The Bloomberg Australia Podcast

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has pitched his latest budget as one of the most ambitious in decades — but does it live up to the hype? With deficits stretching into the future and spending still strong, economists warn the plan could add to inflation rather than ease it, setting up a growing clash with the Reserve Bank. As interest rates rise and global uncertainty deepens, the stakes for Australia’s economic path are only getting higher.
In this episode, Bloomberg’s Swati Pandey breaks down what’s really in the budget — from housing reforms and tax changes to the bigger questions around productivity and growth. What does it mean for households already under pressure? And could this budget force the RBA to hike again as soon as June?
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War-driven energy shocks, persistent inflation and rapid advances in AI are colliding to reshape global markets in 2026. In this special episode, we bring you highlights from a live Bloomberg panel in Sydney, where leading voices in economics, investing and dealmaking unpack how they’re navigating one of the most uncertain environments in years.
Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis, Ten Cap founder Jun Bei Liu and Goldman Sachs’ Marissa Freund discuss what’s driving volatility, where investors are finding opportunity, and why dealmaking hasn’t ground to a halt.

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Australia’s mining giants are entering a new phase. After years chasing mega deals that never quite landed, the focus is shifting to discipline – cutting costs, reviewing assets and doubling down on metals like copper that are critical to the energy transition. But that shift comes as operating pressures build, from rising input costs to weather disruptions and tighter supply.
On this episode, mining reporter Paul-Alain Hunt breaks down what’s driving the reset – and what comes next. We look at how the war in the Middle East is adding to cost pressures, why mega mergers are struggling to get over the line, and what leadership changes at BHP and Rio Tinto mean for the industry’s future.
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A blowout in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme has forced the Australian government to make tough cuts to rein the program in ahead of its May budget.
On this week’s episode, economy reporter Swati Pandey discusses how NDIS spending rose so rapidly, concerns about misuse of the program, and how the government plans to fix it with greater oversight, curbs on fraud and tighter eligibility rules.
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The war in the Middle East is sending shockwaves through global fuel and fertilizer markets, and that’s flowing through to what farmers are planting in Australian paddocks this season.
On this week’s episode, agriculture reporter Ben Westcott breaks down what this means for Australia’s grain production, food security, grocery prices and exports.
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