for the economy.
Further reading:
Inside the downfall of a top central banker Philip Lowe joined the Reserve Bank straight from high school and went on to oversee a period of dramatically shifting economic fortunes. Until his time ran out.
Lowe warns rent caps will make the housing shortage even worse Imposing rent controls to ease the
Fast cars, wiretaps and mountains of money: Inside Australia's biggest tax scam
Ahead of the final two sentencings in the Plutus tax fraud case, David Marin-Guzman and Neil Chenoweth tell The Fin podcast why it was a Gen Y crime and how it almost never came to light.Further reading:
Adam Cranston found guilty in Plutus tax fraud trial After a nine-month trial and almost two months of deliberation, a jury has found Adam Cranston and two of his key co-conspirators guilty of one of the biggest tax frauds in Australia’s corporate history.
ATO tax fraud: Behind a $191m Gen Y cr
How Ozempic upended the weight-loss industry
This week in The Fin podcast, technology writer Nick Bonyhady and health editor Jill Margo on how Ozempic has upended the weight-loss industry, the companies trying to make money from it and the health risks threatening to derail its meteoric rise.
Further reading:
The weight loss cycle: out with Jenny Craig, in with Ozempic Depending who you ask, Ozempic is “phenomenal” for patients or a “dangerous” way of losing weight. Either way, its arrival heralds a new model of medicine.
Eucalyptus chan
Forrest empire split: Inside the unravelling of Perth's worst-kept secret
This week in The Fin podcast, resources reporter Peter Ker on the split in the Forrest empire, how it came to light and what it means for the iron ore giant and its green energy plans.
Further reading:
Andrew and Nicola Forrest to pursue separate lives Australia’s richest couple, Andrew and Nicola Forrest, have separated but insist the strategic direction of the mining giant they control, Fortescue Metals Group, will not be affected by their decision to pursue independent lives.
Forrest split w
Is it time to get real on Australia's 2030 climate targets?
This week on The Fin, senior reporter Angela Macdonald-Smith and senior writer Ben Potter on the mammoth task ahead to re-engineer the country’s power system, why we are unlikely to meet those 2030 climate targets and how we can get back on track to reach-net zero by 2050.Further reading:
Meeting 2030 climate targets close to ‘impossible’ Energy industry leaders are increasingly convinced that Australia will miss its 2030 climate targets, as the pace of adding renewable energy, back-up capacity
How two 'besties' almost got away with scamming millions from NAB
Today, senior reporter Max Mason on how two former 'besties' turned on each other after their multi-million dollar fraud unravelled, and why it took NAB years to uncover their lucrative scheme. And legal editor Michael Pelly gives his take on what it means for white-collar crime in Australia.Further reading:Former NAB chief of staff jailed for fraud The former chief of staff to NAB chief executives Andrew Thorburn and Cameron Clyne has been sentenced to a combined eight years in prison for parti
Why flights are still so expensive and what you can do about it
This week in The Fin podcast, aviation reporter Ayesha de Kretser and travel editor Fiona Carruthers on why customers love to hate Qantas, when flying will become more affordable and what to do to get cheaper fares in the meantime.
Further reading:
Why is flying out of Australia still so expensive? Australian travellers are paying about 50 per cent more for international flights than before the pandemic.
I just flew Qantas Auckland-New York in business – here’s how it went New plane, less fly
Why all restaurant menus are starting to look the same
This week in The Fin podcast, AFR Magazine culinary editor Jill Dupleix on why Australian dining is stuck in a rut, how the business model for high-end restaurants has changed and what the industry needs to do to regain momentum.
Background reading:
Why the world’s best restaurant is taking up residency down under Chef Mauro Colagreco is bringing a team of 20 to create a uniquely Sydney version of his three-Michelin star French diner Mirazur.
Why top restaurateurs are opening spin-offs right nex
Why the PwC tax scandal now has a second wind
This week in The Fin podcast, investigative reporter Neil Chenoweth and professional services editor Edmund Tadros on the civil war that has broken out within PwC, the financial hit taken by the firm and why this long-running investigation now has a second wind.Read more on the PwC tax leaks scandal:
‘The dog that didn’t bark’: Where was the ATO in the PwC mess? Tax Office chiefs blamed everyone else for what appears a disturbingly ineffective investigation.
PwC faces fresh probe into its tax l
The race to God-like AI and what it means for humanity
This week in The Fin podcast, technology columnist John Davidson on how long it will be before AI systems are smarter than humans and whether we will survive the transition.
Further reading:
Is ChatGPT a form of magic or the apocalypse? ChatGPT hit the headlines in November, but it’s based on technology that data scientists have been working on since the 1950s.
Generative AI replaces crypto as tech’s latest gold rush The world’s biggest software companies - Google’s Alphabet, Microsoft, China’s
Why the hell are house prices rising?
This week in The Fin podcast, property editor Nick Lenaghan on why prices are rising, whether it will last and what is wrong with the housing market.Further reading:
How to solve Australia’s housing crisis The growth in Australia’s housing stock has dramatically slowed in the last 20 years, a surprising outcome given demand. The blame lies firmly with local councils and state governments.
Two radical ways to fix Australia’s housing mess Australia’s home ownership rate peaked at 73 per cent in 1
40 years of the Rich List & what it says about Australia
This week in The Fin podcast, senior Chanticleer columnist James Thomson on who makes the cut this year, how that has changed over the last four decades and why it matters.Further reading:
The biggest hits (and misses) from 40 years of the Rich List Corporate raiders, post-war migrants, tech booms and busts – the annual scorecard of our most wealthy charts the ups and downs of Australian entrepreneurialism.
The 200 richest people in Australia revealed In another year of the billionaire bingo th
Should the big four banks be worried about Apple?
This week in The Fin podcast, senior reporter James Eyers on Apple’s latest push into financial services in Australia, what it means for the consumer and why it’s threatening the big four banks.Further reading:
Apple Pay on a roll and the banks are rattled to their core While Westpac and Tyro touted a deal with Apple this week to let iPhones accept payments, senior bankers are worried about where the tech giant will go next.
Apple lets iPhones accept payments for Westpac and Tyro The move expan
Why this is just the start of PwC’s tax scandal
This week in The Fin podcast, senior writer Neil Chenoweth and professional services editor Edmund Tadros on the tax scandal engulfing PwC, how the story broke, who was involved and what happens from here.Required reading:
Panic at PwC: how a tax scandal played out behind closed doors In the space of 10 days, an almost daily drumbeat of bad news has reduced the firm and its reputation to a level its partners could have barely imagined at the start of the month.
The inside story of PwC’s tax sca
Back to the future: the return of active fund managers
This week in The Fin podcast, companies editor Vesna Poljak and senior reporter Jonathan Shapiro on the reasons behind the Future Fund’s about face and why its decision was a jolt to the investment industry. And senior correspondent Jacob Greber gives his take on this week’s federal budget.Required reading:
Is this the dawn of the age of active investing There was a buzz in the lobby of Sydney Sheraton hotel on Thursday morning among the fund managers in attendance at The Australian Financial R
Budget 2023: Chalmers' tightrope between compassion and restraint
This week in The Fin podcast, political editor Phillip Coorey on what to expect from next week’s federal budget, why this might be the time for brave decisions and what lessons Jim Chalmers can learn from Peter Costello.Suggested reading:
Chalmers’ budget warning after RBA shock Treasurer Jim Chalmers has used the Reserve Bank’s shock resumption of interest rate rises to warn that fighting Australia’s 7 per cent inflation rate must come ahead of demands to increase welfare spending in next week
How MilkRun stopped the Venture Capital funding free-for-all
This week in The Fin podcast, technology reporter Jessica Sier on why MilkRun closed its doors, how its failure marks the end of an era of easy money for start-ups in Australia and what that means for aspiring entrepreneurs.Further reading:
MilkRun to close doors, all staff made redundant MilkRun, the rapid local delivery service, will close and make its staff redundant, bringing an abrupt end to a company which raised one of the biggest early-stage funding rounds in Australian venture capital
Why it’s not just the 0.5% who care about super tax changes
This week in The Fin podcast, wealth editor Aleks Vickovich on the noisy minority opposing the superannuation tax reforms, why they are angry and where the government goes from here. And reporter Hannah Wootton on what Millennials think about the debate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Inside the legal battle that could cost the Murdochs $1.6b
This week in The Fin podcast, senior writer Neil Chenoweth on the events leading up to the multibillion-dollar legal battle and what it means for the Murdoch media empire. And reporter Mark Di Stefano tells us about the money and the PR machine behind the case.Background reading:
Murdochs can’t avoid testifying Rupert Murdoch and his son, Lachlan, cannot avoid testifying at trial if they are subpoenaed by Dominion Voting Systems in the company’s $US1.6 billion ($2.4 billion) defamation suit ove
India is now bigger than China. Why that matters to Australia
This week in The Fin podcast, South-East Asia correspondent Emma Connors on how India is poised to overtake China as the world's most populous nation, why this historic shift will change the balance of power and what it means for the global economy and Australia's trade with the region.Background reading:
China’s drop in births triggers a new global challenge China is facing a demographic crisis after deaths outstripped births last year for the first time since the country was ravaged by famine
Why the banking crisis is bigger than just banks
This week in The Fin podcast, senior reporter Jonathan Shapiro on how the latest financial crisis spread across the globe, what Australian banks and regulators are doing about it and where the next fire might start.
Background reading:
The dark side of Australian banking exceptionalism Making too-big-to-fail banks even bigger might not be the solution the global banking system needs or wants.
Total wipeout for Credit Suisse hybrid holders rattles debt investors The total loss for hybrid holders
The uncomfortable truth about Australia's rental crisis
This week in The Fin podcast, reporter Michael Read on what has caused this rental squeeze, how it’s affecting the economy and what’s being done to fix it.
Background reading:
Record monthly rent surge is a timebomb for inflation Asking rents in capital cities jumped a record-breaking 2.4 per cent in the past 30 days, triggering fears that the increase will further stoke inflation.
Why rents are only going higher In the past 12 months, rents surged at a record-breaking pace of 14.6 per cent for
Introducing a How I Made It special series: Female Founders
From Monday, March 20 on the How I Made It podcast, you’ll hear stories from women who’ve faced down enormous challenges to take a simple idea and build a business.
They’re changing the face of Australian business and paving the way for a new generation of female leaders.
We’ll uncover the daily hacks they use to get ahead and they’ll share some unique challenges that, rightly or wrongly, get thrown at them simply because they’re women.
Listen to Female Founders fortnightly on the How I Made It
Why all Australians should care about the NSW election
This week in The Fin podcast, national reporter Samantha Hutchinson on why the NSW race is tight, whether the Coalition government can cling onto power and what message that would send to Peter Dutton.Background reading:
Chris Minns, the pragmatist aiming for the top After 12 years in the wilderness, the Labor leader thinks the timing is finally right to seize the top job in NSW.
Dominic Perrottet: The ‘anti-pollie politician’ He’s a fierce economic and social conservative at heart. But he’s al
The lord of luxury: How Bernard Arnault became the world's richest man
Today on The Fin, Fashion editor Lauren Sams tells us what’s happening on the runways in Paris, why Gen Z is so interested and how it’s reshuffling the rich lists. And AFR Magazine editor Matthew Drummond gives his take on the biggest challenge facing luxury brands.
Background reading:
https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/fashion-and-style/here-s-what-you-ll-be-wearing-in-2023-20230306-p5cplq
http://afr.com/women-of-influence/grit-and-gut-instinct-take-women-to-top-of-fashion-world-20230226-p5cnq
Why 2023 will be the year of the electric vehicle
This week in The Fin podcast, senior correspondent Jacob Greber on how close we are to the point at which every Australian’s next car decision is electric. And motoring writer Tony Davis on what’s out there to buy.Background reading:
Motoring groups offer qualified support for Labor’s emissions standard Australia’s peak motoring body backed by 8.7 million car owners has endorsed Chris Bowen’s push to introduce an emissions standard on new vehicles but cautioned against wiping out ever-improving
Philip Lowe, his rates gaffe and that lunch
This week in The Fin podcast, economics editor John Kehoe on why Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe is facing an uphill battle to keep his job and what that means for the economy.Background reading:
Replacing Philip Lowe at the RBA is not so easy There’s a handful of candidates in the mix to succeed Philip Lowe, but the dilemma for Jim Chalmers is there is no obvious replacement.
The day RBA boss Philip Lowe nearly died The central bank chief had felt tired as he walked offstage at a conference
A year on, the West and Ukraine test Vladimir Putin’s red lines
Ahead of next week’s one-year anniversary, Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen on what happens next in the Russia-Ukraine war.Background reading:
Ukraine braces for air assault, West scrambles for more supplies Western countries are scrambling to find enough weapons to shore up Ukraine’s defences, as reports suggest Russia is massing aircraft on the border in preparation for an all-out assault.
Zelensky tours Europe seeking aircraft to push back Putin Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky is
Joe Longo: ASIC's complex messiah
Economics correspondent Ronald Mizen on why Australia’s corporate regulator is facing its biggest shake-up in 15 years, and whether Joe Longo is up to the challenge.
Background reading:
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/asic-chairman-gave-abject-apology-for-emotional-outburst-20230125-p5cff7
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/longo-s-asic-reset-aims-for-faster-enforcement-20230117-p5cda1
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/asic-let-wagyu-and-shiraz-narrative-get-twisted-says-watchdog-2023
Chat GPT, Bill Gates & the future of white collar work
Tech editor Paul Smith explains the hype around chatGPT, why its release forced Google to declare a code red, and whether it's coming for your job.
Background reading
Is ChatGPT a form of magic or the apocalypse? ChatGPT hit the headlines in November, but it’s based on technology that data scientists have been working on since the 1950s.
How the sudden rise of AI is shaking your white-collar world Generative AI has caused a storm by automating high-paying professional skills. Now Aussie busines
Can Anthony Albanese deliver on the Voice referendum?
This week on The Fin podcast, political reporter Tom McIlroy and Lowitja Institute chairman Selwyn Button explain what’s at stake in the federal government’s push to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the Constitution.Background reading:Slow progress closing Indigenous employment gap Better policy and a greater say: what the Voice will really mean Half of Australians support Indigenous Voice plan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why property prices have further to fall in 2023
Deputy property editor Michael Bleby explains the housing market’s wild ride in 2022, why prices are still falling, and what might happen next year.
Background reading:
What history tells us about falling house prices (in five charts) Past property cycles provide lots of clues about when the market is likely to recover, and what to look for.
The suburbs handing landlords $22,000 a year Rising interest rates have slashed the number of suburbs where investors can buy a cash flow-positive property
Xi Jinping's COVID gamble
North Asia correspondent Michael Smith explains China’s U-turn on COVID-zero, whether it will work and what it means for both the global economy and Xi Jinping’s grip on power.Background reading:
How Xi’s great COVID-19 pivot is actually going Experts and even China’s own health authorities are now predicting 90 per cent of the country’s 1.4 billion people will become infected in the fast-paced reopening.
Mass lockdowns or mass deaths: Xi’s COVID-19 dilemma Following a week of extraordinary pro
Magellan: The rise and fall of Hamish Douglass
Markets editor Vesna Poljak, senior reporter Jonathan Shapiro and Rear Window columnist Joe Aston explain the rise and fall of billionaire money manager Hamish Douglass and Magellan.
Background reading:
The rise and fall of Hamish Douglass They came together with dreams of creating a funds management powerhouse. Hamish Douglass made it a reality, and now it’s up to Chris Mackay to save it.
Day of reckoning for Magellan’s Hamish Douglass After a week of turmoil for the fund management group, the
Is Andrew Forrest's hydrogen dream a fantasy?
Resources reporter Peter Ker on the remarkable remaking of Andrew Forrest from mining magnate to green hydrogen crusader, what his plan is and whether he can actually pull it off.Background reading:
Bike not the only thing to lose paint from Debelle’s exit A bike crash left Guy Debelle using crutches at public events recently. But his exit for legitimate health issues won’t spare Fortescue from pain.
‘The lazy will be left behind’: Forrest’s three lessons on climate The Fortescue boss paused fo
FTX collapse: Why even 'crypto-bros' are sick of themselves
Tech reporter Jessica Sier and host Lisa Murray examine the downfall of crypto’s “good guy”, why it took investors and regulators by surprise and whether crypto can survive.They unpack whether the collapse of the FTX exchange is crypto’s Lehman or Enron moment and how far the contagion might spread given 44 per cent of Australians own crypto.
Background reading:
The inside story of the FTX collapse The end this week of one of the world’s most respected crypto exchanges brought back memories of
Why Russian hackers aren't the biggest threat to your data
Tech columnist John Davidson on the Medibank hack, how it happened, and why Russian criminals may not be the biggest threat to your data.Background reading:
Inside Australia’s most invasive data hack “We will do everything in our power to inflict as much damage as possible to you,” hackers told Medibank last month. This is how the negotiations unfolded.
How to avoid joining Optus and Medibank on the cybersecurity walk of shame We’ve interviewed some of the world’s top cybersecurity experts and
Mike Cannon-Brookes and the battle for AGL
Chanticleer columnist James Thomson on what the boardroom fight means for AGL Australia and why big companies around the world are watching closely.
Background reading:
'Lights would go out' under Cannon-Brookes' 1.5 degree target AGL Energy chairman Patricia McKenzie said the faster closure of coal power plants as demanded by the company’s biggest shareholder Mike Cannon-Brookes is just not possible.
Cannon-Brookes’ big win in AGL proxy war puts heat on board Proxy advisers have backed Mike Ca
How start-up Barrenjoey became banking's top dog in two years
Senior reporter Jemima Whyte on the audacious rise of Barrenjoey, the first Australian investment bank since Macquarie, why its attracted controversy and what's next as deals stall and the era of cheap money ends.
Background reading
Barrenjoey costs soar The group said $44.4 million of “establishment costs” were incurred for the year, on top of operating expenses of more than $200 million.
How to build an investment bank after a false start The key meeting in the establishment of Barrenjoey – w
The side that 'freezes first loses': War in the Ukrainian winter
Special correspondent Misha Zelinsky talks about what it’s like covering the war on the ground as Ukrainians prepare for their biggest test yet – winter.Background reading:
Special delivery: The VC bringing aid to the Ukrainian front line Misha Zelinsky and venture capitalist James Spenceley travel 3000km to deliver ambulances to fighters at the sharp end of Putin’s war.
‘If Putin is looking for capitulation, then the attacks have failed’ After the all-clear was given following the missile atta
Will Labor's first budget mark the end of the honeymoon?
Today in The Fin, The Australian Financial Review's political editor Phillip Coorey on Labor’s “monumental challenges”; energy prices to be a “real killer”; and does Treasurer Jim Chalmers even get along with the PM?
Background reading:
NDIS under review as it blows out to $50b
Floods to push up food prices and worsen deficit, says Jim Chalmers
Subscribe to The Australian Financial Review here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Coming soon: The Fin
The Fin is a weekly podcast from The Australian Financial Review that takes you behind the deal, inside the boardroom and along the corridors of power.
Every week we focus on one important story. Join us to hear our take on the money, power and personalities behind the news.
Search The Fin and follow us wherever you get your podcasts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.