Australia’s foreign real estate investment boom looks to be over. Here are five things we learned

Domestic and foreign real estate investment have long been connected to the financial services industries, and the built environment is central to creating and storing surplus capital. Australian cities continue to be heavily influenced by global money despite the recent slowdown in foreign purchases.

The big budget takeaways

Some economists worry that a flatter tax system will heighten inequality in the wake of the 2018 Federal Budget and the challenge of affording an older Australia still remains to be addressed.

Australia’s booming population needs more transport infrastructure

The Federal Government has announced another $24.5 billion for roads and railways across Australia, but it may not be enough to handle the country’s rapid population growth.

The power of parity: Australia’s progress on gender equality

Australia ranks well in terms of gender equality in the Asia-Pacific, however progress on key indicators such as gender wage gaps and women’s political representation has stagnated in recent years. Shifts in attitudes towards gender are required to unlock the full potential of women in society.

Seven ways to think like a 21st century economist

Economics will matter just as much in the future as it has in the past, but its fundamental ideas are centuries out of date. Kate Raworth argues for a radical transformation in thinking to create a more sustainable and equitable society.

Assessing Australia’s South Pacific guest worker programme

A new report from the World Bank offers a detailed examination of the impact of Australia’s guest worker programme on labour from the South Pacific. The study also suggests eleven ways to improve inclusion, equity and economic returns.

The world’s richest 1% took 82% of the wealth created last year

Eighty two percent of the wealth generated last year went to the richest one percent of the global population, while the 3.7 billion people who make up the poorest half of the world saw no increase in their wealth, according to a new Oxfam report. 

Forget about GDP, it’s time for a well-being economy

Robert Kennedy criticised the obsession with gross domestic product half a century ago and to avoid another fifty years of pursuing increasingly inappropriate goals, we need to cultivate a new economic vision that relates to people’s daily experiences, rather than the growth of abstract numbers.

The foundations of home ownership are being shaken

Rising house prices are destroying the Australian dream of home ownership, with consequent effects for welfare and financial independence in old age.

Tackling the dark side of crypto

The attributes which make crypto-assets so appealing are what also makes them dangerous. The IMF is taking steps to ensure ensure financial integrity and protect consumers in the crypto world just as it has for the traditional financial sector.

ACCC slams opaque mortgage deals

An interim report by the ACCC has found the opaque pricing of discounts offered on residential mortgage rates makes it difficult for customers to make informed choices and penalises borrowers who stick with the same lender over time.

Australia must lift the incomes of the bottom 40%

Australia should pledge to improve the incomes of the less well off to meet its international development commitments.