Grattan Institute

Australia has a maths problem: one in three Australian school students fail to achieve proficiency in maths. When maths is taught well, children and the nation benefit. But taught poorly, students are robbed of a core life skill. Adults with weaker maths skills have worse job prospects and are more likely to struggle with routine tasks such as managing budgets and understanding health guidance. Join Amy Hayward, Education Deputy Program Director, in conversation with co-authors Nick Parkinson and Dan Petrie, about how to boost students' maths proficiency in primary schools. Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/maths-guarantee/

Whether it’s increasing rent or mortgage repayments, the surging cost of buying a house or simply finding a secure place to live, Australians are struggling more than ever with housing costs. And with a federal election around the corner, cost-of-living is one of the biggest issues facing voters. Labor is spruiking the housing policies that it legislated over its first term, including the newly expanded Help to Buy scheme. The Coalition is promising to allow first home buyers to use their super to help purchase their home. Both parties are proposing a two-year ban on foreign residents purchasing existing homes. But do the policies on offer from the major parties go far enough to help make housing more affordable for more Australians? In this podcast, two Grattan experts, Brendan Coates and Matthew Bowes, evaluate the housing policies on offer – and suggest that whoever wins the election should pursue more comprehensive reforms. Read the 2025 Orange Book: https://grattan.edu.au/report/orange-book-2025/

Is the 2025 federal Budget right for these economic times? In this special pre-election Grattan podcast, our experts give their verdict. Host Kate Griffiths is joined by Grattan CEO Aruna Sathanapally and health policy expert Peter Breadon to analyse what was good in the Budget, what was missing, and what the next government – whether Labor or Coalition, majority or minority – should do to build a better Australia.

As Australia prepares for the 2025 federal election, our new Orange Book identifies the big reforms needed to set Australia on a more prosperous path. Find out what policies should be on the agenda of whoever wins the election – whether Labor or Coalition, majority or minority – on our latest podcast, with Aruna Sathanapally, Tony Wood, and host Kate Griffiths. Read the Orange Book: https://grattan.edu.au/report/orange-book-2025/

For decades, Australia has been a global leader in child immunization efforts. Vaccination has protected millions of children from preventable diseases like diphtheria, measles and whooping cough. But after child vaccination rates peaked in 2020 at around 95%, we're now seeing an alarming decline. In this podcast, health policy experts Peter Breadon and Wendy Hu discuss these concerning trends and what governments can do to boost vaccination rates in Australia. Hosted by Kat Clay. Relevant research - Child vaccination in Australia is falling - The Conversation (https://grattan.edu.au/news/child-vaccination-in-australia-is-falling/) - Falling vaccination rates endanger us all - The Sydney Morning Herald (https://grattan.edu.au/news/falling-vaccination-rates-endanger-us-all/)

Last Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia delivered its first rate cut in over four years. For many, the tumultuous years of rate rises have felt like a cost-of-living gauntlet. Inflation has driven up the cost of household bills, groceries and housing, with families slashing their spending to make ends meet. Despite the RBA’s independence from government, the rate cut falls under the shadow of a looming election, and both major parties are using the decision to pitch policies that ease the cost-of-living crisis. On this podcast, host Kat Clay interviews Grattan experts Trent Wiltshire and Jessica Geraghty, on the RBA’s decision, what it means for the election, and Australia’s economic outlook. Helpful links: Statement by the Reserve Bank Board: Monetary Policy Decision https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2025/mr-25-03.html Australia's Productivity Pitch: https://engage.pc.gov.au/projects/productivity-pitch/surveys/idea/survey/your-idea#submissions

Most Australians have enough to enjoy a comfortable retirement. But too many retirees who rent are being left behind. Today, two thirds of retirees who rent privately live in poverty, including more than three in four single women. And a growing number of older Australians are at risk of becoming homeless. With home ownership falling across the board, it’s only going to get worse. On this podcast, host Kat Clay discusses Grattan’s new report, Renting in Retirement: Why Rent Assistance needs to rise, with authors Brendan Coates and Matthew Bowes. Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/renting-in-retirement-why-rent-assistance-needs-to-rise/

Some communities are “GP deserts”, where there are too few GPs to ensure everyone can get the care they need when they need it. These communities are typically sicker and poorer than the rest of Australia, but receive less care and face higher fees. On this podcast, host Kat Clay interviews health experts Peter Breadon and Wendy Hu on the problem of GP deserts and how governments can fix them. Read the research: https://grattan.edu.au/news/how-to-eliminate-gp-deserts/

Each year, our staff curate the Wonks' List, a selection of the best technical reads for policy enthusiasts. From the housing crisis to trade policy, each of these works sparks discussion on pressing economic issues. On this podcast, Senior Associates Nick Parkinson and Elizabeth Baldwin break down what made the Wonks' List for 2024, and why. Read the list: https://grattan.edu.au/news/wonks-list-2024/

Do you find the idea of planning for your retirement overwhelming? If that’s you, you’re not alone. Our new report shows about 80 per cent of Australians find retirement planning complicated and about 60 per cent of Australians expect that their retirement will be financially stressful. But there are three things the government could do to simplify superannuation – so Australians can enjoy their retirement. On the latest podcast, Brendan Coates and Joey Moloney discuss their new report, Simpler super, and how these three reforms could take the stress out of retirement. Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/simpler-super/

Peter Dutton has released the costings for the Coalition's nuclear energy plan, proposing to build seven nuclear power stations at the sites of current coal plants. The Coalition says its plan would be markedly cheaper than Labor's plan to convert to mostly renewable energy by 2050. But a report from CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator suggests that renewables have the lowest cost range of any new electricity generation. Added to this, debates around energy prices are only going to get bigger as the 2025 federal election draws closer. And in the end, is the ultimate goal of emissions reduction getting lost in the clamour for cheaper bills? On this podcast, Grattan's energy experts Tony Wood and Alison Reeve provide incisive commentary on the state of energy policy - and they argue that Australia shouldn't jump to Plan B anytime soon. Links to reports mentioned in the podcast: - Frontier Economics report https://www.frontier-economics.com.au/economic-analysis-of-including-nuclear-power-in-the

Each year, Grattan Institute selects its best books of the past 12 months – recommended reading for the Prime Minister, and indeed all Australians, over the summer holidays. From the history of democracy to the stars above, each of these reads put humans squarely in the centre of the frame. Grattan CEO Aruna Sathanapally, and researchers Jessica Geraghty and Nick Parkinson, discuss why we chose these six pieces. Read more about these thought-provoking reads on our website: https://grattan.edu.au/news/prime-ministers-summer-reading-list-2024/

Every year, the federal government releases a Climate Change Statement, which documents progress towards Australia’s climate targets. This year’s statement shows Australia’s emissions have fallen and that we are on track to meet the 2030 emissions reduction target of 43 per cent. But hitting this number depends on implementing several policies, including the Capacity Investment Scheme, the Future Made in Australia plan, and The New Vehicle Emissions Standard. In this Grattan podcast, host Kat Clay and energy expert Alison Reeve discuss what the statement means for Australia, and what the government can do over the next five years to ensure Australia hits the targets. Further reading - Annual Climate Change Statement 2024 https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/strategies/annual-climate-change-statement-2024 - Climate Change Authority Annual Progress Report 2024 https://www.climatechangeauthority.gov.au/2024-annual-progress-report-released - Grattan’s Towards Net-Zero report series https://grattan.edu.au/t

It’s been a big week for housing policy. Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan both announced policies designed to boost housing supply. Our housing experts Brendan Coates and Matthew Bowes analyse the latest policies, and discuss what else could be done to ease the housing crisis.

Negative gearing is back on the table with Jim Chalmers asking Treasury to model changes to property tax breaks. It's not a new proposal for Labor, with tax reform a hot political issue in the 2019 election. But at any mention of changes to negative gearing, landlords immediately voice concerns about losing income and having to sell up. Tenants raise issues about increasing rents. And first home buyers wonder if this will worsen their chances of getting into the market. In this podcast episode, housing experts Brendan Coates and Matthew Bowes make the case for curbing negative gearing and the capital gains tax, a change which could raise billions for the federal Budget and boost home ownership. Show notes Why negative gearing should be on the table: https://grattan.edu.au/news/why-negative-gearing-should-be-on-the-table/ On negative gearing and the 2019 federal election: https://grattan.edu.au/news/self-interest-didnt-swing-the-election-results-but-the-scare-campaign-did/ Hot Property: Negative gearing and

Nuclear energy is a hotly contested topic for the upcoming election, with both sides of politics looking for a plan that enables Australia to hit net zero emissions by 2050 while maintaining an affordable, reliable energy supply. Peter Dutton has declared nuclear a central piece of the Coalition's energy plan, but with the policy light on details, there's a lot of questions left behind. What would a nuclear future look like for Australia? Does it help or hinder the pursuit of net zero? And is it cost effective for Australian taxpayers? All these questions - and more - are answered in this week's podcast with energy expert Alison Reeve, and host Kat Clay.

Gambling is everywhere. And Australia's lax approach to gambling regulation shows. We have the highest gambling losses in the world. While the federal government is considering banning gambling advertising in the wake of the Murphy Inquiry, Grattan's latest report makes the case for more regulation to minimise gambling harm in Australia. In this special podcast, authors Kate Griffiths and Elizabeth Baldwin discuss their report, A better bet: How Australia should prevent gambling harm, with host Kat Clay. Read the gambling report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/a-better-bet-how-australia-should-prevent-gambling-harm/ Who's in the room report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/whos-in-the-room/

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is failing many Australians with profound disability. More than 43,000 people with intensive support packages are seeing little benefit from a scheme that was supposed to give them greater choice and improved independence. Last year's reports from the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS review called for significant reform and a wider range of housing and support services. But neither report provided a clear and detailed roadmap to improve people's safety and give them alternate options. And the federal government's recent response to the Disability Royal Commission has kicked some of the more ambitious recommendations made by some commissioners to phase out group homes into the long grass for further consideration. So how can the government improve housing and support for Australians with intensive needs? Grattan's latest report, Better, safer, more sustainable, argues for four major reforms to improve NDIS housing and living supports. Host Kat Clay is joine

The 2024 NAPLAN school test results show one in three Australian students are not on track with their learning. The results also reveal deep inequities in Australian schools. Indigenous children, children from disadvantaged families, and children from regional and remote areas are falling years behind their more advantaged peers as they move through school. In this special Grattan Podcast, our NAPLAN specialists Amy Haywood and Nick Parkinson identify why students are performing so poorly, and what governments should do to turn this around so all young Australians gain the literacy and numeracy skills they need to have their best chance in life.

Over the past two years, it's been hard to see an end to interest rate rises. Homeowners have been slogged with one mortgage increase after another.   Despite a couple of months of calm, another potential rate rise is looming on the horizon, with the imminent release of inflation data and a meeting of the RBA in early August.  Kat Clay and Trent Wiltshire, Deputy Program Director Economic Prosperity, discuss whether the interest rates will ever go down again, or if homeowner hell will keep going for a long time to come. Donate to Grattan: https://grattan.edu.au/donate