Unconventional Economist

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also Chief Economist and co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.

Reserve Bank sees disinflation ahead

Last week, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand lowered the official cash rate (OCR) to 3.25%, down 2.25% from the recent peak.

Electric vehicles must pay higher registration fees

University of Melbourne associate professor Milad Haghani argues that utes and SUVs should pay higher registration fees to account for the damage they do to roads because of their weight.

Australia becomes dumping ground for international students

The latest data from the Department of Education shows that there were a record 1,095,298 international students enrolled in Australia at the end of 2024, an annual increase of 13%.

Is Australia’s population growth rising or falling?

CBA senior economist Stephen Wu created the following chart showing the divergence between various population measures: According to Wu: Next week’s National Accounts release (4/6) will contain an updated estimate of population growth, which is driven by net overseas migration (NOM).

The great retail recession

This week’s Q1 national accounts release from the Australian Bureau of Statistics is expected to reveal that per capita GDP declined, effectively pushing Australians back into recession after the reprieve in Q4 2024.

Australia’s hidden high-rise housing crash

The Albanese government’s fantastical target to build 1.2 million homes over five years is centred on delivering a boom in high-rise towers. However, the April dwelling approvals data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed that high-density approvals have collapsed.

Property vendors and buyers cash in on rate cut

The economic week ahead

By Stephen Wu, senior economist at CBA.

Australian housing poised for new price boom

Labor’s housing target crumbles into dust

The Albanese government’s National Housing Accord commenced on 1 July 2024 and requires the construction of 1.2 million homes over five years, which equates to 20,000 homes per month and 240,000 homes a year.

Advertisement