Published by Bloomberg
Each week, Rebecca Jones and Bloomberg's team of reporters lift the lid on the biggest stories shaping Australia's place in global business.
Listen on Apple PodcastsMacquarie 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australia's housing downturn is accelerating, with national prices recording their biggest monthly fall since late 2022 as higher interest rates, tighter investor lending rules and geopolitical uncertainty weigh on demand. In this episode, Chris Bourke talks to Bloomberg economist James McIntyre about why the weakness has spread beyond Sydney and Melbourne. The episode also explores what falling house prices mean for the broader economy. McIntyre says the decline is likely to hit consumer spending through the "wealth effect," slow housing construction and eventually shift the Reserve Bank's focus from stubborn inflation toward supporting growth with rate cuts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
KPMG Australia is facing its biggest crisis in years after allegations that confidential client information was misused to help win lucrative audit contracts. In this episode, Amy Bainbridge talks to finance reporter Richard Henderson about what emerged from an explosive parliamentary hearing, and why more senior executives are stepping down. We also examine the scandal’s broader implications for the consulting industry, investors and corporate Australia. Why has so little changed since PwC's own confidentiality scandal – and are the industry's rules fit for purpose? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australian mortgage holders got some relief this week after the Reserve Bank left interest rates unchanged, pausing after three consecutive hikes. But has the central bank finished tightening? And what does the outlook for inflation, growth and global risks mean for investors? On this week's podcast, Chris Bourke speaks with Adam Bowe, Australian head of portfolio management at global investment giant Pimco. Bowe explains why Pimco believes the RBA has likely done enough, why the next move in rates is more likely to be down than up, and why Australian bonds are among the most attractive opportunities in global fixed income markets today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SpaceX is finally heading to the stock market in what could become the biggest IPO in history. The Elon Musk-founded company is seeking a valuation of around $1.75 trillion, a debut that could make Musk the world’s first trillionaire and test investor appetite for one of the most ambitious businesses ever brought to public markets. On this episode, host Chris Bourke speaks with New York-based IPO reporter Bailey Lipschultz about the excitement gripping Wall Street, the risks behind SpaceX’s eye-watering valuation, and what the deal could mean for the next wave of AI listings from OpenAI and Anthropic. Is this the start of a new era for markets – or the ultimate test of the Musk premium? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fresh polling has delivered one of the biggest political shocks in decades: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is now Australia’s most popular party, overtaking Labor and the Coalition on primary vote. The surge comes amid growing voter frustration over cost-of-living pressures, higher interest rates and a budget that many Australians feel has done little to ease household strain. On this episode, Rebecca Jones speaks with Bloomberg Economy and Government Editor Michael Heath about what’s driving One Nation’s rise, whether it reflects a broader shift in Australian politics, and what it means for Labor and the Coalition. Is this a temporary protest vote, or the beginning of a fundamental political realignment? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
New Zealand’s housing boom once looked unstoppable. Now prices are falling sharply, construction firms are collapsing and younger buyers are questioning whether property is still the safest path to wealth. On this week’s podcast, Chris Bourke speaks with Wellington Bureau Chief Ainsley Thomson about the economic fallout from one of the world’s biggest housing reversals — and what lessons it could hold for Australia as its own market begins to wobble. They discuss the painful reality of falling house prices, why governments fear housing downturns even when affordability is a political priority, and how New Zealand’s property slump is reshaping the way younger generations think about investing. Plus: are there actually bargains to be found across the Tasman for cashed-up Australians? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australia’s supermarket giants are facing a growing backlash as shoppers battle rising grocery bills and fresh scrutiny lands on the industry. After a federal court found Coles misled customers over its “Down Down” discount campaign, questions are mounting over whether Australians have really been getting the bargains they were promised. On this episode of the Bloomberg Australia Podcast, host Chris Bourke speaks with global business editor Karen Leigh about the court ruling, the cost-of-living crisis and why Coles and Woolworths have become targets of consumer frustration. They unpack the power of the supermarket duopoly, the erosion of trust among shoppers and whether growing competition from Aldi and Costco could finally reshape how Australians buy their groceries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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. To find out more about Bloomberg New Voices head to https://www.bloomberg.com/newvoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Global markets have been rocked by the escalating conflict between the US, Israel and Iran — and Australians are starting to feel it in their super balances. After one of the worst months since 2022, many investors are nervously checking their accounts and wondering how much damage has been done. On this week’s episode, pensions reporter Amy Bainbridge breaks down what the volatility means for your retirement savings, why funds are urging members not to panic, and what history tells us about riding out market shocks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australia’s world-first ban on social media for under-16s was designed to protect kids — but just months in, cracks are already showing. Regulators say major platforms may be falling short, while parents and teens report the rules are easy to get around, with workarounds ranging from shared accounts to AI-generated age checks. So is the policy actually changing behavior, or just reshuffling it? Bloomberg’s Ros Mathieson joins the podcast to unpack what’s working, what isn’t, and whether this bold experiment could become a global model — or a cautionary tale. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is Australia at risk of running out of fuel? Panic buying has surged, prices are spiking and some regional stations are already running dry as tensions in the Middle East rattle global supply chains. This week on the podcast, Ben Westcott joins Rebecca Jones to unpack the data behind the headlines — how much fuel Australia actually has, where the system is under strain and why the ripple effects could hit everything from supermarket shelves to farm output. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For a second straight meeting, the RBA has lifted interest rates, signaling the fight to curb price pressures isn’t over. But what’s actually driving those decisions behind closed doors? Bloomberg Economics’ James McIntyre joins the podcast to decode the RBA’s thinking: from the data that matters most to how global shocks, like rising energy prices, are shaping the outlook — and what it all means for where rates go next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.