In this episode, show host Gene Tunny engages with Dr Dan Mitchell in a frank discussion about the US’s looming debt crisis. The conversation covers Dan’s new book, co-authored with Les Rubin, The Greatest Ponzi Scheme on Earth: How the US Can Avoid Economic Collapse. In the episode, Dan talks about the unsustainable trajectory of federal debt, the…

In this episode, we delve into the controversy surrounding the Prospera charter city in Honduras, which has embraced libertarian principles and adopted Bitcoin as legal tender and a unit of account. The city is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the Honduran government. Gene asks Jeffrey Mason, from Charter Cities Institute, what it all mea…

Michael Johnston, CFA of WealthChannel and show host Gene Tunny dissect the pressing issues facing the US Social Security system. Amid predictions of future insolvency, they discuss the demographic trends, financial realities, and policy adjustments needed to safeguard retirement incomes for future generations. Please contact us with any questions,…

This episode explores the crucial role of efficient financial management in driving business performance and productivity. Guest Andrew Walker, a seasoned financial consultant, shares his extensive experience advising businesses on utilizing data for improved cash flow and strategic decisions. Walker emphasizes the transformation from traditional b…

Ben Fraser, Managing Director of Aspen Funds, argues, “There's a huge opportunity to get into fossil fuel production.” He discusses macro-driven alternative investments, investable megatrends, including the disruption to energy markets as advanced economies decarbonise, and the outlook for the US economy, particularly inflation. Disclaimer: this ep…

This episode of Economics Explored analyzes Australia's new gender pay gap data reported by large companies. Are the data valuable or nonsense, as some critics have alleged? Host Gene Tunny interviews Dr Leonora Risse to discuss the report's methodology, findings, and criticisms. Risse provides context on factors influencing the gender pay gap, lik…

Andrew Einhorn from LevelFields shares insights into leveraging AI for financial market analysis. Their innovative platform is designed to detect critical events affecting stock prices, enabling investors to react swiftly. The conversation covers the benefits of AI in democratizing financial information and the future implications for investment st…

This episode examines the need for tax reform in Australia and reviews various options for overhauling the country's tax system. Simon Cowan joins host Gene Tunny from the Centre for Independent Studies to discuss issues like bracket creep, the tax system's progressivity, mining royalties, and negative gearing. They also analyse the political strat…

This episode of Economics Explored explores the theory of Ricardian equivalence, a proposition that fiscal policy measures like tax cuts or stimulus payments may not effectively boost the economy if households anticipate higher future taxes to pay off government debt. Host Gene Tunny explains the concept originating from David Ricardo and populariz…

Show host Gene Tunny interviews UMass Amherst Professor Gerald Epstein about his new book "Busting the Bankers’ Club", which is about the powerful influence of banks in politics and regulation. Epstein argues the bankers’ club maintains control through political allies and regulators. The conversation also covers financial deregulation, insufficien…

Show host Gene Tunny interviews Marcos Buscaglia, former head of the Latin America economics team at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and author of the book "Beyond the ESG Portfolio, How Wall Street Can Help Democracies Survive." Buscaglia argues that, through their investment choices, many investors have inadvertently been supporting autocratic reg…

Economics Explored host Gene Tunny speaks with David Stockman, President Reagan’s first Office of Management and Budget director. Stockman discusses his new book, "Trump's War on Capitalism," and shares his frank and fearless commentary on the former president's economic policies. In his foreword to the book, Robert F. Kennedy Jr wrote, “Stockman h…

In this episode, host Gene Tunny sits down with Simon Schillebeeckx, co-founder of Handprint, a nature tech startup. Handprint aims to help companies profitably and seamlessly integrate planet-positive actions into business activities. Simon shares examples of companies that have gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to contribute to the en…

This episode on the limits of fiscal policy features highlights from host Gene Tunny's past conversations with the late Australian economist Professor Tony Makin and former OECD Ambassador Alex Robson. In the discussions, Tony Makin provides a balanced and insightful analysis of Australia's fiscal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, critiquing progr…

This episode features highlights from the past 20 episodes. Economics Explored host Gene Tunny plays clips that illustrate key themes like using economics as a scientific framework, considering different perspectives, and remembering the limitations of models. The clips feature discussions on COVID policies, the role of experts, projections of reso…

John August, a Sydney radio host and Pirate Party of Australia official, returns to provide feedback on recent episodes about nuclear power, COVID policies, and government outsourcing and consulting. John discusses his generally positive view of nuclear energy with some qualifications and provides his thoughts on the analysis of COVID restrictions …

Show host Gene Tunny interviews former investment banker Will Nutting, who runs the investment newsletter "Nutstuff”, to discuss emerging investment opportunities in 2024 and beyond. Will explains how he focuses on unloved areas like coal, uranium and cannabis that many investors overlook. He also emphasizes the importance of factoring geopolitical…

The economic philosophy of America's Founding Fathers was centred around individual rights, limited government intervention, and a largely free market. In EP218 of Economics Explored, host Gene Tunny interviews John Nantz about his book, "Rediscovering Republicanism." John discusses the insights of the United States Founding Fathers, such as Ben Fr…

The podcast’s audio engineer Josh Crotts joins host Gene Tunny to discuss the recent episode with Professor John Cochrane of the Hoover Institution. Josh shares his queries and comments on the episode, particularly regarding Professor Cochrane's average income and economic growth statistics. He also questions Cochrane’s statement that “The other pr…

Quality coffee will be much more expensive in the future, partly due to climate change, according to International Coffee Traders’ Raihaan Esat. Show host Gene Tunny and co-host Tim Hughes are joined by Raihaan in this episode. They delve into the global coffee market, discussing how Raihaan sources coffee beans from various countries and the facto…

Professor Tonya Evans is the author of the new book "Digital Money Demystified: Go from Cash to Crypto Safely, Legally, and Confidently." She discusses the topic of cryptocurrency with show host Gene Tunny. Professor Evans argues there are many myths surrounding digital assets, including their association with criminal activity and extreme volatili…

Show host Gene Tunny interviews Jared Bibler, author of the book "Iceland's Secret: The Untold Story of the World's Biggest Con." Jared discusses his firsthand experience during the brutal 2008 financial crisis in Iceland, where he worked at a collapsed bank and later at the financial markets regulator. He sheds light on the dodgy behaviour of bank…

Professor John Cochrane of the Hoover Institution discusses the importance of free markets for economic growth and highlights stagnating growth as the biggest economic issue of our time. John talks about what may be his next book, "Free to Grow," which aims to update Milton and Rose Friedman's "Free to Choose" for today's world. After John speaks, …

Dr Paul Rivera provides insights into the $3 trillion Latino economy in the United States and asks whether the American dream is a broken promise for Latinos. Dr. Paul Rivera is co-founder of BeActChange, a former senior economist at USAID, and lecturer at California State University Channel Islands. Dr Rivera and show host Gene Tunny also discuss …

With carbon prices becoming more common globally, carbon is an emerging, liquid asset class, according to Michael Azlen, CEO and co-portfolio manager of Carbon Cap Management. Michael shares his insights into investing in carbon markets with show host Gene Tunny. Michael, an experienced investment professional and regular speaker at investment conf…

Show host Gene Tunny is joined by Arthur Petropoulos, founder and managing partner of Hill View Partners, a company specializing in mergers and acquisitions, business sales, and capital advisory services for middle market companies. They discuss how Arthur finds, values, and sells businesses, as well as the wider economic impacts of his work and th…

Journalist Walter Marsh talks about his new book "Young Rupert: The Making of the Murdoch Empire." Walter and show host Gene Tunny discuss Rupert Murdoch's early years in Adelaide, South Australia and how they shaped his later career. From challenging established systems to becoming a globally influential media mogul, Murdoch's career has been high…

Show host Gene Tunny speaks with students from the University of Queensland Politics, Philosophy and Economics Society. They discuss topics such as private versus public sector jobs, the future of consulting, and the risks of outsourcing for government officials. Gene takes an historical perspective and goes back to the time of convict transportati…

Show host Gene Tunny delves into the concept of Degrowth: the idea of deliberately shrinking economies to avoid the runaway climate change, ecological collapse, and societal breakdown that degrowth proponents are worried about. Gene first discusses degrowth with Oliver Hartwich from the New Zealand Initiative, and then responds to questions about d…

Host Gene Tunny chats with Dr. Nicholas Gruen about economic forecasting and what recommendations former US Fed Chair Ben Bernanke could make in his current review of forecasting at the Bank of England. Nicholas, the CEO of Lateral Economics, discusses the shortcomings of economic forecasting and shares his insights into how it can be improved. The…

Tucker Perkins, head of the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), talks about the energy transformation we are currently experiencing with Economics Explored host Gene Tunny. Tucker advocates for renewable propane and for other sustainable liquid fuels in the future energy mix. The conversation also touches on the potential role of nuclear…

Professor Gigi Foster talks about her paper "COVID's Cohort of Losers" which argues that COVID lockdowns and other restrictions disproportionately imposed costs on young people with few offsetting benefits. Gigi is a Professor of Economics at the University of New South Wales, Sydney and was named the 2019 Young Economist of the Year by the Economi…

Serial entrepreneur and executive coach Rick Yvanovich talks about his new book "Business as Unusual: How to Thrive in the New Renaissance." Rick argues that the world is continuing to undergo a massive shift and that there is no going back to normal. He shares his insights on the mindsets, habits, and skills necessary to succeed in this new era. T…

Host Gene Tunny and Simon Cowan from the Centre for Independent Studies discuss housing affordability and greedflation in the CIS’s Sydney HQ. They delve into recent articles written by Simon on these topics and explore the factors contributing to unaffordable housing (e.g. zoning and other supply restrictions) and why the greedflation thesis is wr…

A conversation regarding the transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions in Australia, with Andrew Murdoch, the Managing Director of Arche Energy. Andrew shares his positive outlook and realistic insights into the challenges of integrating renewable energy into the electricity grid. He also advocates for being open to a range of options, includ…

The Centre for Independent Studies’ Peter Kurti asks “ Should those who know best rule the rest of us?” In this episode, host Gene Tunny chats with Peter about his new paper "Authority, Expertise and Democracy," which explores the role of experts in government and how society should best utilize their knowledge in public policy making. They delve i…

In this special 200th episode of Economics Explored, host Gene Tunny is joined by Tim Hughes to discuss some of the highlights from the last 100 episodes. The episode features clips of Brad DeLong (UC Berkeley) describing how we’ve been slouching towards utopia since 1870, Sir David Hendry (Oxford) on the merits of small modular nuclear reactors, L…

Nicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economics, and host Gene Tunny discuss the topics of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) mandates and Liberty. They explore how ESG mandates can create confusion among executives and investors, and delve into Nicholas' perspective on Liberty, how to take it seriously and the best way to think about it. Nichola…

Sir David Hendry, the renowned British econometrician, talks to hosts Gene Tunny and Tim Hughes about the state of economic forecasting and the transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Among other things, Sir David talks about how to avoid major economic forecasting failures (e.g. UK productivity), forecasting global temperatures after volc…

Show host Gene Tunny chats with James Kwan, in-house counsel at VentureCrowd, about venture capital. VentureCrowd describes itself as “Australia's leading equity crowdfunding investment platform, leveraging the power of crowdfunding for investments that back a better future.” Gene and James discuss how VentureCrowd is bringing venture capital inves…

The episode delves into the effectiveness of monetary policy by central banks in managing the economy over the business cycle. Do the actions of central banks stabilize or destabilize economies? Show host Gene Tunny chats with Addison Wiggin, a bestselling author, market economist, and host of the Wiggin Sessions podcast, about monetary policy and …

Economics Explored host Gene Tunny chats with Richard Vague, a prominent American businessman and investor, about his new book, "The Paradox of Debt: A New Path to Prosperity Without Crisis." Richard, who has previously written about “The Case for a Debt Jubilee”, shares powerful insights into the benefits and drawbacks of debt, discussing how it c…

In this episode of the Economics Explored podcast, host Gene Tunny chats with John August, Treasurer of the Pirate Party of Australia and host of the Roving Spotlight show on Radio Skid Row in Sydney. Together, they discuss previous episodes on topics such as the invisible hand, Goldbacks, and cryptocurrencies. Listeners are encouraged to share the…

Andrew May, a leading Australian performance coach and host of the Performance Intelligence podcast, discusses the relationship between physical & mental fitness and CEO & business performance with show host Gene Tunny and his colleague Tim Hughes. Andrew shares insights into the areas he focuses on when coaching top performers, including CEOs and …

Economics Explored host Gene Tunny interviews Addison Wiggin, a New York Times bestselling author and market economist, about the US banking crisis. Addison shares insights into the origins and impacts of the crisis, and discusses the future of the US economy and financial markets. Listeners can download Addison's recent report "Anatomy of a Bust: …

This episode delves into the pressing issues of housing and immigration in Australia, featuring a conversation with renowned financial journalist, Alan Kohler. The discussion revolves around the impact of high immigration rates on housing demand and affordability, emphasizing the need for coordination between immigration and housing policies. The e…

Host Gene Tunny discusses the US debt ceiling and the emerging economies debt crisis with his Adept Economics colleague Arturo Espinoza. Gene shares a memory of his own experience with the debt ceiling the Australian Government had at the time of the 2008 global financial crisis (GFC). Please get in touch with any questions, comments and suggestion…

French journalist Guillaume Pitron discusses his book "The Dark Cloud: How the Digital World is Costing the Earth" with guest host Tim Hughes. The book explores the environmental impact of the digital world. Pitron delves into concerns about energy usage, e-waste, and the carbon footprint of the internet. The episode concludes with a debrief of Tim…

Seaweed is being advanced as a potentially important future food source, the greater farming and consumption of which could avoid environmental impacts associated with other agricultural production, especially of beef. Scott Spillias has recently submitted a PhD thesis at the University of Queensland on seaweed farming, and he’s been getting a lot …

Show host Gene Tunny talks with Dr. Nicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economics, about the increasing focus of governments on wellbeing. For instance, former NZ PM Jacinda Ardern rebranded the national budget as a Wellbeing Budget, Wales has a Futures Generations Commissioner, and Australia is developing a new wellbeing framework, Measuring What Matte…