Follow The Money

The government took on housing investor tax concessions to bring prices down, but more action is needed to address the rental affordability crisis.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Maiy Azize and Matt Grudnoff join Ebony Bennett to discuss how the government’s changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing are allowing more first-homebuyers to enter the market, the data revealing that migration isn’t the cause of the housing crisis, and the dire situation facing Australian renters.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 25 August.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now.
Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Guest: Maiy Azize, Chair, Everybody’s Home & Deputy Director, Anglicare Australia // @maiyazize
Guest: Matt Grunoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Priced Out 2026, Everybody’s Home (August 2026)
The Coalition’s answer to the housing crisis is a race to the bottom by Maiy Azize, The Point (August 2026)
House prices are cooling, exposing a stubborn political narrative for what it is by Maiy Azize, The Point (July 2026)
No, the housing tax changes won’t push up rents by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (August 2026)
It could take until 2037 to recover from Australia’s real wage collapse by Greg Jericho, The Point (August 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australians have been dudded by the gas industry. It’s past time governments admitted it.
Dr Richard Denniss, Australia Institute co-CEO and author of More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia, joins Ebony Bennett to discuss why Australia gives away gas to multinational corporations and why similarly dud deals could happen with Big Tech and other industries if we don’t learn lessons from the past.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 18 August.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest edition in the Vantage Point series, is available now.
Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Australia’s gas giveaway, the Australia Institute
David Pocock, Greens call for investigation into $1.5 billion Middle Arm investment 'shrouded in secrecy' by Roxanne Fitzgerald, ABC News (August 2024)
What’s the Point? with Richard Denniss, the Australia Institute
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government’s response to the Murphy inquiry into online gambling harms has been “appalling”, says Andrew Wilkie MP.
Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Clark, joins the Australia Institute’s Noah Schultz-Byard to reflect on the government’s gambling reforms, making polluters pay for the damage they do to the climate, and the state of Australian politics.
This episode was recorded live as part of the Australia Institute’s webinar series on Wednesday 5 August.
If this episode raised issues for you, you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 for free, professional and confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or visit Gambling Help Online at www.gamblinghelponline.org.au.
If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or online at www.lifeline.org.au.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Guest: Andrew Wilkie, Independent Member for Clark // @andrewwilkiemp
Host: Noah Schultz-Byard, Strategy Director, the Australia Institute // @noah_sbyard
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
National Gambling Toll, the Australia Institute
SIGN THE PETITION: Ban online gambling ads!, the Australia Institute
Australia’s gas giveaway, the Australia Institute
Online gambling “reshaping a whole generation” as government reforms fall well short, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (May 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent decision by the New South Wales state government is a crack in the wall of Australian climate inaction.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Leanne Minshull and Rod Campbell join Glenn Connley to discuss dodgy carbon credits, the Great Koala National Park in New South Wales, the federal government’s upcoming review of the Safeguard Mechanism, and the demise of Climate Active.
This episode was recorded Tuesday 4 August.
More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press, is available now. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Get your tickets for the Australia Institute’s Climate Integrity Summit 2026 at the Parliament of New South Wales on Tuesday 15 September.
Guest: Leanne Minshull, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull
Guest: Rod Campbell, Research Director, the Australia Institute // @rodcampbell
Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley
Show notes:
Safeguarding the Fossil Fuel Industry? How Carbon Offsetting Undermines the Safeguard Mechanism by Fergus Green and Frances Medlock, the Australia Institute (June 2026)
The Safeguard Mechanism is failing miserably, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (July 2026)
Koalas Covering for Coal? Dirty Forest Offset Plan Would Mean More Fossil Fuels, the Australia Institute (June 2026)
Here are 23 Times Carbon Offsets Were Found to be Dodgy, the Australia Institute (January 2024)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much of the world is moving away from fossil fuels, so why is Australia’s gas industry still expanding?
On this episode of Follow the Money, renewable energy entrepreneur Assaad Razzouk joins Australia Institute co-CEO Leanne Minshull to discuss how the war on Iran is accelerating the global shift away from fossil fuels and why Australia risks being left behind.
This episode was recorded Wednesday 8 July.
Pre-order More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Guest: Assaad Razzouk, renewable energy entrepreneur and host of The Angry Clean Energy Guy podcast // @assaadrazzouk
Host: Leanne Minshull, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull
Show notes:
The Angry Clean Energy Guy with Assaad Razzouk
Australia's Gas Giveaway, the Australia Institute
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/4vs6XeO
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.