International Reading:
- Trump Hit With His Worst-Ever Approval Rating on the Economy – Daily Beast
- Trump Moves to End a Major Student Loan Forgiveness Program – Time
- U.S. hits $38 trillion in debt, after the fastest accumulation of $1 trillion outside of the pandemic – PBS
- Fed Chair Jerome Powell Says U.S. May Be Drastically Overstating Jobs Numbers – WSJ
- Bessent says U.S. will finish the year with 3% GDP growth, sees ‘very strong’ holiday season – CNBC
- Trump $2K stimulus check could cause ‘invisible harm’ to Americans, expert says – The Mirror
- America Can’t Make What the Military Needs – NY Times
- $27,000 a Year for Health Insurance. How Can We Afford That? – NY Times
- Trump’s tariffs have cost each American household $1,200, Dems say – AZ Express
- Delistings Jump 45% as Sellers Pull Homes Rather Than Cut Prices – Investopedia
- Firewood Banks Aren’t Inspiring. They’re a Sign of Collapse. – New Republic
- Something Ominous Is Happening in the AI Economy – The Atlantic
- Tariffs have cost U.S. households $1,200 each since Trump returned to the White House, Democrats say – AP News
- The US Has an Affordability Problem — Are You Feeling the Pinch? – Bloomberg
- Tariffs Shrank Trade Deficit in September, New Data Show – NY Times
- OpenAI’s house of cards seems primed to collapse – Engadget
- Canadian families could pay $1,000 more for groceries in 2026, report warns – Global News
- Trump calls affordability crisis a ‘hoax.’ The data tells a different story – NPR
- Germany’s Energy Mismanagement: Mistake After Mistake – Fincom
Local Reading:
- ‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared– The Guardian
- Adult content creator Bonnie Blue will be banned from Bali after studio raid involving 14 Australians – ABC
- How News Corp drove Labor’s rushed social media ban – Deep Cut
- NSW government acquires two outback stations to convert into national parks – ABC
- Anthony Albanese sidesteps calls for reform amid growing community anger over MP travel perks -The Guardian
- University students ‘betrayed’ by corporatised universities as senate inquiry calls for law change – ABC
- ‘Already had a profound effect’: parents react to Australia’s social media ban – The Guardian
- Australia’s senior politicians can claim ‘unlimited’ travel expenses for their spouse, watchdog rules say – The Guardian
- Australia’s education system ‘highly segregated’ says former minister Susan Close – ABC
- Firefighters under the pump as bushfires threaten homes – New Daily
- Households now need six-figure income to comfortably rent in any capital city – ABC
- Bureau of Meteorology makes major changes to $96.5m website after refresh backlash – ABC
- Auckland residential construction bouncing along the bottom – Interest.co.nz
- Asking prices cooled on Trade Me Property in November – Interest.co.nz
MB media appearances:
Last weekend’s Treasury of Common Sense with Luke Grant at Radio 2GB/4BC discusses former Treasurer Peter Costello’s call to reintroduce the baby bonus to boost the nation’s birth rate.
I also attack Liberal Senator Andrew McLachlan for trying to censor the migration debate.
This interview with Tom Elliott at Radio 3AW discusses the latest round of industry subsidies designed to shield manufacturers from soaring energy costs.
In this week’s Treasury of Common Sense with Phil O’Neil at Radio 2GB/4BC, I explain how Treasurer “Spin” Jim Chalmers has become one of the biggest purveyors of spin and propaganda.
This extract from my latest podcast with Martin North at Digital Finance Analytics discusses the drivers of Australia’s productivity collapse.
