We’re quadrillionaires. Also, things seem terrible.
Wealth on Earth is up, apparently.
On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg and Elinor discuss the better-than-expected inflation figures, the global oversupply of once-in-a-lifetime crises, and what the ominous-sounding ‘global balance sheet’ tells us about wealth on Earth.
This discussion was recorded on Thursday 30 July 2026.
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.
Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @grogsgamut
Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @elinorjohnstonleek
Show notes:
The likelihood of the RBA raising interest rates has fallen. Have we finally come to our senses? by Greg Jericho, Guardian Australia (July 2026)
Latest inflation figures strengthen case for RBA to hold rates by Matt Grudnoff, The Point (July 2026)
Workers have paid the price for inflation driven by corporate profits, OECD report confirms by Greg Jericho, The Point (July 2026)
Global balance sheet, McKinsey Institute (July 2026)
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Theme music: 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 Dollars & Sense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Between the Lines Newsletter
The biggest stories and the best analysis from the team at the Australia Institute, delivered to your inbox every fortnight.
You might also like
Gripped by an ‘Abundance fever’ that makes us see only red
Canberra is in the grip of Abundance fever, a virus that threatens to overwhelm public policy with a diagnosis of overregulation. For those afflicted, the treatment is to maintain the status quo, but with the sheen of progressivism. The Abundance agenda is being presented as a panacea for all of America’s problems, and therefore also Australia’s problems. It’s shaping
Old habits die hard | Between the Lines
The Wrap with Matt Grudnoff This week, we published important research that looked at terrible flaws in the GST that are costing Australians billions of dollars in important government services, like health, education, housing, and infrastructure. When the GST was introduced, it was promised to be a growth tax that would help make the states
Coalition offers crash course on staying in opposition for forever
If the Coalition’s aim is to stay in opposition, it’s doing a bang-up job.