Unconventional Economist

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also Chief Economist and co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.

Victoria seeks federal bailout to fight off credit rating agencies

The federal government has effectively provided Victoria with a financial bailout by delivering the state around $7.5 billion in extra GST revenue over two years, meaning it will receive $1.07 for every dollar raised in 2025-26.

Will government austerity end the jobs boom?

Australia’s ‘miracle’ jobs market has been a fool’s paradise.

Mortgage affordability is not housing affordability

The 2025 federal election campaign saw both sides admit that they wanted to see Australian home prices rise at a ‘sustainable rate’ from already record-high levels.

NZ rents fall amid migration slump

Statistics New Zealand’s latest migration data showed that only 13,066 net overseas migrants landed in the country in the year to July 2025.

To increase home ownership, reduce the number of investors

A new report from Oxfam claims that the capital gains tax (CGT) discount and negative gearing are “disproportionately” benefiting Australia’s wealthiest, fuelling the housing affordability crisis and inequality, and harming the federal budget.

Brisbane house prices bubble-up

This week’s consumer sentiment survey from Westpac revealed that Australian house price expectations are at their highest level in 15 years, following a 2.1% rise in October. Westpac also noted that “expectations are stronger still in Queensland (184)”.

Bad news for Aussie inflation

In last week’s monetary policy decision, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decided to keep the official cash rate on hold, citing resurgent inflation risks.

Renters are the forgotten people

If renewables are cheaper, why the secrecy?

The NSW government has been criticised for blocking Freedom of Information (FOI) requests for access to taxpayer-funded reports on the likely impact of closing down coal-fired power stations on electricity prices.

Reserve Bank panics, cuts rates by 0.5%

New Zealand’s economy is in a deep hole.

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