The Bloomberg Australia Podcast

Australia's domestic aviation market may be on the cusp of its biggest shake-up in years, with two startup carriers — Zinc and Koala Airlines — plotting to challenge the long-standing dominance of Qantas and Virgin. In this episode, Chris Bourke asks global business reporter Angus Whitley why entrepreneurs see an opening despite the industry's brutal track record.

The episode also explores the hurdles facing any new entrant, from raising capital and securing airport slots to overcoming Qantas' powerful frequent flyer program and the risk of fare wars. Whitley discusses Jetstar's controversial decision to charge for overhead cabin baggage as an example of the pricing power incumbents enjoy — and if more competition could ultimately mean cheaper fares for Australian travellers.
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Macquarie is entering a new era. After nearly four decades at the investment bank and almost eight years as chief executive, Shemara Wikramanayake is stepping down, handing over to veteran executive Greg Ward after overseeing a period of record profits, surging share prices and growing global influence.
Bloomberg finance reporter Richard Henderson joins Rebecca Jones to unpack Wikramanayake's legacy, why Ward emerged as the board's choice, and the challenges awaiting him — from slowing mortgage growth to regulatory scrutiny and preserving the entrepreneurial culture that has long set Macquarie apart from its rivals.
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Almost 100,000 New Zealanders have moved to Australia in the past two years, as higher wages, bigger retirement savings and stronger career opportunities prove too tempting to ignore. For Australia, the surge is helping ease chronic shortages of nurses, police officers and other skilled workers. For New Zealand, it’s fueling concerns about a growing brain drain ahead of a November election.
In this episode, Chris Bourke speaks with Wellington Bureau Chief Ainsley Thomson about why Australia is winning the battle for Kiwi talent, how employers are actively recruiting across the Tasman, and what the migration boom means for both economies.
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On a windswept cliff at the edge of Tasmania, scientists are quietly tracking the future of our planet. This week, host Rebecca Jones speaks with David Stringer, managing editor of climate and ESG news in Asia, about Kennaook/Cape Grim — home to some of the cleanest air on Earth and one of the world’s most important climate monitoring stations. Learn how decades of data are reshaping our understanding of climate change, why the site matters to governments and investors, and what Australia’s role could be in the global climate fight.
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Could one remote Australian mine be a warning sign for the world? This week, Bloomberg Opinion columnist David Fickling talks to Chris Bourke about the revival of King Island's century-old tungsten mine, and how it reflects a new era of geopolitical competition as countries race to secure supplies of the little-known metal for weapons and munitions.
The conversation explores China's dominance of the tungsten market, Australia's untapped reserves and why decades of globalization left Western economies exposed to critical mineral supply risks. Fickling explains how one obscure mine offers a window into the race for critical minerals, the changing nature of war and the global scramble to secure strategic supply chains.
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