Weekend Reading and MB Media Appearances

International Reading:

• $234 Billion In Student Loans Are Now In Default, And Things Are About To Get Worse – Forbes
• Inflation on many everyday items was entirely due to tariffs, NY Fed says – CNBC
• The ‘American dream’ just hit a staggering new price tag – Fast Company
• Trump says he doesn’t want Iran deal as U.S. reportedly prepares for ‘massive bombing’ – CNBC
• Trump Is Considering a Plan to Strike Iran Before the Midterms – The Atlantic
• The Biggest Source of Inequality That No One Talks About – The Atlantic
• Most Americans support switch to Medicare for all health insurance – Reuters
• Federal budget deficit climbs to $2 trillion as fiscal jitters multiply – CNN
• The world has nearly burned through its oil stockpile buffer, executives say – Reuters
• Russia asks Vietnam for planes as seized Western fleet falls apart – Euro News
• Oil prices jump 5% on Middle East tensions and US hurricane threat – The Guardian
• US farm debt is at a record. Official data might be undercounting it – Reuters
• Ukrainian refugees raised Poland’s GDP by 2.4% in 2025, finds UN study – Notes from Poland
• Treasury yields hit 24-year highs as global sell-off accelerates – NBC News

Local Reading:

• Data centre operator Firmus pulls share market float following lacklustre investor demand – ABC
• Big four banks lift mortgage rates from Friday: What you’ll pay – News.com.au
• OpenAI used AI to help write email warning Australian government AI had hacked its websites – The Guardian
• Abortion pill access jumps almost 50% after Australia eases restrictions for pharmacies – The Guardian
• Data centre plan leaves NT environmental regulator with ‘low level of confidence’ – ABC
• Tenants unable to pay higher rental prices, Domain data finds – ABC
• Controversial private health changes appear all but doomed as Greens play hardball – ABC
• ‘All gas, no brakes’: Westpac NZ now expects annual inflation to hit 4.2% by end of 2026 – Interest.co.nz
• NZ First soars, Opportunity drops below 5% – latest political poll – Interest.co.nz
• Fewer residential properties rented in August – rents remain flat – Interest.co.nz
• ASB survey finds rising power prices are prompting NZ businesses to pass on costs – Interest.co.nz

MB Media Appearances:

My interview with Andrew Bolt at News 24 unpacks the Coalition’s announced immigration policy, which is largely ‘smoke and mirrors’.

Unpacking Australia’s energy transition:

Treasury of Common Sense on Radio 2GB/4BC unpacks the latest interest rate hike from the RBA, recession risks, and Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ spin.